Getting cosy inside

In recent weeks, we’ve heard lots of stories about increases to the cost of living, but we know there are so many ways to have lots of fun at home without spending a penny. Below are some of our favourites! 

Indoor picnic 

If the weather is looking a little dull, you may want to find some activities for indoors. You could turn lunch into an indoor picnic with a blanket on the floor and some food to share with your teddies. You could make it extra special by arranging the food in different shapes, for example you could cut sandwiches into four triangles to create butterfly wings and use carrot sticks as the butterfly’s body and antennae, or you could use the triangles to create a boat with a carrot mast and use another triangle as a sail. You could even grate some cheese to toast over a muffin and add vegetables to make a smiley face! 

Den adventures 

You don’t need to be outside to create a den. Using a blanket and some chairs, you could create an indoor den for your child, perhaps adding some toys and books to read together inside the den by the light of a torch, maybe even with some snacks to eat while you’re cosy together. 

Water play 

Playing with water can be as simple as having some containers to pour from in the bath or having a bowl of water to splash in.  

You could add some colour to the water to make it a bit more interesting – check any colouring you use does not stain their skin and let your child take the lead. They might be unsure about putting their hands into coloured water or they might absolutely love it!  

You could run a colourful bath, using any food colouring you have in the cupboard (provided your child has no allergies and the colouring doesn’t stain their skin). If you have vanilla essence, you could add a drop to make the bath smell heavenly! They will love bathing in the brightly coloured water and your older child may enjoy creating a story to go with their bath – are they a mermaid in a tropical sea, a pirate on the high seas or sitting in a rainbow cloud? You could add some bubble bath for bubbles, to create clouds or snowy peaks, to add to the story, and any bath toys you may have. Please ensure any bath products you use are suitable for your baby or child’s skin. 

Many of these activities can be adapted to your child’s age and interests, all easily accessible and at no cost. We hope we have inspired you to find a few new ways to have fun together!