Ideas and Sources of fun for the family.

I am always looking for fab ideas to play and do with the family.  I want to keep my little mans brain alive with adventure and fun.  I want to make sure that his Daddy and I are both 'invested' parents and not miss a thing.

Every day I try and think of a fun activity for us to do.  He loves drawing with crayons, playing on his pirate ship, licking the bowl when I cook and reading books (his favourite and mine as I get to snuggle up nice and tight).  But what about some more adventurous play?

I have recently become a huge fan of Pinterest, it's a website that allows you to find and 'pin' all your favourite ideas and categorise them anyway you like.  I spend most of the night after Master is in bed dreaming soundly on Pinterest ooohing and aaahing at the wonderful ideas some very imaginative parents have come up with.  I need other peoples ideas as I am not a very imaginative parent myself I fear...

I have included some of my favourites and am busting to try them out over the following weeks.

What are your best ideas?  What are the best home-based fun play ideas you have with your kids?

Bubble Bath Paint & Recipe to make it!  The joy, the joy of making a MESS!  Awesome blog too!

Gorgeous backyard bowling, so easy!

Home made Xylophone.  Master One loves to make noise, I'd love it to be more tuneful ;s

I think we have to add a 'Car Wall' to Master One's bedroom!!

Now to convince that incredibly handy hubby of mine to help me.  I have the ideas, he has the ability!!

If anyone would like an invite to Pinterest please leave a comment below.  Be warned though, once you get started you are HOOKED!

Have a great day everyone!

Aye aye me hearties!

My dearest Mister spent two weekends making our Master One the most gorgeous Pirate Ship outdoor play area.  This all started with a conversation surrounding making a play area, near the house with a floor  and a sandpit.  Mister can't do anything by halves however and got a little bit carried away....I do love him for it though as the ship is awesome!!

A ships steering wheel is on it's way and I am making an activity board (I'll pop a photo of the one I want to make at the bottom).  The big question now is do we paint it or leave it as is?

Master One has headed straight out the door at every opportunity to climb aboard!

What are the small projects at your house that  wound up bigger than Ben Hur?

Gorgeous 'anchor' Mister made

Nearly finished!

Master One approves.

What a FAB set of steps!

This is the activity board I want to make!  How gorgeous is it?

Kid friendly

Some shopping centres just get it 'right' for parents and children.

We were delighted in Rockhampton to find their Stockland shopping centre had a fantastic indoor childrens play area.  After a good couple of hours shopping, little Jack was restless so we headed to the play area, I grabbed a coffee and watched him have fun!  It was terrific, broke up our shopping day and kept him in a better mood, longer.

The play area was spotlessly clean, the equipment was bright and great fun.  He was also able to see himself on television which kept him entertained.

Then to top off this fantastic family environment it was time to head to the parenting room.  Wow!  What a great space for parents and kids.

Firstly there is a big open space with another small play area, for toddlers.  Then a row of very clean, bright change tables with complimentary wipes (heated thank you!).  A variety of feeding rooms with lovely chairs in them with automated locking doors and toys for toddlers.  Large toilet facilities (big enough to take in your pram and all your shopping) with both toilets for big and little people :)

I know to the uninitiated a post on toilet facilities seems a little uninteresting, however, if you've ever been to the shops with an infant and pram alone and needed to 'go' you would understand the logistics can have you in tears ;)

I took a pic of the little play area but the rest of the room was full so I didn't get any others

Apologies for the quality of the pictures, they were taken with my phone :)

Toddlers first wet season

Jack is 14 months old and this is his first wet season in the tropics.  The challenge for us has been coming up with indoor activities to keep us both busy.  He's too little for a lot of the toddler activity, but old enough to require entertaining!

Today we drew a few gorgeous pictures for his Aunties (under close supervision as he is a crayon nibbler), used sea sponges to paint a few more pictures and read lots and lots of books.  The advantage of using sea sponges is I then just pop them in a container and in the fridge, then they're ready for the next rainy day.  No clean up required!

More rain is forecast for tomorrow so I think we might start on some Easter activities.  Despite all this fun however, I'm pretty sure he can't wait to get back outside with the soccer ball and Tonka trucks!