Looking Forward to Half-Term
Come rain or shine, get ready to make the most of autumn half term with our pick of the best indoor and outdoor activities to keep the kids (and parents) entertained!
Indoor
Crafts
Get the kids crafting and create some autumn inspired masterpieces. A simple yet fun idea is to create leaf rubbings. Collect as many beautiful leaves as you can, leave them to dry if necessary, then place them on a hard surface (vein side up) and lay a sheet of plain white paper over the top. Then, being careful not to move the paper or the leaf, use the side of a crayon to lightly rub over the leaf until the pattern appears.
Indoor picnic
Bring the outdoors in and have your very own indoor picnic with all the trimmings. Lay out a blanket and cushions and spread out your favourite treats to enjoy together. And why not go all out and make some home baked treats? The kids will love helping in the kitchen, so here’s a nice and easy cookie recipe for you to try.
You’ll need:
- 225g (8oz) butter, softened
- 110g (4oz) caster sugar
- 275g (10oz) plain flour
Optional
- Add one teaspoon of spices (cinnamon, mixed spice, ginger, etc)
- 75g white, milk or dark chocolate chips
- 1. Preheat oven to 170°c (Gas mark 3)
- 2. In a large bowl, beat the butter with a wooden spoon or electric mixer until soft. Then add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- 3. Sift the flour and add to the mixture. Add your optional ingredients and work the mixture until it forms a dough.
- 4. Use your hands to make balls (about the size of a ping pong ball) and place them on a baking tray with enough space between them so they can spread. Flatten the balls with a spoon or the back of a fork and bake for around 15 minutes. They should turn golden brown and be slightly firm on top.
- 5. Once baked, remove the cookies from the tray and leave to cool for around 15 minutes.
- 6. Enjoy!
Build a fort
There’s no rulebook when it comes to creating your very own indoor fort! Building materials can include dining tables, chairs, sofa cushions, throws and sheets (top tip: clothing pegs and books are handy for pinning sheets in place). Once you’ve helped the kids build the fort, fill it with cushions and blankets and snuggle in together with a book, play king of the castle or even spend the night!
Outdoor
Pick your own
Several fruits and vegetables are ready to harvest in October... Head for your nearest pick your own farm to see what’s on offer and stock up for the weeks ahead. Get your pumpkins ready for Halloween or if you live near an orchard, pick the last of the season’s apples and sample a cider or two if you’re lucky!
Build a hedgehog house
Sadly, it’s estimated that there are fewer than 1 million hedgehogs left in the UK, building a home for them is a great way to help the population and encourage wildlife into your garden. Hedgehogs will be house hunting in October ready to hibernate through the winter months, so now is a great time. You can find plenty of guides online on how to build houses of all shapes and sizes, but we like this simple hedgehog house guide by Wildlife Trust.
Woodland walk
There’s no better time of year to explore your local woodland… Let the kids run wild and explore while you enjoy the crunch of fallen leaves underfoot, surrounded by beautiful autumnal colours. Create a scavenger hunt or look for wildlife to make it extra fun. Just be sure to take the camera with you for those perfect photo opportunities!
Whatever you get up to this half term, we hope you have fun! And if you’re looking to kit out the little ones, then we’ve got you covered.