Get crafty at home!

Craft at home is easy, especially when you can use bits and pieces from around the house! Grab all of your spare popsicle sticks to make fun Christmas tree decorations and characters! 

All you need is coloured paper! 

Collect up all of your spare wrapping paper and cardboard! Make your own beautiful Christmas Cards to give to friends and family this year. All you need is some coloured paper, glue and scissors! Cut paper into circles and fold in half. Glue one half to the card to form your 3D Christmas tree!

Hand Made Macaroni Wreath 

A fun, homemade wreath couldn't be easier to make at home! All you need is a pack of pinch pasta, cardboard, glue, spray paint and decorations!

Cookie decorating!

Decorating cookies is a great way to keep your little elves busy in the kitchen! Select a range of cookie cutters and icing ingredients in centre. Plus turn your creations into a thoughtful homemade gift to give to friends, family or neighbours! 

Get colouring this Christmas!

Give your little elves some fun colouring in templates to share around as Christmas decorations or cards for family and friends. We are sharing these FREE Crayola colouring in print outs, get yours here!

Download your free Crayola Print Outs

Tis' the season to eat! 

Get creative in the kitchen this Christmas, this season is all about food, family and giving. Check out our collection of free Christmas summer recipes to inspire the whole family! 

Get your free recipes here. 

DIY Rose Milk Bath Bombs

Making your own bath bombs is super easy! These rose milk bath bombs will make a thoughtful gift or something to spoil yourself. 

What you'll need: 

1 cup of Baking Soda

1/2 cup of citric acid

1/2 cup of cornstarch

1/4 cup dry milk 

3 tablespoons epsom salt

Handful dried rose petals

1 teaspoon of water

3-4 teaspoons Almond Oil

15-20 drops of rose oil

How to Make: 

In a large bowl combine baking soda, citric acid, cornstarch, milk powder, and Epsom salt. Add rose petals that have been cut into small pieces.

In a small cup or bowl stir together water, almond oil, and rose essential oil.

Combine wet ingredients with dry mixture. Test mixture by grabbing a handful and making a fist. If it holds it’s shaping it’s ready to be placed in the mold. If it’s too dry (the mixture crumbles once you open your fist) use a spray bottle to LIGHTLY spray water 1-2 times, until you can form a shape. Do not overspray or the mixture will begin to fizz and not form correctly.

Use plastic ornament molds to make the bath bombs. I like to overfill each half then press them together until the excess falls out. This way you’ll have a compact bath bomb that won’t fall apart when you open the mold. You can also use silicone molds to make small bath bombs. This recipe makes 3 medium bath bombs or 2 medium and 8 small bath bomb fizzies.

Leave bath bombs to dry overnight before removing from mold. Allow them to dry on a towel for a few hours before using or wrapping.

Craft activity provided by: APumpkinAndPrincess.com

Seriously Hand Made! 

Knit a chunky knit blanket at home in just 45 minutes using your arms as the needles! 

Measurements:
Approximately 36″ by 60″

Pattern:
– Cast on 18 stitches using the long tail cast on method
– Knit 34 rows (depending on tension) keeping your stitches as tight as you can
– Bind off
– Weave in the ends

Make a pillow or Blanket Fort at home!

Get creative inside by making your own epic Pillow or Blanket fort!

Use whatever you can find around the house, from chairs, tables, blankets, bed sheets and rugs. Give your fort a cute finishing touch by adding twinkly lights from your Christmas tree! Hours of fun to be had, but make sure you ask Mum or Dad first! 

DIY Marble Nail Polish Art Pieces 

What you'll need:

-nail polish in several shades (don’t use quick-dry if possible).
-disposable container
-disposable stick to stir paint
-plastic gloves to protect your hands

1. Fill your tray with water, not too much, just enough to get a flat surface. Whatever you use will pretty much get covered in nail polish so I would suggest using something you plan to toss afterwards.

2. Pour in your nail polish and move it around with the stick to spread it a bit.

3. Place your paper right over the polish and leave for a few seconds. Then transfer on to you old newspaper to dry.

4. Get creative! Add a second color and combine using your stick.

Craft activity provided by: Cutoutandkeep.net

At home fitness for over 60's

Its important to stay active if you are self isolating right now. Try these movements before getting active:

Warm up, cool down and stretch

Become a Mocktail expert at home! 

Here's a couple of our fave delicious and fun mocktails to make at home. 

Virgin Pina Colada

Sit back and sip those cares away with a non-alcoholic piña colada that's basically a tropical milkshake. It's creamy, tart, and sweet and just what the doctor ordered. One drink and you'll be hooked! 

ingredients:

- Rosemary Simple Syrup:1 cup water, 1 cup granulated sugar, 3 sprigs of rosemary

- 2 cups fresh pink grapefruit juice

- ¼ cup of the rosemary simple syrup

- 4 cups sparkling water

How to Make:

Rosemary Simple Syrup: In a small sauce pan on the stove, add 1 cup of water and 1 cup of granulated sugar over medium heat. Dissolve the sugar for about 5 minutes. Do not let the mixture boil or crystals will form. Once the sugar has dissolved, pour the simple syrup into a heat safe container. Add 3 sprigs of rosemary and let steep for at least one hour. The syrup will keep in the refrigerator for ten days.

Mocktail per glass: Add ½ cup fresh pink grapefruit into a serving glass. Add 1 Tablespoon (1/2 oz) of rosemary simple syrup. Stir. Fill the remainder of the glass with sparkling water (about 1 cup)

Garnish with rosemary sprig!

Recipes provided by: Delish.com

Virtual Book club 

Missing your friends and reading up a storm while in iso? 

Why not create or join a weekly virtual book club! 

Ask your friends to join up on a video call to discuss your favorite reads and socialise at the same time!

Here's some free video call sites to get you started:

- Zoom

- Skype

- Whats App

- Facebook Messenger

- FaceTime

Sweet and Simple Dog Tricks

We have collected a range of easy 'Do it Yourself' training tips for your dog! 

1. Wait

The idea of this trick is to encourage calm self-control in your dog. By learning that they only gets a reward when he is calm and waits for permission then your dog will be focused to learn.

Dog trainers love this trick because it teaches a dog to focus and be controlled during training sessions and everyday life.

View the full training for the Wait command here. 

2. Shake Hands

Shaking hands is one of the more traditional dog tricks and remarkably easy to teach. Your dog will learn to offer a front paw in response to request and solemnly shake hands with first you and then visitors to the home. Shake is an old but impressive trick to teach any dog.

Dog trainers love this trick because the shake is a great alternative to teach that prevents a dog jumping up on greeting people.

View the full training for the Shake command here

3. Speak command

Teaching your dog to bark on command is easy and even more useful because you can then teach them quietness on command too.

Dog trainers love this trick and often teach it (and the next trick) in order to control a raucous barking canine. 

View the full training for the Speak command here

Learn a language at home!

There is no better time than now to learn a new language and apply your self to upskilling your bilingual vocab!

Try using the following learning aids:

Dualingo

Memrise

The Language Academy

Open Culture Online

Hand washing for Kids

The next time you're cleaning up before meals remember these handy hints:

First, use warm or cold water when you wash your hands.

Work up some lathered soup on both sides of your hands (front and back!), your wrists, and between your fingers. Don't forget to wash around your nails. This is one place germs like to hide.

Wash for about 10 to 15 seconds — about how long it takes to sing "Happy Birthday!" (Sing it quickly two times or just once if you go nice and slow.)

Rinse and dry well with a clean towel.

Health and wellbeing is important, take the time to look after yourself with these great active tips! 

1. Stretches in the living room

Whether you’d rather just have a bit of a stretch on your bedroom floor when you wake up or actually set aside half an hour or so every day to do a guided yoga routine. Free yoga and stretching apps you can download include: 

• Flexibility
• StretchIT
• Yoga for Beginners

2. Gentle lifting exercises 

For your arms, why not use tins of tomatoes or fruit as dumbbells? It’s simple: with your arms outstretched, lift your hands to shoulder height or as high as you physically can, if your shoulder movement is limited, returning to by your sides when you’ve reached as high as you can go. 

3. Meditation

It can be useful to practice breath work or meditation to help manage your head space. The following apps can be downloaded from the app store which teach you how to meditate and complete relaxation exercises: 

• Calm App
• MindBody App
• Headspace App

De-clutter your life

 Imagine a wardrobe that’s neat and orderly, where everything has a place...

Well today’s the day? Out with the old, in with the same, but do it differently!

Sift between socks, underwear, shoes and whatever else is lurking in the depths of your drawers and reap the rewards of a tidy and organised bedroom.

Here’s our 5 rules of wardrobe organisation: 

- Make your clothes visible

- Is it really sentimental?

- Store your holiday looks separately.

- Pack special occasion items away

- Protect your clothes

Board Game Fun! 

Or shall we say bored games? If you're lucky enough to be in quarantine with company, then why not Dust off the games and have some old school fun.

Family favourites may include Cluedo, Scrabble and Pictionary (Monopoly should be chosen at your own risk) 

And don't forget about Virtual Games! 

There are heaps of games available on the app store which allow you to play with your friends online! Try Words with Friends, ScrabbleGo and The UNO app! 

Here's an easy way to create your own at home compost: 

1. Choose a place

The best place to out your compost tub or tumbler is a dry shady spot that is close to a tap or a hose.

2. Add compost ingredients

Add your organic food scraps. This includes fruit, vegetables, scraps, egg shells, teabags and coffee grounds. Don't add things like meat, cheese or bread scraps.

3. Add water as needed 

Your compost pile should feel wet like a sponge, check it regularly and add water as needed.

4. Keep things moving

Turn your mixture every three days 

5. Wait for it to 'cook'

You'll know your compost is ready to feed the garden when it no longer gives off heat and becomes dry and crumbly. 

Self-care tips in isolation

 Sometimes it's the small things in life that make us feel better so take some time for yourself and create your own body scrub to rejuvenate your skin and leave it with a healthy glow! The best part – you don’t need to go further than your pantry or fridge to create one!

 Combine the below ingredients in a small bowl, mix, apply and gently scrub! 

Brown Sugar Scrub

 Brown sugar is a wonderful natural exfoliant that works for all skin types.

• - Brown Sugar
• - Honey
• - Coconut Oil

Coffee scrub

You'll enjoy a brilliant glow after using a coffee face scrub. Adding brightness to your skin and reducing puffiness.

• - Instant Coffee Grounds
• - Honey
• - Yogurt/Cream or Milk

Items around the house perfect for dress ups! 

• - Lengths Of Fabric or coloured material 
• - Hats, Gloves, Scarves for Imaginative Role Play
• - Assorted Bags And Baskets
• - Glasses Or Sun Glasses
• - Silly socks and funny shoes
• - Tablecloth or fabric used for capes or hero masks
• - Old wooden spoons can be used to make a fairy or wizard wand

DIY no fuss Play Dough Recipe!

What you'll need: 

- 2 cups of corn flour / corn starch 

- 1 cup of hair conditioner (cheap brand) 

- assorted food colouring

Place hair conditioner into a medium bowl and add a few drops of food colouring.

With a spoon, mix the colouring through the conditioner.

Add 1 cup of cornflour and stir.  Then add the last cup of cornflour to the mixture.

Constantly stir the mixture until it begins to form a thick blob.

Turn the play dough out onto a clean surface and knead into a smooth ball with your hands.  Add more cornflour if the play dough is sticky.

Store in a plastic zip lock bag or air tight container.

If you don't have cheap hair conditioner try using moisturiser or hand cream.

recipe provided by: Learning4kids.com

How to create your own Happy Egg Head Growers! 

Materials: 

- Empty Egg Shells

- Soil

- Seeds (use a couple of different types of seeds to compare, peas and sunflowers or just seedlings from the garden)

- Water

- Spoon or small scoop

STEP 1: Set up your egg shells in the egg cartons and fill with soil. You can use a couple of different types of seeds, make sure to separate one set of eggs from another.

STEP 2: Push one seed gently into the soil of each eggshell, making sure the seed is covered with dirt.

STEP 3: Use a small spray bottle or similar to dampen the soil. Do not over water! 

Leave the eggs for a few days to see how the seeds grow, leave in a warm place with a small area of sunlight.

Recipe provided by: Littlebinsforlittlehands.com

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