Kids' activities you can both enjoy

As busy parents we're always looking for activities for the kids to do, but sometimes we want kids' activities we can both enjoy. We want to join in the fun and spend time with our kids, but we don't want to be bored with the same old kids' activities. With the Easter holidays upon us I've been thinking about all the ways my kids and I could spend time together doing fun activities, here's what I came up with.



Enjoy Outdoor games together


This time of year, when the rain holds off and maybe the sun makes an appearance, it's good to get outdoors. There are loads of kids' activities you can do outdoors, particularly if your kids enjoy being outside.

Kids' Activities You Can Both Enjoy | Play balancing games in your garden and you'll both have fun!
You can even play balancing games!



Badminton


LP loves playing badminton, and because I used to play when I was in school I enjoy it too. This past weekend LP and I got out in the garden and played a few rounds of badminton. We have a little set that we can put up in a few minutes and get to playing quickly. Playing badminton with LP made me think about the summer, and how lovely it would be to go for a picnic and take the badminton set with us so we can all have a go - It's on my list for summer kids' activities now! Badminton is a brilliant outdoor kids' activity that will keep them running around and maybe even give you a little workout too.



Football


With a boy who is into his sports obviously football features on his favourites list. I don't usually play with him, he has a net that he uses and can entertain himself for a while. But sometimes it's nice to get out and kick a football around, even if you don't like football. The thing with playing football is it gives you a workout as well as wearing out your kids - win win! 





At the end of the day, if I can say I had fun, it was a good day.

Simone Biles




Swing ball


We bought a swing ball set a few years ago and it's a good activity for LP to do outside. He can spend ages hitting the ball around and he never loses the ball because it's attached to the pole by elastic. It's good to watch him playing, enjoying being outside, but sometimes it's better to get involved myself. LP always screeches with joy when I head outside and tell him we'll play swing ball. 

Again swing ball is a good way for you both to get exercise, and even if you're not looking forward to it, you'll find that after a while it's a kids' activity you'll both enjoy!



Get your kids drawing


I LOVE drawing, it's a peaceful activity that I can put all my effort into. It is also something that LP likes to do when he gets encouragement and advice. When we spend time together drawing LP listens to my advice on how to make his drawings look good as well as watching what I do and copying. We've created monsters together, he's helped me make my other drawings better, and he's a budding artist. 

Kids' Activities You Can Both Enjoy | Draw together, even if you can't draw, show your kids you'll try something new.
Drawing together is a great way to connect, even if you can't draw!


There are some brilliant books you can buy that teach you how to draw using simple shapes, and it's a great way to teach your kids about drawing. Spending time together doing simple kids' activities will show your kids you're not afraid to do the things they love too!



You can both enjoy gardening


Getting the kids outdoors and messing around in the garden is another good teaching opportunity. Particularly if you have younger kids. I don't spend a lot of time in the garden, I don't know much about gardening, but getting the kids outside and learning about trees and flowers is something I used to do when they were younger. 

Kids' Activities You Can Both Enjoy | Teach them about the garden, the animals, and even all the bugs!
Teach your children about the wildlife that lives in your garden.


Once outside you could get the kids to plant trees, flowers, and more, and when the plants grow you can point to them and remind them it's something they planted. We have Daffodils around the garden that the kids planted when they were small. They return every year and every year I remind them that they spent time with their day planting the flowers. It's lovely to hear them talking about it and they even remember doing it - which is so cool!

Why not pop to a supermarket or DIY store and pick up some flowers bulbs, then get the kids outside and you can enjoy planting them together.



Crafts is a great kids' activity you can both enjoy


If you're any good at crafts, or even if you're not, you can grab some colourful paper and bits and pieces and get crafting. As it's Easter there are lots of fun kids' activities you can find on Pinterest that are fairly simple to try out. I love the Easter themed activities, there's bunnies as far as the eye can see and as long as you've got a few bits I have no doubt you'll be able to come up with something. 

I am not good at crafts, but that doesn't stop me enjoying these kids' activities with my youngest. In fact, all the ideas are helping with his school project where he has to create a miniature garden!



Lego


Who doesn't love Lego? Okay, so it's pretty annoying when you stand on it when it's been left on the carpet but when you're working together to build something amazing isn't it satisfying?

Kids' Activities You Can Both Enjoy | Whether it's a set, or regular Lego, build together!
LP building his Lego TIE Striker.


The Hubby and I have lots of sets of Lego, including the Taj Mahal and The Disney Castle, but we also have tubs of Lego that aren't part of any sets. The boys have collected them over the years and during the school holidays we often get out the Lego so they can create something. 

Sitting down with your kids and creating something unusual together is fun and you'll laugh as you come up with new and weird machines or houses. Lego is a kids' activity everyone will love, which is why it's on my list of activities you can both enjoy.



Build a fort together


On the theme of building something together, forts are another great way to connect. You have to work together to move the furniture to the right spot or to build the set in the right way. And it's not just the building you can both enjoy, the fun stuff you do inside the fort is good too!





'Have fun' is my message. Be silly. You're allowed to be silly. There's nothing wrong with it.



Jimmy Fallon





Spend 10-20 minutes building a fort, but you can spend all day enjoying time inside the fort with your kids. We've put LP's TV in his fort once or twice, and you can even take other kids' activities into the fort, like Lego or drawing. 

Forts are great, they let your kids imagination free and when you get involved too they can bring you into their fantasies. 

Go have fun together!

Kids' Activities You Can Both Enjoy |  Spend time with your kids and enjoy the activities they enjoy too!


Sometimes as adults we end up thinking we couldn't possibly enjoy kids' activities but when we get our kids involved and really get into it there are loads of kids' activities you can both enjoy. You just have to be in the moment with them.



What kids' activities do you enjoy?




Why not enjoy some colouring in with your kids with this Captured! colouring page - or alternatively grab a hot coffee while your kids colour in!

Post Comment Love 26th - 28th July

It's time for Post Comment Love - our little linky hosted by myself and Stephanie. We welcome all bloggers to share their posts with others and read what interests them. The linky opens every Friday and is open throughout the weekend. Will you be joining us?

Well that's it folks, it's the first #pocolo of the summer break and I've got the kids at home with me. For the first few days of the holidays we don't have anything planned. I figured we'd just wing it to start with and then plan stuff for the rest of the time. I hope it works out!

We're slowly settling into a new routine with Hubby working. His schedule has been a bit erratic lately but we're hoping it will settle down and by the time the kids are back at school we'll all be used to the new routine.

It's kind of weird for me at home - or at least it will be in September - so I'm planning trips out to the coffee shop or nip into Nottingham just to escape the house! If you happen to be in the area let me know - I'm sure I'd be happy to meet you and have a coffee!

How has the summer treated you so far? Are you looking forward to enjoying time with the kids now they're off school or are you already wishing for September?



Blogger Showcase 




Again we have no blogger to showcase this week - why not answer our questions and you could be featured next week!

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Pocolo


Each week you'll be able to link up from either of our sites and between us Stephanie and I will comment on every post linked.

The rules; Link up your best post written in the last week and we'd like you to comment on at least two other linked posts, as well as the hosts. 

Help us spread the #PoCoLo word on Twitter and include the badge on your post.

Please do pop over and say hi to this week's Blogger Showcase. It's always nice to get a comment or two. 

If you'd like to be featured in our Blogger Showcase please do check out the questions and email your answers to us at postcommentlove@gmail.com.

Thank you for popping by.


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Make Your Home Life Easier with These 6 Tips

A home is supposed to be a relaxing, happy place in which you can destress after a long hard day. However, this is not the case for everyone, as some people can find keeping on top of their home life very stressful. Here are some tips to help you make your home life easier.



Organisation


The key to a happy home life is to stay organised, as a messy home is a messy mind. Organisation in the home can come in many forms; for example, you can try organising the food cupboards into categories to make it easier to find the ingredients you need. Organising clutter in the bedroom and bathroom can also help to drastically improve your home life; keeping your makeup and skin treatments in a neat and organised system will make your mornings so much easier as you can save the time that is normally spent desperately trying to find the product you’re looking for.



Tidy as You Go


A common mistake that a lot of people make in their homes is that they don’t tidy as they go about their daily life. Don’t wait for a huge mess to accumulate in your home before you start to tidy, as this can cause stress, and the amount that needs tidying will be larger than it would be if you keep things tidy as the day progresses. As soon as you’re finished with plates, don’t leave them in the kitchen to begin a pile of washing up; try to get in the habit of washing them immediately after you’re finished. The same ideas can be applied to anything around the home e.g. when you come back from work, don’t leave your shoes in the hallway - put them straight on to the shoe rack or into the cupboard. Once these habits have been established, tidying the home will no longer be a monumental task.



Make Your Home Life Easier With These 6 Tips | Do the washing when you can.



Plan Your Day


If you find that your days are often jam packed and you find it difficult to accomplish everything you need to, planning your day will be a huge benefit. When planning your day out, ensure that you don’t set yourself too much to do, as this will not only cause stress if you don’t accomplish everything you planned to, but also may cause you to rush some of the tasks that you have set yourself in favour of fitting in every task. This means that some of the tasks may not be done to the standard that they need to be and may require revisiting later. Plan a realistic time limit in which every task needs to be completed. By setting goals like these, you can encourage yourself to perform to the best of your ability in everyday life. 



Fix Broken Things DIY Style


If there are items in your home which need fixing or replacing, don’t wait around for someone else to come and help you. There are plenty of simple ways to fix damaged or broken furniture yourself without having to replace them or hire someone to do it for you. Removing the damaged and broken eyesores from your house will create a much cosier, sophisticated and homier feeling, as well as giving you peace of mind that your home is in good condition. 



Insure Your Appliances


Looking after your home not only means fixing problems that have already arisen, but also preparing for future emergencies. Ensuring that your appliances are covered in case of emergency damage can give you peace of mind as well save you money in the long run. In the case of a boiler breakdown, emergency repairs can cost anywhere from £150 to £400 depending on the issue. If your boiler is covered by a company like Certi, however, you can get great support and emergency maintenance from as little as £5 a month depending on which cover you choose to invest in. You can set up your boiler cover here to ensure peace of mind, not only for the safety of your home life, but also the safety of your bank balance. 



Encourage the Family to Help


Don’t feel like it’s your sole responsibility to ensure that the house is well looked after, as the whole family can help out and make life a lot easier. A good way to encourage your children to help you keep the house clean and organised is the reward system. If your child puts away their toys or helps to keep the house clean, you can reward them with something they enjoy, whether that be playing on their iPad, time in the garden, or having a sweet treat. Once the reward system is in place, your children will soon get into the habit of tidying up after themselves without having to be told multiple times, making your time at home much easier and relaxing for both you and your children.



Make Your Home Life Easier With These 6 Tips | Get the kids involved with the chores!




Once your home is organised, your mind and life will soon follow and become a cohesive organised home life that eliminates stress and domestic worries. Don’t feel like you’re alone; lots of people find homelife stressful, however, with the help of this article you will soon be in control of your home and your life.

*Collaborative post

Post Comment Love 19th - 21st July

Welcome back to Post Comment Love a linky run by myself and Stephanie where we welcome all bloggers to share their favourite or best post of the week with others. It opens every Friday and closes on Sunday night. Will you be joining in this week?

Well if you have kids in school the likelihood is that today is their last day at school before the summer break. For me BP finishes at lunch time today, and LP finishes on Tuesday. Then they're home every day for six whole weeks!

Our routine has changed this year, with Hubby's new job and everything, so I'm not sure what we'll be doing day-to-day but needless to say it's going to be very different to previous years. I'm hoping we'll have plenty to do, so they don't get bored and start fighting each other!

It's been a fairly quiet week, thank goodness, with normal days for most of the week and then I headed out to watch LP's sports day yesterday morning. It's nice that I've been able to have a quiet week actually, it's given me a chance to get used to the new routine - right before the kids finish for the summer.



Do you have anything fun planned for summer?




Blogger Showcase 




Again we have no blogger to showcase this week - why not answer our questions and you could be featured next week!

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Pocolo


Each week you'll be able to link up from either of our sites and between us Stephanie and I will comment on every post linked.

The rules; Link up your best post written in the last week and we'd like you to comment on at least two other linked posts, as well as the hosts. 

Help us spread the #PoCoLo word on Twitter and include the badge on your post.

Please do pop over and say hi to this week's Blogger Showcase. It's always nice to get a comment or two. 

If you'd like to be featured in our Blogger Showcase please do check out the questions and email your answers to us at postcommentlove@gmail.com.

Thank you for popping by.


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Tips on Creating a Self-Care Space at Home

Life today seems to run at a much faster pace than it used to. Between work, taking care of the family and trying to maintain a social life, it can really leave you feeling utterly exhausted by the end of the day. That’s why it is so important to spend a little time taking care of yourself.

It can be difficult getting the peace and time alone to take care of yourself in the family home. Therefore, it’s worth looking into creating a self-care space. This is where you would go to get some much-needed alone time to rest and recuperate. Here, we’ll look at some of the best tips to help you create the perfect self-care space at home.




Pick the perfect space


First, you need to choose the best space for your self-care area. This should be somewhere free of distractions. Obviously, this isn’t always easy in a family home as there are no sacred spaces away from the kids. However, you could pick one of the quietest areas such as your bedroom and ensure the kids know not to come in while you’re practising self-care. 

The bedroom does tend to be the most peaceful part of the home. However, you could also use a spare room, or even consider using an outdoor space.



Tips On Creating A Self-Care Space At Home | Yoga outside is a great way to take care of yourself



Change the colour scheme


Colour can have a major impact on your mood. So, if you’re looking to create the perfect self-care space, you’ll want to ensure its colour scheme encourages a relaxing environment. Think about the colours which naturally calm you. Everyone is different so it’s important to decorate the space in accordance to your own personality. 



Tips On Creating A Self-Care Space At Home | Find a little space and add your favourite colour.



Focus on the right lighting


Lighting plays a surprising role in how relaxing a room feels. So, you’ll want to make sure you are focusing on the right type of lighting. You can pick up stylish ceiling lights at many online stores which can help to enhance the space, as well as ensue the room receives adequate lighting. 

Additionally, you may want to invest in a dimmer switch so that you can control the level of lighting to fit your preferences. For example, some days you may need a good light to read, while others you may want to simply relax and unwind in a cosy lit room. 



Tips On Creating A Self-Care Space At Home | Lighting can make all the difference.



These are just some of the things you should think about when trying to create the perfect self-care space. You should consider what you will largely use the space for. If it’s going to be an area to pamper yourself, making it cosy with a warm theme is a good idea. If you’ll be using it to practice yoga on the other hand, you’ll want a calm and tranquil bright space with minimal clutter.

*Collaborative post

Summer self-care bucket list for mums

Lists are great aren't they? They help us stay-at-home mums get things done, whether that's the cleaning, the kids' stuff, or just remembering everyone's birthdays. But do you have a list for yourself? A list that you can check things off when you've spent time looking after you? Spending time on self-care? With the summer school holidays almost upon us it's a good idea to put a summer self-care bucket list together - so here's yours!



Why you need to focus on self-care in the summer



  • The kids are home every day. When you're used to them being at school for the majority of the day it can be quite a big thing having them home every day. You have to think about snacks, lunch, activities, and dinner. You have to make sure they're entertained and having fun. And you have to do this while taking care of the usual household chores too.





Love yourself first, and everything else falls in line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.

Lucille Ball





  • It's a good time to focus on togetherness. Spending time with your kids can be a form of self-care. Let go of all those adult stresses and just have fun with your kids. Smile, laugh. The summer is a brilliant time for a bit of togetherness - even on a self-care bucket list!



Summer Self-Care Bucket List For Mums | Take time this summer to be together.



  • You're allowed. Here's the thing - yes, the kids are home but you need to take care of you too. Getting 10 minutes for self-care isn't a big ask - so spend a little time trying to think of ways you can sneak a little self-care into your days.



Make your own summer self-care bucket list


Grab a piece of paper, or use your phone, and write a list of all the things you'd like to do - that are just for you. Include everything you can think of - even if you think it's not possible. That way when you come to looking back at your list you can smile when you put things like "a week long holiday in the Caribbean without the kids". Even going to the toilet alone can go on the list, and then when you manage it (if you do!) you can tick it off and know you've achieved at least one thing!



Summer self-care bucket list for mums


Okay so as I've had a little time to put my list together I thought I'd share it with you. It includes all kinds of things, and they're achievable too - some with a little planning, but still.

  • Get outdoors. The sun may be shining or not, you could take the kids with you or not. But spend some time outside enjoying the fresh air and greenery (if you can find some).

  • Walk where it's not busy. The best places to walk are along canals, or through fields or parks at the end of the day. People tend to go to parks at about 11ish, and if you head out later in the day they tend to be a lot less busy.



Summer Self-Care Bucket List For Mums | Walking in peace can really help with the stress.



  • Wear your favourite clothes. It always feels good when you're wearing something you love right? So get your faves on and smile through the day!

  • Smile. Just smile. You don't have to be looking at anything that makes you smile - just smile. When you smile, even if there's nothing to smile at, you feel better. You could even try smiling at strangers and watch as they smile back!

  • Spend time on a hobby (or find a new one). Giving yourself time to enjoy something that is just yours boosts your self-esteem and makes you feel like you're achieving something. Win!

  • Chill out for 5 minutes. Sit. Do nothing else.



Summer Self-Care Bucket List For Mums | Relax and chill for 5 minutes.



  • Read a chapter of a book/read a blog post. Escaping into a fictional world, or reading about someone else's lives is a great way to forget about the stresses and strains of your own.

  • Stargaze. It's amazing how standing outdoors at night and looking up at the stars sparkling in the night sky can make you feel good.

  • Enjoy indoor activities on rainy days. Build forts with the kids, have a hot coffee, or get the puzzles out.

  • Be a tourist in your own town. Wander around your town as if you've never visited. Notice new things. Perhaps even visit places you've always meant to but never managed.

  • Plan a trip. It's always fun to plan a trip so why not spend a little time doing that. It could be one for the family, just a day out, or even a holiday abroad.

  • Start journaling

  • Create a playlist. Music can make you feel good, so put a playlist of your favourites together and have hours of feel-good songs you can turn to.

  • Go on a picnic. Again being outdoors is great, and taking a blanket and a few snacks is a good way to enjoy the outdoors with your family.

  • Visit the beach. I love standing on the beach, bare feet, and watching the waves splash over my feet. Living in the Midlands makes this difficult but I do my best when I can! Head to the beach whenever you can and take a moment to watch the waves. It can be very peaceful.



Summer Self-Care Bucket List For Mums | Walking along the beach is so soothing.



  • Get ice-cream - the kids and you! Be a kid again and get excited about getting ice-cream.

  • Catch up with friends. Invite them over, head out to meet them for play dates for your kids. Whatever you do make sure you get a chance for a natter.

  • Paint your nails. Somehow it just feels good to look down at your hands and see them looking nice.





Our bodies are our gardens to which our wills are gardeners.

William Shakespeare





  • Visit the salon. Someone else looking after you for a change. Win!

  • Try out yoga, attend a class. It's amazing how yoga can help you feel calm and grounded as well as getting you worn out from all the stretches. I am always smiling after my yoga class.

  • Buy yourself some flowers. Whether they're fake (I have to buy fake ones because of hay-fever related issues) or real buying some bright flowers will make your house look brighter and probably make you smile.



Summer Self-Care Bucket List For Mums | Flowers always make you smile.



  • Sleep in. As a busy mum this is tough - but do what you can.

  • Take a relaxing bath. As above.

  • Read a magazine. Indulge in the fashion mags, read the gossip, and forget about the kids running around the house!

  • Dance to your favourite song. That's right, get up and dance about - you'll feel great!


Summer Self-Care Bucket List For Mums | Dance - it will feel good.



  • Have a chore free day. Enough said.

  • Netflix and chill. Your favourite movie, a TV series you've been wanting to watch, whatever you choose just sit and chill out while you watch.


Summer Self-Care Bucket List For Mums | Take time for yourself this summer - you deserve it!



Don't forget, just because you're home with the kids doesn't mean you're not entitled to some summer self-care. And with this bucket list for all you mums you're sure to be able to squeeze a little fun into the summer just for you.



Do you have a summer self-care bucket list?




If you can't think of anything for yourself, or just don't have the time to make your own summer self-care bucket list then why not grab mine?


Confessions of a New Mummy
My Random Musings