KEEPING kids occupied during the summer holidays without splashing the cash is no easy feat.
But there are lots of items around the house that can be used to help little minds stay active.
You could keep little minds active at home this summer using just a loo rollShutterstock
Toilet rolls, for example, can be used by children in lots of creative ways.
Here are a few ideas to try.
ON A ROLL: Even before toilet rolls have been used, they can be given to children to play with.
If you buy in bulk and have a big stash, they make excellent building blocks — small children will enjoy making towers with them.
This is great for learning about how things balance — and they get to knock them down, too.
CHARACTER CREATIONS: Once loo rolls have been used, keep the cardboard tube for crafts.
Painting them and creating different faces will keep kids occupied for at least five minutes! Plus, it gives them something to play with after.
Try making monsters and use other craft items you have at home.
For example, you can stick pipe cleaners through the sides to give them arms and use old pieces of material on the top for hair.
PIPE DROP: Try taping toilet roll tubes to the wall with masking tape.
Join them together end to end, to make long tube runs (you can either go straight down or at a slant).
Put a basket underneath the last one and children will love dropping a small ball, craft pom poms or other objects through the loo rolls.
If you have time, use the tubes to make a more elaborate maze with more than one exit.
EASY SCORE: Tape some empty toilet rolls to the floor and write a different number on each.
Get he kids to stand a little way back and throw a small ball or a two pence coin into the rolls.
You earn the points written on the outside of the roll if they go in. Whoever has the highest score at the end, wins.
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