5 creative activities and places to visit to keep your kids busy during the holidays

Parents of younger children know the vital role artistic expression plays in their development, from improving one's moto skills to developing patience and problem-solving attributes. Moreover, a creative child sees a considerable boost in their confidence when they see their work improve over the years.

We thought, what better way to keep your kids entertained during the holidays than by sparking a flair for the creative? With our selection of easy-to-make wonders from household and garden items, why not gather a touch of inspiration and tries these for yourself?

A natural collage

Image Source: BlueWaterBaltimore.com

Perhaps the most popular choice on our list, you can start this creative project by printing out a full-body photo of your child. A size of just under 25 cm will do just fine. Start the journey through your garden, and gather some of your "natural" supplies such as sticks, leaves, flowers and wood bark.

Once you have all your stock, start glueing these items onto the photo to create long-lasting memories of the day. Decorate your child's room by gatherings a few designs and linking them together as expressive wall art!

Handmade Tiles

Image Source: HandmaideGiftsMadeEasy.com

Easy, simple, and loads of fun, handmade tiles only require the drying power of the sun with a collection of a few simple materials. All you need is ½ cup water, 1 ½ cup of flour, ¾ cup salt, a mixing spoon, a mixing bowl, a sheet tray, a rolling pin, acrylic paint, and paintbrushes. For added creativity, why not consider mixing in a few cookie cutters?

Now that you have your first base tile canvass, start creating a few impressions with your cookie cutter, a stamp, or even a few garden refuse items like leaves and sticks. Start by mixing the flour, water and salt into a bowl and stir for about 2 minutes. Then, with a sprinkling of flour, section a dough ball and roll it into a rough squarish shape.

Once you're done, place the tile on a sheet tray and leave it in the sun for several hours. Check on it once every so often for any changes in the dough before flipping it over to dry the bottom. Try different designs and colours, and don't be afraid to create multiple tiles!

Kaleidoscope Collage

Image Source: CreativeBlog.com

Kaleidoscope collages offer the most visually stunning patterns. Start by grabbing a large canvas and a host of paint colours. You'll need to create a small mixture of craft glue; half a cup should do it. Then set your child to drawing shapes on the canvas. Brush the finished work with your craft glue.

Adding a few painted tissue paper squares brushed in with the mixture, start covering the entire shape liberally. Don't worry too much about mixing in colours... it's all part of the fun. When done, let the canvass dry on a flat surface. (Just be sure it's not too windy out there!)

Bell Pepper Prints

Image Source: Plantein28.com

Can you guess what the primary tool for this arts and crafts activity will be? That's right - Peppers!

Start by slicing the bottom section of your pepper and dip the cut portion into acrylic paint. Then simply press the pepper onto a surface or material of your choice.

We decided to go the safe route and simply use sheeted canvass paper. However, don't feel limited; you can press your pepper shapes onto any material from throw pillows to t-shirts. Don't forget to dry them! You'll be left with a collage of adorable flower patterns perfect for displaying in your child's room... 

Stone Succulents

While essentially just painted rocks, the sky is the limit in creativity. And with so much inspiration on Youtube and Pinterest, you have all the tools needed to create some of the cutest "pet" rock designs.

For our choice of design, we decided to create potted shrubs. Gather rounded rocks outside, then decorate them with acrylic to resemble a cactus. (You might need to help your child with this!) The added benefit is you don't have to worry about watering them!

After drying, all you need to do is fill out a plant pot with sand, cover the holes, and start arranging your adorable DIY designs!

Spots around Pretoria worth the visit

Being pent-up in the house during the school holidays can be frustrating for both you and your child. Plan a day out and consider visiting the following places. Take some friends with you!

• A visit to Zita Park

• Go-Play - A centre designed for fun

• Prime View Adventure - Where fun and the outdoors go hand-in-hand

• Cedar Junction Family Resort

• Papachino's at Silver Lakes

Contact Ikonic Real Estate today

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If you are looking to live in Silver Lakes Golf and lifestyle Estate, Silver Stream Estate, Lombardy Estate & Health Spa, The Ridge Estate, Six Fountains Estate, or Willow Acres Estate and surrounding areas then Ikonic Real Estate is your preferred property practitioner to assist you in all aspects of the selling and buying process.

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