Seven games to give children a screen break

This content was originally posted in 7DAYS UAE website at: Seven games to give children a screen break Keeping the kids entertained and active isn’t the easiest thing in the world – even with the timely help of new Christmas presents. But the school holidays are the perfect time to engage the kids in low-tech entertainment, and that can only be a good thing if it counts as time away from the computer screen and smartphone. Dawn Isaac, author of the books ‘101 Things For Kids To Do Outside’ and ‘101 Things For Kids To Do On A Rainy Day’, has some great ideas. She says: “There are plenty of ways to keep kids entertained inside – and what’s more, you shouldn’t need to switch on a screen, buy expensive supplies or micromanage the children while they’re doing them. Children are at their most imaginative and creative when they’re helping to make their own entertainment.” Here’s a super seven games to try at home… Indoor obstacle course Chairs are great for climbing over or crawling through, and a blanket on the floor weighted down at the edges makes a perfect homemade tunnel. Place cushions some distance apart and leap between them, and if you have a narrow corridor you can even use wool and masking tape to create your own spy web to negotiate. Take fingerprints Need to know who’s been pinching those cakes? You can lift fingerprints by sprinkling a little chalk dust onto the tin with a fine paintbrush. Lift any subsequent prints off with a piece of tape, before sticking this to a dark piece of card. Fingerprint suspects with a homemade ink pad (scribble some felt-tip pen on to a plastic lid) and compare! Catapult marshmallows Give everyone lollipop sticks, elastic bands and plastic spoons and set 20 minutes to construct a catapult. Each player launches three marshmallows – furthest wins, and gets to eat their missiles! Build a shoe box house Stick shoe boxes together with masking tape to create a multi-storey house to decorate. You can use cereal packets cut on an angle and toilet rolls to add roofs and chimneys. See how low you can go Each player must lift a cereal packet up using only their mouths and with nothing but their feet on the floor. Play hands-free ping-pong Put a line of tape across the middle of the table, place your hands behind your back and attempt to blow the ball off the opposing team’s side. Wrap the mummy Each team has a toilet roll and must wrap one player head-to-toe as their ‘mummy’, leaving eyes, and mouth showing, and wrapping arms separately to the body. Balance care with speed, because, if you rip the paper, you must start again. The first to complete their mummy wins or get the mummies to race round the obstacle course. features@7days.ae Read the original story at: Seven games to give children a screen break