In this blog, we’ll share some fun and friendly activities that you can enjoy with your little ones. From Valentine's Day arts and crafts to easy and low effort activities. We have included easy, low effort activities, activities that require a bit more planning and some fun things to do in London February 2024 half term.

If you're looking for activities that are free and easy to do, there are plenty of options to choose from.

Here is our top list of low effort things to do to entertain your little ones:

1. Take a trip to the local park: Take a packed lunch and go on an adventure. Top tips: take a plastic bag and collect natural objects that you find, like leaves, sticks, pinecones. You can then use these collected items for an arty project at home. E.g: observational drawings, do rubbings of the items using paper and crayons to explore the patterns (you could even do this activity out on your trip to the park), printmaking. Check out this cool guide to outdoor fun by The Natural History Museum.
2. Go on a number hunt walk around the local neighbourhood: Create a bingo card of numbers on some card or paper. Your child then needs to spy these numbers on the walk and cross them off as they go.
3. Family Game Night: Gather the family for a fun-filled game night. Play board games, card games, or even create your own game. This not only encourages quality time together but also fosters healthy competition and problem-solving skills.
4. Visit Local Museums or Exhibitions: Take your kids on a cultural outing by visiting local museums, art exhibitions, or historical sites. Most museums and galleries are free to visit!
5. Set up a treasure hunt in your garden or in the house. We love this game in our house. There are the traditional reading clues to find the treasure type of games or you can link it in a fun way to learning. In our house we do an alphabet hunt or a number hunt.

Here are our instructions:

• Write out the letters of the alphabet or numbers up to a number (usually 10 or 20) onto scraps of paper
• Hide these around your house, garden or both
• Let your child go and find the scraps of paper
• Once they bring them back, get them to put them in order to see if they have them all. Top Tip here: For younger children you could create a template grid of the numbers or letters for them to place their scraps onto. That way they know what they have found and what is still left to find.
  

These activities require minimal preparation but provide maximum enjoyment for both you and your kids. Remember, it's the simple things that often bring the most joy!

Activities that require a bit more planning:

1. Set up a movie night, complete with popcorn and comfy blankets, and enjoy some family-friendly films together.
2. Plan a baking session where your little ones can help you whip up some delicious treats. Not only will this keep them entertained, but it will also result in some tasty snacks for everyone to enjoy.
3. Arts and crafts activities and with Valentine's Day just around the corner, what better way to celebrate than with arts and crafts? Get your creative juices flowing by making heart-shaped cards, paper flowers, or even a DIY love-themed photo frame. These activities not only allow your children to express their artistic side but also teach them the importance of love and friendship.

Here is one of our favourite Valentines day craft activities to do with your child:

Heart Cards

• What you will need:
• Poster Paints
• Cotton wool buds
• Card
• Heart shaped template

1. Fold your card and blu-tac the heart template to the front.
2. Put your chosen paints into a dish and use cotton wool buds to dab paint onto the card.
3. Cover the card in paint dabs and then let the paint dry
4. Remove the heart template and you will be left with a heart shape which you can write in

This activity is great for fine motor control and development in younger children. You can also explore colours and colour mixing as a learning experience.

Looking for more arts and craft ideas? Check out Our top ten Arts and Crafts Activities below:

1. Paper Crafts: Create paper flowers, paper hearts, origami animals, or paper aeroplanes. You can also try making paper chains, paper dolls, or paper mache masks.

2. DIY Cards: Make personalised cards for valentines day. Use colourful paper, stickers, markers, and glitter to create unique designs.

3. Painting: Set up a painting station and let your kids unleash their creativity on canvases or paper. You can use watercolours, acrylic paints, or even finger paints. Encourage them to experiment with different techniques and colours. If you went on a nature walk and collected items, use these as a stimulus.

4. Collage Making: Collect old magazines, newspapers, and coloured paper, and create collages. Cut out images, words, and patterns to create unique artworks. You can also add other materials like buttons, ribbons, and fabric scraps.

5. Clay Modelling: Use modelling clay or air-dry clay to create sculptures and figurines. Your kids can let their imagination run wild and create animals, plants, or even their favourite characters.

6. Tie-Dye: Have fun with tie-dyeing t-shirts, pillowcases, or tote bags. Use fabric dyes and rubber bands to create vibrant and unique patterns. This activity can be messy, so make sure to protect your working area.

7. Jewellery Making: Create bracelets, necklaces, or keychains using beads, strings, and charms. Your kids can make personalised accessories for themselves or as gifts for friends and family.

8. Nature Crafts: Collect leaves, flowers, and twigs from your backyard or a nature walk, and use them to create nature-inspired crafts. Press flowers, make leaf rubbings, or create a nature collage.

9. Scrapbooking: Create a scrapbook filled with memories from the half-term break. Print out photos, write down special moments, and decorate the pages with stickers, washi tape, and drawings.

10. DIY Dreamcatchers: Make dream catchers using embroidery hoops, yarn, feathers, and beads. Your kids can design their own dreamcatchers and hang them in their rooms.

These arts and crafts activities not only provide entertainment but also promote fine motor skills, imagination, and self-expression. Enjoy the artistic journey with your little ones!

Great things to do in London this half term:

1. The Natural History Museum is running a February Family Festival for half term. There are various activities and events available daily, such as talks, tours, workshops, and more. Tickets do need to be booked either online or at the information desks. For the free events book general admission tickets. Check out the details here.

2. Spitalfields City Farm is a brilliant little gem that offers a chance for you and your children to interact with farm animals. They are running half term activities so check them out here. Tickets are free for the activities but space is limited so book early. Also, did you know you can hire out this amazing space for birthday parties? Check out their booking page on Sharesy.

3. The arts Depot in North Finchley is hosting fun-filled stage adaptations of Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book and Dear Zoo this Half Term. There is also a multi-sensory exhibition for under 5s and a Generations Dance Day event. There is also a free soft play area and Book Swap shelves. This wonderful local gem is a must visit as their shows are always absolutely brilliant. Check out their half term offerings here.

4. Imagine Children’s Festival at the South bank Centre is back with over 100 events for children aged 0-11. It offers activities in theatre, comedy, music, literature, poetry, and dance. The festival aims to inspire creativity, celebrate diversity, and spark imaginations. Highlights include performances, talks, and workshops.

5. London Chinese New Year Parade. Chinese New year falls on 10th February and Time Out have a great guide on how to get the most out of the parade this year. Read their guide here.

For more ideas on what to do this half term with your child, check out the Time Out guide.

Finally, here are some great dining out offers that can help keep costs down when planning an outing in London:

The Real Greek: Kids can eat for free at The Real Greek during February half term. For every £10 spent by an adult, they will receive a free kids meal from the Kids Menu. Click the link for the terms and conditions.

Bella Italia: Kids eat for free on Thursdays and for £1 between 4-6pm Sunday to Wednesday. Suitable for kids aged 2-11. Click the link for the terms and conditions.

Bill’s: From Monday 12th February to Friday 23rd February, up to two kids can eat free all day when one adult orders any main dish. Offer does not include Saturdays and Sundays. Click the link for the terms and conditions.

For more places where children eat for free or for £1 read this great guide by The Big Issue.

And remember, half-term is a break, so don't stress about having every minute planned. Allow for some downtime and relaxation too. So, if you are off with your children this half term, we hope you have some fun with our list of fun activities above.

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Looking for a venue to host an activity or a birthday party? Check out our local community spaces here.

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Photo 1 by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash

Photo 2 by Jorge Franganillo on Unsplash