~ Playdough - click here for recipe - try using Mr Potato head parts for fun playdough play

~ Tie a balloon to clothes drying rack or dolls clothes-line and hang over portacot or bouncinette for baby to hit/kick (make sure balloon is only just in reach).

~ Create a colour dice - I used an old string box and got my daughter to colour memo-cube pages with crayon for me to stick on each side. She throws the colour dice, and whichever colour it lands on, she has to hunt out something of that colour and bring it back to the table before throwing the dice again.

~ Magnet fishing - cut sea creature shapes from card (children can then decorate), attach a paperclip to each one then use magnets to 'catch' them - my sister bought cool magnet wands at a bookshop.

~ Door Hangers can be made using precut wooden hangers, letters and shapes/animals from craft suppliers (I got mine at 'Spotlight') - My daughter and I enjoyed painting and gluing these. (I used some cream paint from a test pot I had to change our primary paints into pastels for this project).

~ Creative crafts - have a plastic bin that you store possible craft pieces in. Put in it offcuts of wool, ribbons, small boxes, cardboard tubes, jar lids, spare buttons, anything that looks 'recyclable' - then when you need to entertain a toddler, pull out the box, some sticky tape or glue and make something together - a robot, a pretend camera etc.

~ Collage - either use things from your creative crafts bin (see above) or go on a scavenger hunt around the garden or on a neighbourhood walk for leaves/flowers etc. With some glue and card your toddler/child can make a collage picture. You can even get butchers paper and trace around your child's body (or just their hands) and they can stick collage pieces to the outlined figures to make collages of themselves.

~ Bobs - line up three ice cream containers along a wall, have your child draw pictures to stick to the top of each one, then create an 'alley' from boxes/cushions so you can roll balls to see which container they land in.

~ Lounge Movies - turn your lounge into a movie theatre by arranging toys on rows of chairs, make popcorn and watch dvds

~ Flower Arranging

~ Painting

~ Puppet Theatre - my sister made this one! You can even make puppets by cutting out photos of family members/pets and laminating then sticking to kebab sticks or chopsticks

~ Rain - Put on gumboots and raincoat and play in the rain!

~ Tinfoil Robot - use tinfoil to wrap helmet, arm/ leg bands and tummy then make up a funny robot dance

~ Public Transport - for kids who don't usually get to go on it, a train or bus ride can be fun

~ Dress ups - either use Mum and Dad's old clothes, or improvise - we made this zebra using black insulation tape on an old white t-shirt and white tights, a tail was a long sock stuffed with smaller socks. Attach things to headbands for ears.

~ Pipe cleaners - can be used to make flowers, animals, people etc

~ Jolly Jumper - great for the little ones

~ Cup and string game - tie a string through a hole in the bottom of a plastic or paper cup then attach a large bead or bottle top to the other end. Hold the cup and try to flick the bead so it lands in the cup.

~ Have a tea party - either imaginary drinks or real.

~ Sand castles - either in sandpit or at the beach

~ Box Journey - Go on a pretend journey in a box - make up a story and do sound effects

~ Box Fishing - tie a shoelace or string to a coathanger, and pretend to go fishing sitting in a box boat (or the clothes basket). Pretend to be set upon by pirates.

~ Treasure Hunt - draw pictures of items around the house (eg bath, cat bowl, particular toys, garden ornaments etc) then create a hunt starting at one item leave a picture of the next item for your child to 'follow the clues' until the final destination reveals a treat/toy

~ Family Matching - print photos of family members, their houses, cars/bikes, letterboxes and laminate. Play games things to the people they belong to.

~ Cheap Crafts - buy polystyrene balls, wobbly eyes, wooden sticks, and other craft things at discount shops (like $2 shop) and make creatures / people using a bit of glue

~ Poi (balls to twirl while dancing ) - screw paper into a ball (or use a balled up sock) and place in a small plastic bag to make a ball. Tie a knot in the plastic bag to make it into a ball and tie a string or shoelace around the base of the knot. Cut off any excess bag above the knot. (Best used outside where it can't break things if let go while swinging).

~ Cards - make cards with drawings/stickers to send to family and friends (I don't know anyone who doesn't like getting mail).

~ Baking - Even small children can help with pouring pre-measured ingredients or mixing their own small version of what you are making. If what you are making isn't child-friendly, give them their own small bowl and little cups of breakfast cereal, chocolate chips, dried fruit etc and they can mix and eat while you do your own thing

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