5 things to do during half term

 

February half term is here! What have you got planned for the week? It can be a bit unpredictable weather-wise and unless you’re out on the slopes or sunning yourself somewhere tropical, there’s a good chance you’ll end up entertaining the kids on a rainy day or two. So it’s always a good idea to have a few activities up your sleeve, ready to keep the kids busy as soon as you hear the dreaded words: ‘Mum, I’m bored!’ Here are 5 book-inspired activities to have at your fingertips:

Get crafty

We’ve got a whole host of craft activities on our blog, inspired by the books we’ve sent our subscribers over the last couple of years, so that’s a good place to start. And here’s another one we love: origami bookmarks! They’re super easy – you just need squares of paper and pens and pencils to decorate them with. There’s an excellent tutorial here.

Get writing

We love sharing comic strips and graphic novels with our kids and we also love it when they are inspired to create their own. You could simply draw a grid on a piece of paper so that they can plot their stories out across the rectangles. But we’ve made it even easier for you with this comic strip template, which you can download and have a go with. They’re sure to come up with some crazy characters and hilariously silly plotlines with a bit of encouragement!

Get outdoors

Whatever the weather, there’s nothing like a bit of fresh air to blow the half term cobwebs away. Why not get involved in a spot of outdoor storytelling? You can do this in the garden or down the park. Get everyone to collect up all the interesting sticks, pebbles, leaves and pinecones they can find, then lay them out on the ground and use them to create pictures and tell stories. If you’re feeling even more creative, you could devise your own literary-inspired treasure hunt. Hide clues representing different book characters around the garden – you could use props or write a question on a piece of paper. Don’t forget to give them a hint as to where the next clue can be found.

Get theatrical

Have you seen the recent film version of Little Women? It reminded me how much I used to love creating plays with my sister and our friends – very often inspired by our favourite books. Why not get the kids to create a play to perform for you, based on something you’ve read together recently? They could even break it down into scenes and film them on a smartphone or tablet (something that keeps my kids busy for hours!).

Get ready for World Book Day

February half term marks the start of the World Book Day countdown at Parrot Street HQ and we will be busily getting our costumes ready (although if someone asks to be the Christmasaurus again I might resign from parenting altogether). Suggestions so far this year are Asterix and Mr Gum – I reckon we can manage that! We’ll be sharing some more super easy costume hacks over the next couple of weeks, but you could make a start with this DIY superhero costume, easily adapted for whichever literary superhero your kids most identify with.

We would love to see your literary creations! Don’t forget to us on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.

Parrot Street Book Club is a monthly book subscription for kids aged 5 to 11. Each monthly parcel includes a new chapter book to keep and a fun-filled activity pack created to accompany it. Find out more and subscribe here.