Captivating children by Anna Rutten from Kidiwise Early Learning Centre

We couldn't have wished for a wetter Christmas than what we've had this year. I am sitting here looking out at yet another rainy, rainy day and the prospect of another week of it. It looks like it'll be fine for the week after this issue of The Weekend Sun – bring it on!

Rainy weather can be very trying for parents lumped with children inside. Many children do not want to be caged in and cannot understand the notion of not being able to escape outside in the rain – after all it is just a bit of water and nothing a towel can't fix. Raincoats and gumboots and off they go is one solution to the camped-in fever.

Another is taking advantage of this time to help your children develop their creative talents. This does not cost much at all in dollars, just some of your time. Our time as parents is what children love and benefit from the most. Take time every day to make your children feel important – to sit with them during a meal, to read to them, to make things with them. It is amazing what you will find out about your children's abilities, thought patterns and ideas by simply sitting with them, listening and doing.

Now, for some parents, this may not come easily. For some the pressure of work means they get home and just have nothing left to give. For others, their make up makes it hard to just sit and come down to their children's level. Whatever the reason, I'm sorry, but it's just not good enough. Remember the song ‘Cats in the Cradle' by Johnny Cash – ‘I'm sorry son if I could find the time'?
Try to give at least 20-30 minutes of quality time doing something with your children every day. It will be good for you too.

Here are some creative activities you can do with your children. Be sure to let them do as much as they can and praise them lots along the way. This will encourage them to keep doing and improve – ‘practise makes perfect'. It does not have to be perfect first time – or even the second – the value of learning is in the doing and trying.

Making a rocket

You'll need:

• 1 large (1.5—2L) plastic bottle
• Rubber bung that fits snugly into the neck of the bottle
• Valve from old inner tube
• Bike pump

Drill a hole through the bung (you can put it into the freezer first to make it easier to drill through) and fit the valve into this. Fill bottle with water until it is about 1/3 full.

Push the bung into the neck of the bottle (it should be firm). Attach bike pump to valve and prop up bottle on an angle on the ground to launch. Pump!

Sooner or later the rocket will shoot into the air – you never know exactly when, but that only adds to the suspense.

Mobiles

Mix 1/4 cup flour and 1 cup cold water together, add 1 cup of boiling water and simmer for 3 minutes.

When cool, dunk wool or string into flour paste till it is covered. Blow up a balloon to the required size and drape the wool all over the balloon, creating a spider web effect. Once the string has dried, pop the balloon and you should be left with a great circular string decoration for your tree.

Butterfly

You will need:

• Small chicken wire
• Wire cutters
• Scraps of material (op shop, old clothes or curtains are good for this)
• Dacron or filling
• Pipe cleaners
• Eyes ($2 shop)

Cut the chicken wire in the shape of a butterfly (quite large) – if in doubt, check for a butterfly shape on Google. Cut strips of material about 2cms wide with your children. Weave the strips through the wire until the wire is filled up and the butterfly is a lovely colourful shape. Make the body of the butterfly with the dark brown material – see your Google picture for the shape and sew round the edge.

Stuff the body with Dacron. Attach the body to the wings with needle and thread.

Attach pipe cleaners to the head for antennae and attach the eyes on the head and hey presto – you have a beautiful butterfly to hang on the wall or attach to the ceiling as a mobile.