How do you keep your little ones entertained when travelling? You are waiting for your first course or main course to be served in a restaurant. Or you are in your hotel or self-catering suite, waiting for an important phone call. You want the children to be quiet but happy.
Cat's cradel picture from Wikipedia.
String For Cat's Cradle
We gave three children aged 3, 9 and 11 a book each. The books were wrapped in discarded brown paper and tied with old plain colour string. I was embarrassed not to have fancy coooured paper and ribbon. However, the 11 year old girl immdiately used her string to start cat's cradle and eave patterns on her fingers. The other two children wanted to be shown by her how to do it. That kept all three of them entertianed for 15 minutes until the food arrived.
The moral is, save a piece of string in your bag to creat a game. If you have two children, they can entertain each other with copying and competing.
Paper Fortune Teller
The one most people know is the fortune teller, made by folding in the corners of a swuare, turning the paper over, folding in the corners again. Draw numbers on the four top visible corners.
Underneath write the question, or answer, or a good fortune prediction.
Children can decorate the top four corners.
Paper Napkin Origami
You can use the white paper from envelopes thrown in the waste bin, or used to give you information on the hotel or conference centre. Or a spare paper tablemat for children in a restaurant. You will find instructions on the internet if our hotel or restaurant has a connection.
If not, you can download an instruction, printing at home or in the office.
Learn how to make simple paper folds.
A DIY Dolls House
You can improvise a dolls house from a shoe box and a tote bag.
DIY Dolls House Furniture
A case for a pen (a free gift from Jiva Hoa Lu Retreat, Vietnam) opens up to make a miniature sofa.
Hoa Lu means flourishing capital. Hoa Lu is a former capital of Vietnam.
The small box in the bathroom or from previous trips makes a small suticase of delivery package.
Key Rings
The doll on a key ring (detached from the key ring) inhabits the house.
The car on a key ring (detached) becomes a car outside the house.
Flowers & Bases
Tiny artificial flowers from a corsage make a vase of flowers, or a plant plot.
A thimble makes a plant pot or vase., or hem
Small coins make stepping stones on a green paper lawn.
Toothpicks make walking sticks ski sticks or broom handles.
An old toothbrush head makes a broom, or brush for a dustpan and brush.
Dental floss makes a washing line in the bathroom or hangs teeny curtain, or xmas decorations from sparklers.
Christmas Cake Toppings
Christmas cake toppings include trees for indoors or by the front door or beyond the window.
A postcards of a hotel can go behind a window to provide a street view. when viewing the house from indoors.
A wine bottle cork maes a stoool or table covered with a teeny piece of fabric, such as an old handkerchief or hem of a skirt, or the end of a long tie belt. For stability, glue a coin under the cork.
A parasol from a cocktail makes as umbrella or a garden umbrella..
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