Josie Curran

Oooh check out these CD case beans

2012-01-19T13:55:00.004Z

If you fancy inspiring the kids to help you out with some vegetable growing this year, then this is a great idea from Art Projects. All you need is some wet compost, seeds and a fat CD case and then watch them grow. It's a great way to teach kids about the below ground germination process before planting the seedlings out and watching them flourish.

Finale pic from the Titanic party

2011-10-30T20:29:00.002Z

Top Trump your friends and family

2011-10-28T14:17:00.013+01:00

Last weekend marked the start of our bittersweet countdown to leaving life on the river. Our new Devonshire home is almost in the bag and the realisation of what we're about to do and all that we're leaving is finally beginning to kick in.

One of the many upsides however is that any departure warrants a party or ten. First up was last weekend's dinner for twenty of our closest friends. Given the relative intimate quarters that our houseboat offers, this required considerable moving of furniture and hiding of kids toys.

The theme for the evening was to dress for the ballroom of the Titanic. There were some fairly creative interpretations including my beloved dressed as a mermaid. Never one to miss an opportunity to show off his feminine charms

One of the games we played was a round of Titanic Top Trumps which involved guests drawing the person who sat to their left and marking them on a set criteria. We went for Manners, Conversation, Attire and their Ability to run a brothel (what else).

The game was a winner and provided some very amusing drawings as well as a spot of after dinner entertainment for those who played a round of Titanic Top Trumps with the finished cards.

The cards also made brilliant place names and I reckon it would be a fantastic game to play at a wedding. Let me know if you use it as would love to hear how it went down.

Pumpkin carving alternative for kids

2011-10-28T12:47:00.008+01:00

I love these junk drawer pumpkins by the rather brilliant Family Chic blog. Given the napalm like combination of little children and sharp knives, these make a far safer alternative.

Halloween games - Toilet paper mummies

2011-10-26T11:14:00.004+01:00

This year, we're hosting a Halloween party for the children on the island where we live. It's become a bit of a tradition and gives the kids a chance to get in the mood with some spooky games and a Halloween themed tea before heading out for some island trick or treating.

This year one of the games that we're going to be playing is Toilet Paper Mummies. It's a really simple, if slightly messy activity that was a big hit when we played it at Camp Bestival - see pic.

To give it a go get the kids into teams of two or more. Give each of the teams a toilet roll and get them to nominate who is the Mummie and who are the Wrappers. On the word 'Go' the kids have 60 seconds to mummify their Mummy by wrapping them in toilet paper. The team with the best wrapped Mummy at the end of the 60 seconds wins.

Looking for some Halloween pumpkin inspiration?

2011-10-24T13:34:00.002+01:00

Then head to ExtremePumpkin.co m. This brilliant site has been put together by one highly enthusiastic pumpkin carver, and should provide you with a few ideas for doing something a little bit different. We're holding a pumpkin carving competition for the kids on the island, will let

Halloween crafts - easy pipe cleaner spider

2011-10-24T13:25:00.005+01:00

I love these easy pipe cleaner spiders that I found on the 'Homemade by Jill' blog. We've got a load of kids from the island coming over for a Halloween party next week and am planning to give them a go. ideal pre dinner entertainment before we head out for our island Trick or Treat.

Halloween Crafts - Wooden Spoon Witch Puppet

2011-10-18T20:35:00.000+01:00

Another easy-peasy wooden spoon Halloween kids make and do activity. This one's great as a Halloween house decoration or to add a finishing touch to a costume.

What do we need?
A wooden spoon, green paint, black paper or felt, orange wool, some twigs, white circle stickers or tipex, a stapler, glue and a black felt tip pen.

How do we make it?

First of all paint the wooden spoon green and leave this somewhere to dry.
Next take your orange wool and get the kids to cut a whole load of strands at the same length and then divide these into three. A grown-up then needs to take one of the bundles in the middle and staple it to the front of the wooden spoon (making sure the spoon's dry before you do). The grown-up then needs to staple the other two to the back so they hang down like hair.
Next make the witch's cloak by cutting out a large square of black felt or paper, wrapping it around the wooden spoon like a cloak and then stapling it into place. To ensure it doesn't fall off, you can also tie a piece of wool around the neck of the spoon to hold it in place once it's wrapped firmly around the spoon.
Cut out another square of black felt or paper and curl this into a hat shape, glue or staple it together and then fix it on the witch's head.
You then add the features using your sticky white circles for eyes or tip-exing them in place before drawing in the pupils. You can then either draw on the mouth or cut out and stick on a mouth shape using the black paper or felt. The nose can then be drawn on with the black pen or you could stick on some green painted paper (though this is a bit fiddly).
Finally make the broom by snapping up some thin twig pieces and tying these onto a longer thicker twig using a piece of wool. Finally get a grown-up to staple the broom onto the cloak.
Finished.

Halloween Crafts - Wooden Spoon Bat

2011-10-09T21:29:00.000+01:00

This weekend my cousin, her husband and their delightful but mildly hyperactive children came to stay. In anticipation of the continuation of the blissful Indian summer we've had here in England we'd planned all sorts of boating shenanigan fun. A little ambitious perhaps given the last time they visited we had to fish the youngest out of the river when he leapt in after the dog. Sadly, as we might have predicted, that short burst of sunny bliss we all enjoyed last weekend was essentially British summer for 2011. As an alternative and in attempt to contain the both of them long enough for their exhausted parents to get half an hour peace with a beer on the balcony I decided to get them stuck into some early Halloween make and do.

If you fancy giving this Wooden Spoon Bat a go, then it really is super easy to do. It makes a winning finishing touch to a fancy dress outfit and is also ideal to provide some entertainment over a rainy autumnal weekend.

What you need
A wooden spoon, black paper, a pencil or pen that shows up on black paper, black paint and a brush, white paper, scissors, glue, a drawing pin and red & black felt tips.

How to make it

First of all get the child to paint their wooden spoon and put this to the side to dry.
Next on the black paper draw out the outline of the wings and the ears for the child to cut out. Then draw out the eyes and the bat's teeth
Once the spoon is dry, get the child to stick the eyes, ears and teeth on and felt tip in the eyeballs and blood. Finally use the drawing pin to pin the bats wings into the back of the spoon.

Make a super quick garden tent for the kids

2011-10-05T13:16:00.001+01:00

We've had a bit of a damp squib of a summer here in Britain. Each time I attempt to head out into the great outdoors with wholesome ambitions to do something fun with the kids, we get rained back inside. As we've had a brief glimpse of an Indian summer, I thought I'd share a simple way to get your kids set up with a super quick garden den.

To give it a go, simply tie a length of rope at shoulder height and then hang an old large double duvet over the top with an equal amount hanging over both sides. Next stretch out both sides to create a tent like shape and weigh both sides down to keep them in place. Finally, arm the kids with blankets and other house making paraphernalia and leave them to enjoy.

Beach activity no. 7: Make a driftwood village

2011-09-07T16:27:00.003+01:00

This is a fantastic winter beach activity that I found on Alisa Burke 's thoroughly inspiring blog. Ideal for those wet and blustery beach days, when sun based entertainment is out of the question.

How to make a handmade hobby horse...

2011-09-07T16:06:00.004+01:00

I love this brilliant homemade hobby horse that Emma Bradshaw features on her fantastic blog. Another one for my over ambitiously long list of things to make for the kids that I never in fact get round to doing. Here's hoping ...

Quince jelly - mmmmm

2011-08-31T15:14:00.000+01:00

Earlier this week, I visited my lovely friends Louise and Andy who have recently left London to start a new life in the country. They've set themselves up in an idyllic canal side cottage and have embraced a world of bucolic bliss without a backward glance. One of their neighbours had given them some quinces and Louise was presenting an image of a 1950s domestic goddess by knocking up a batch of Quince Jelly in between putting the bairn to bed and cooking the evening supper. Oh how things have changed from those hedonistic University days

If you manage to get hold off some quinces then Quince Jelly is one of the simplest preserves to make as the high pectin levels of the fruit means that it sets very easily. To give this a go, you'll need to get your hands on a jelly bag or muslin cloth to strain the juices, along with some jars to store your preserve in.

Ingredients
4kg quinces
1kg sugar
Juice of one lemon

To get started, pick through your quinces and remove any leaves or ones that look past their best. Give them a good wash and then pop them all in a large pan and cover with water. Slowly bring this to the boil and then turn down to simmer gently for about 30 minutes or until the fruit has gone pulpy and soft.

Next, spoon the mixture into a jelly bag or a colander lined with a muslin cloth and suspend over a pan (Louise hung her's from the tap - clever), and leave it to strain. Don't try to force the liquid through as this will make it cloudy.

When it's finally drained (I usually leave it overnight), add the sugar and lemon juice and slowly bring to the boil whilst stirring occasionally. Once the sugar is dissolved, leave it at a rolling boil for anywhere between 10 and 30 minutes testing it every five minutes to see if the setting point is reached. You do this by chilling some saucers and then dropping a small amount of the liquid onto the cool saucer and leaving it for 60 seconds. If the mixture wrinkles when gently pushed then you're ready to go. As the mixture is boiling you will need to regularly skim the scum off the top to make sure you have a clear jelly.

Once setting point is reached, pour into sterilised jars (you can sterilise in the dishwasher or by boiling the jars in a pan for a good five minutes), seal and label up. Unopened your jelly should keep for at least a year as long as you have done your sterilising thoroughly. Make sure you don't throw away your pulp as this can be used to make quince paste. If you don't have time to do it straight away, then the pulp can be stored in your fridge for up to a week.

Build yourself a bivouac

2011-08-29T09:08:00.007+01:00

Building a bivouac is one of those wholesome Boy Scout activities that I have high hopes of our kids embracing. Given that they're both under two and based on the evidence from yesterday's attempt, I think we need to wait a little while. They did however find it very amusing to pull down the one their father had a go at putting together.

If you've got slightly older kids, then this is a lovely way to get them playing outdoors for the day. They'll need a hand but once the basic structure is there, you can leave them to put the finishing touches to their den. Here's how to build one:

Choose a flat piece of ground and start off by collecting as many long fallen branches as you can. Get the kids to break off the smaller twigs as you go
Choose three of your longest and sturdiest branches and jam them into the ground as much as you can, and arrange them in teepee like shape with the tops leaning against each other. This takes a bit of fiddling around until you've found the best angle to lean them at
Once these are in place get the kids to lean the smaller branches against them, to start creating a more solid structure
Finally, cover your den with bracken, leaves and other foliage to give it an authentic woodland hide finish. Bingo.

Make your own outdoor twister game

2011-08-23T10:45:00.003+01:00

This is a great way to put on an impromptu game of Twister and ideal summer garden entertainment for the kids. All you need to do is get your hands on four cans of different coloured spraypaint and mark out your Twister game board on your front lawn (4 columns of different colours with 6 circles in each). Don't worry about ruining your lawn as it grows out in a couple of weeks. Remind everyone of the basic rules (featured here), and relive those 80's childhood parties.

Thanks to Sassy Style Blogspot for this one.

Beach activity no. 5: Go mackerel fishing

2011-08-07T20:13:00.000+01:00

Mackerel are a fantastic beginner's fish as their ubiquitous presence in our summer seas means that if you get the time of day and year right, and have a little local knowledge, you will rarely return empty handed (I hope that's not an over-promise). We headed off for an early evening fishing trip a few weeks ago and came home with a bucket load for that evening's dinner.

The best time to catch mackerel is when the sun is heading over the yard arm on a clear sunny day. They arrive on our shores with their sparkly silver bellies and irredescent blue and grey stripes in June and stay to enjoy our non-balmy waters right through to the end of the summer. If you fancy giving fishing a go, then this is a great place to start. Head to the nearest fishing shop to tackle up and seek some advice on the best local spots.

The beauty of mackerel fishing is that the tackle is lightweight and cheap. We've always had the most success with feathers and when the fish are feeding well a dropped line with six hooks can bring up as many glistening, writhing fish. The best place to catch them is in steady or fast-flowing water, so the drop at the end of the pier is ideal. Look out for a gathering of gulls whose diving swoops often raise the flag to the arrival of a decent-sized shoal. Drop your line in and see what you can pull up. It really is as simple as that.

Stuck for somewhere to stay this summer?

2011-08-07T12:43:00.005+01:00

If you're heading off to a festival or event this summer but can't find anywhere to stay, then why not give this nifty little alternative a go. Some smart people have set up a website called campinmygarden.com which brings together bed-less event goers, with people who are willing to turn their back garden into a campsite. The site cleverly lists all the upcoming major events and then details back garden camping options that are close by. Surely it's got to be more fun than staying in some faceless over priced miniscule hotel room.

Beach activity no. 6: Smiley stone collecting

2011-07-26T13:19:00.007+01:00

Whilst reading Coast magazine and daydreaming about swapping river living for a life by the sea, I came across this lovely idea by a couple who had created a magical seaside garden. The garden featured all sorts of flotsam and jetsam finds, hidden amongst a host of colourful coast loving plants. They had put together a quirky collection of stones with faces on them and created a feature of them in their garden.

Given it's the start of kids summer holidays, I thought this would make a great activity to keep kids entertained on the beach and give a focus to their exploring. Particularly useful if it's too cold or wet to play in the sea.

Tights Racing

2011-07-10T15:09:00.003+01:00

Tights Racing is a competition to see who can fit the most items down their tights whilst wearing them. To give it a go you'll need a pile of smallish items that comfortably fit in a pair of tights.

To get started, make a pile of your items in the middle with players in a circle around the outside in pairs, with one person in each pair wearing the tights. On the word go, the tightless player races into the middle and picks up one item at a time and takes it back to stuff in their partner's pair of tights. After a couple of minutes, the whistle is blown and players stop stuffing, and start counting. The winning pair is the one who stuffed the most items in.

Messing about on the river

2011-07-03T14:06:00.011+01:00

There's a rumor that in England this month, the sun will remember its sunbeams from its smiling face in time to give us a decent summer. If like me you enjoy a touch of verdure with your vista then now's the time to head to the river. I'm biased on the subject as we live on a houseboat on an island on the Thames, and ever since we've moved her our lives have been transformed from urban indulgence to something that more closely resembles the pages of Wind in the Willows.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. These days I'd rather be getting my summer kicks from an afternoon skating my toes on the surface of the water than being served a challenging cocktail in a concept bar by someone called Eros. If you fancy a trip to life's simple pleasures, then here are some tips for a quintessentially English day by the river.

Paddleboarding involves standing up on a long surfboard and paddling your way along. Developed as a surfer's alternative for when the waves are too flat to play, it also provides a fantastic way to explore our waterways. To give it a go in London visit the Blue Chip Surf Shop, alternatively search on Google for your nearest provider
Wild swimming provides an exhilarating duck's perspective of our waterways. For inspiration grab a copy of Roger Deakin's book Waterlog, otherwise if you're in the UK then check out the OSS website
Exploring our water ways by boat is undoubtedly the best way to appreciate the nostalgic charm of our rivers. Whether it's kayaking the city or lounging on a Slipper Launch, simply Google day hire boat providers in your area.

P.s. I am eight months pregnant in above image, not just eaten too many pies.

Give your summer plans a blockbuster edge

2011-06-22T16:57:00.005+01:00

If you feel that your summer plans are lacking gravitas, then why not give them a blockbuster edge with this genius little idea by Orange. Load up a one line overview of your summer plans onto the Orange Feed site and you'll be rewarded with your summer adventure read out in true blockbuster style. Go check it out...

Looking for ideas for a free summer of fun?

2011-06-16T15:13:00.003+01:00

Check out yesterday's feature in the Mirror. All taken from The Book of Summer.

Beach activity no. 4: Building a dam

2011-06-16T14:50:00.005+01:00

Provides at least an hour or two of entertainment. Start off with the big stones and stuff the gaps with smaller ones and wet sand. Winner.

Beach activity no. 3: Sea fishing

2011-06-16T08:53:00.005+01:00

After extensive debate and deliberation over appropriate tackle, tide times and who's going to land the big one, the boys finally headed out for an afternoon fishing. Nick the Stone Skimming Champion and fishing novice, trumped everyone's extensive experience by landing two massive Pollock. The men returned to base like the true hunter gatherers that they are.

If you fancy giving sea fishing a go, below are a few basic tips to get yourself started:

First up, make sure you're wearing the right kit. You want waterproofs, shoes with a good grip and a light rucksack to enable safe rock scrambling
Next choose your day carefully. Don't head out if it's rainy, the sea is rough or there is any potential of adverse conditions
The key to success with any type of fishing is in local knowledge. Head to the local tackle shop and hire or buy yourself the basic kit for the type of fish you're likely to catch. Take the opportunity to get as much local know how as possible. You want to know where to head, what to use and when to do it. These are the boys (or girls) with all the golden fishy nuggets of information that you need
Spend some time studying the tide times. You want to be heading out as the tide is well on its way in and be positioned in a safe place that's easy to cast from and that's also over some deep fishy water
Finally get yourself tackled up before you leave the house, or at least before you start scrambling down the rocks. The rest is down to luck.

Beach activity no. 2: Stream jumping

2011-06-15T08:45:00.002+01:00

The driest man standing wins.
Simple.

Beach activity no. 1: Skimming stones

2011-06-14T20:11:00.012+01:00

So finally our Cornwall staycation is underway. After two days of solid rain in which we've played as many games of Scrabble, Monopoly, Perudo, Cranium, Yahtzee, Fruit Boules and Poker that any sane person could take, we've finally been able to head out to enjoy the delights of the Cornish coast.

This afternoon, after a damp visit to the local Seal Sanctuary to indulge my boyfriend's fetish of aquatic mammals, we were finally honored with blue skies just in time for a creek side seafood lunch of at Helford Passage's Ferryboat Inn.

To help us digest, we rounded the afternoon off with a two hour game of stone skimming, with Nick the Champion Skimmer nailing an impressive fifteen bounces. Some top stone skimming tips featured below:

Select a hoard of small flat pebbles, the smaller and rounder the better
Stand on the shore or bank and use a flicking motion with your hand so that your pebble bounces across the water. The winner is the person with the most bounces
An alternative version is to bounce them across a river so that they land (ideally) in the same spot on the other side.

Super quick guide to making your own bunting

2011-06-08T08:24:00.015+01:00

Jeez Louise, I can't believe how much people are charging for bunting. It's criminal, particularly given how easy it is to make. Seriously, if you've never laid your hands on a sewing machine before it's one of the easiest first time projects to have a crack at. You'll need to borrow someone's machine for a few hours and get them to show you how to thread the machine (yawn), but once you've mastered this eternally useful skill then the rest is easy. Never one to guild the lily, this is a fuss free simple guide is to making your own bunting.

First of all get yourself set up with the material you want to make your bunting out of. Given the technicolor nautical nature of our houseboat I went for some bright stripes from www.deckchairstripes.com. Alternatively, I've made lots of wedding bunting using brightly coloured table cloths and materials that I've picked up from charity shops. I can't be arsed with sewing them double sided so try to choose thick material with bright colours on both sides. You'll also need some webbing tape to sew the fabric onto. I like this thick anti-tangle webbing tape, super cheap from here as well.

Next decide on the size of your triangles. I like 'em big so I usually go for about a 30cm drop. Keep it simple and save yourself a whole load of hemming hassle, get yourself some pinking shears (ziggy zaggy scissors) and cut the triangles out.

Once done, stretch your tape out and place your triangles at equal distances along the webbing tape, then fold the tape over and pin these in place. Finally feed through your sewing machine and Bob's your bunting buddy, you're done.

Look how happy Otter the dog looks under hers. Full instructions for this and much more can be found in my newest book, The Book of Summer.

Water babies and river fun for kids

2011-06-05T14:14:00.010+01:00

This weekend we had a bunch of friends and their babies join us for a picnic by the river in the gorgeous June sunshine. We plotted ourselves up by a kid friendly stream and let them spend hours entertaining themselves in the water. Herbie our son was insistent on splashing around naked for a good two hours until we had to remove him for fear of hypothermia when he started turning blue. If you fancy getting your kids out enjoying our waterways, here are a few activities to get them stuck in:

Mud pies - the can't be beaten classic. Give them a bucket and spade and that'll keep them entertained for a good hour
River dipping and stone tipping - give them a plastic tub and a net and see what they can find
Bobbing for fish - put some bread or a piece of bacon on the end of a line with a hook and get them to bob this gently up and down where you know there are fish that will be interested
Stone painting - if the water's too cold to get in, get them to collect some stones to decorate
Make a water periscope - by following these simple instructions
Have a boat building competition - using the contents of your recycling bin. Whoever's boat floats the longest wins
Build a candle powered putt putt boat - if you fancy raising your boat building game, then get the kids to have a go at building their own brilliant candle powered Putt Putt Boat
Have a game of duck bingo - make a card that features pictures of the commonly found ducks and geese in your area. When they spot one, get them to cross it off their card. The first person to spot all those on their card wins.

Sunday Telegraph My Space

2011-06-01T15:12:00.005+01:00

A piece in Sunday's Telegraph about my favorite summer spot, out on our deck. See the full article here.

Beach sculpture

2011-05-29T14:15:00.010+01:00

We're off on our staycation in a couple of weeks, to spend a long and hopefully sunny week in a beach side house in Cornwall. Inspired by a stunning piece of drift rope sculpture by Australian artist Narelle Autio that was featured in this month's Living Etc, I'm currently daydreaming about gathering stacks of multi-coloured flotsam and jetsam rope and creating a piece of functional beach sculpture. I have no doubt that this mildly ambitious plan will be thwarted by the British weather, being eight months pregnant and the need to entertain three families worth of children, but for the moment I'm kidding myself with the day dreaming.

Narelle isn't alone in her beach side flotsam crafting. I also came across these stunning driftwood horse sculptures by Heather Jansch.

Or what about this brilliant driftwood hedgehog by artist Gigi Leonard.

Realistically however, I should probably set my ambitions a little lower and go for something like these quirky pebble people. Either way, it seems a brilliant and creative way to entertain the kids and yourself on a day on the beach.

How to make elderflower cordial

2011-05-25T20:01:00.020+01:00

The delightful elder bush, hobbit of suburban wastelands, city streets and country hedges, comes into full bloom at this time of year. I've been a bit slow at getting my act together to get on the case with filling up our elderflower champagne and cordial stocks, but last weekend I squeezed it in before the blooms had passed their best.

The best time to pick the flowers is in the morning when the sun is out in full force and the bushes have just burst into flower, as this is when the smell and flavour is at it’s finest. Avoid any with a darker or brown colour as these can turn your cordial foul. Cut the flower-heads as close to the stems as possible using scissors, and make sure you have as little stem as possible in your harvest. Gently shake each flower-head after picking to remove any insects who might be enjoying their breakfast. This is our family recipe for elderflower cordial, one that has been tried and tested for three generations:

Ingredients

1.5l boiling water
1kg white granulated sugar
20 large elderflower heads in the first flush of full bloom
4 lemons
55g of citric acid (this is to preserve your cordial)

Take a large, scrupulously clean bowl, bucket or saucepan and stir the sugar into the boiling water until fully dissolved.
Leave to cool and then add the citric acid, the juice and zest of the lemons and the elderflower heads. Stir this gently and then leave to steep for 48 hours.
Then strain your mixture through a clean muslin cloth into a jug, and use a funnel to pour it into sterilised bottles (I always use the dishwasher to sterilise mine, just make sure you leave it to steam dry)>
Once bottled, seal and store. If you used the citric acid, your cordial will keep for four months in the fridge. I often make a second batch in plastic bottles for the freezer to keep myself stocked up right through to the next season.

Re-inventing old garden furniture

2011-05-11T13:19:00.022+01:00

We've got a set of old garden table and chairs that have been merrily rusting away their days in the garden shed for the past two years. Inspired by the rainbow colour scheme featured on the shelves in my earlier post I brazenly pinched their pallette to use in the garden.I'm now notably banned by my boyfriend from painting anything else in rainbow shades for fear of permanently turning our home into a kindergarten.

Here's how I did them:
Sanded off the rust, splinters and bubbling paint before giving them a good scrub with water and fairy liquid। I then unscrewed the wooden slats, marking clearly in pencil what colour to paint each one in। Once they were dry I painted all of the metal work work with red Hammerite paint, which is great as it can be used straight on rust.

I then painted the wooden slats in five different shades of gloss. I actually took in various cuttings from magazines and asked the Dulux lady to match them on her clever colour matching machine. Finally, I screwed it all back together again, bobs your uncle, our garden is now adorned with rainbow brights.

Surfing the Thames

2011-05-08T12:54:00.005+01:00

Last weekend we had a group of surf loving friends over to enjoy the rare spring sunshine that we’re enjoying here in England. As anytime spent near water is apparently wasted unless spent balancing on a board, they decided to see if they could create enough of a boat wake to surf the Thames. So with the surfer mounted on his long board and holding onto a piece of boat rope, we managed to create enough wake in our rickety speed boat to produce a wave worthy of a ride.

Time for a spot of wild swimming

2011-05-03T19:42:00.017+01:00

During an afternoon spent trying not to over exert myself whilst basking on our deck like the pregnant beached whale that I am, the local outdoor swimming group came along the opposite bank to brave a dip in the Thames.

Thanks in part to the late Roger Deakin's brilliant book, Waterlog, where he explores Britain from a frog's eye view, wild swimming has had something of a renaissance over the past few years. Bored of the confines of our chlorine filled municipal pools, swimmers have been inspired to liberate themselves from their regimented lanes and can be found diving into our rivers and lakes to set their swimming free. Last weekend marked the opening of the swimming season on our houseboat when several friends leaped off the deck to take a refreshing if not chilly dip in the welcoming waters of the Thames. If I wasn't six months pregnant then I would be there with them, but instead thought it best to keep the towels warm whilst they paddled off for a swim around the island. If you fancy having a pop at wild swimming, then check out the Outdoor Swimming Society's website for some safety tips and pointers for the best outdoor swimming spots.

Wedding reception games and activities

2011-05-01T13:00:00.016+01:00

To celebrate last week’s Royal Wedding, we headed over to a street party of sorts held in the communal gardens on our island. Fellow boat dwellers rocked up with suitably royal themed food such as Coronation Chicken, Cucumber Sandwiches and Eton Mess, and it also turned out that one of our neighbours worked on the Royal Wedding dress. A claim to fame if ever I heard one. With last week’s event so neatly and successfully wrapped up, I thought I’d share some of my favourite wedding reception games.

Speech wagers – put wager sheets on all tables, and ask guests to place bets, (monetary or not) on how long they think the Best Man and the Father of the Bride’s speech will last. Those closest on each table win the cash or are given a prize by one of the Ushers.

Swedish bouquet throwing – there is a lovely Swedish tradition that avoids the usual bun fight that occurs when the bouquet is flung to the wannabe brides. At some point before or after dinner, the bride asks all of the guests to stand up. She then asks all children, singletons or couples that have been together for less than five years to sit down. Next the bride asks all couples who have been together less than ten years to sit down. This goes on until the last couple is standing who have been together the longest out of all gathered guests, and they are gifted the Bride’s bouquet

Table toast – challenge each table to come up with an amusing or endearing table toast, which is then read out, to the bride and groom.

The Heads and Tails game - click on link for full details.

Sketch a guest - place a pad and pens on each table and ask that the guests each sketch the person to their left at some point during the meal. Sketches should be signed off and titled, and then collected together by the Ushers to create a novel momento of the day.

How can you not love these

2011-04-29T13:36:00.011+01:00

I came across these brilliantly colourful shelves on the ace Bright Bazaar blogspot. Surely this would be easy peasy to re-create yourself with a few pots of paint and some cheap Ikea shelves. This one's on my list to do this summer.

Street party-tastic

2011-04-27T14:12:00.008+01:00

This Friday over 1 million people will be taking to the streets to join in one of the many Street Parties that are being put on to celebrate the Royal Wedding. Hats off to all those community spirited individuals who are putting the time and effort in to make these things happen. It's no small feat. In case you're searching for some inspiration, I've provided a few of my favourite street party or village fete style games:

Tug of war - one side of street Vs other
Best decorated front door or dustbin
Best front garden
Village fete style baking and vegetable growing competitions
Dog that most looks like it's owner
Bunting making competition
Human fruit machine side show
Whacky races - three legged race, egg & spoon, sack race, backwards running, high heel race, fancy dress race (oh the list could go on)
Bike decorating competition

Thanks to www.notonthehighstreet.com for the pic.

Easy way to this season's interior brights

2011-04-23T14:27:00.020+01:00

When it comes to interiors, bright is good in my world. Admittedly our home more closely resembles a nursery classroom than a houseboat, but I find minimalism and the muted hues and white palettes of some uber designed homes rather depressing. The good thing about fashion is that if you wait long enough, everything comes around eventually. So if your style is a little wayward then you can rest assured that at some point those dedicated followers of fashion will at some point be turning to you as their inspiration.

Thankfully for a brief and fickle moment, I seem to be on the money as the interior magazines are showcasing a rainbow explosion. One simple way to bring this season's brights into the home is with a couple of pots of paint. A few weeks ago I rescued some country style wooden chairs that had been rejected by the local charity shop. With a coat of wood primer and a couple of coats of bright paint, I'd updated our whole table for less than 30 quid.

How to organise an uber super duper Easter Egg Hunt

2011-04-13T20:37:00.021+01:00

With Easter just around the corner I thought I would see if I could inspire you to organise an Easter Hunt spectacular that's a little more than a couple of chocolate eggs poked inside a plant pot. There's a whole other level that you can take your Easter Hunt to that should get even the most poe faced to get involved. I know of a family who still all head home aged 30 plus in eager anticipation of their Father's infamous Easter Egg Hunt extravaganza, with their own kids now in tow. If you fancy adding a touch of dazzle to the traditional skip around the lawn, then I hope the following provides some inspiration:

Think beyond the back garden or living room, and take your hunt into the big wide world. Lay your trail around your local park or the village if you're in the countryside, or organise a hunt that follows your favourite Sunday stroll through the woods or along the canal. See if you can persuade a couple of accomplices to help out by getting them to hold a clue. They need to be relied on to be at a certain place, at a certain time, so a shop keeper, lock keeper or even ice cream man are all ideal
We once started our Easter Egg Hunt by making it look as though we'd taken an ad out in the Sunday papers announcing the first clue. We had actually created an ad and stuck it in there, but the kids loved it
If you're playing near a beach or riverside, then use items around you to hold clues. Mark a cross on a bottom of a stone with the clue written underneath or if you're any good at origami and are laying a trail that will take you through some garden blooms, then you could re-create a flower out of paper with the clue written on it, and strategically position amongst the real McCoys
Another year we decorated our local oak tree by hanging the chocolate high up in the branches meaning the kids had to scramble up the tree to retrieve them
Ordinance survey map coordinates are also great clues if the egg hunters are any good with a map and compass
If you're playing anywhere near water and can get your hands on a floating buoy then create a waterproof container that you submerge and attach to a buoy. You can direct the egg hunters to the clue either through ordinance survey coordinates or by points of reference
Thanks to Counrty Living magazine for the lovely picture.

Hold a sunflower growing competition

2011-04-12T20:07:00.002+01:00

Last weekend we received a parcel in the post from one of my aunts containing a packet of seeds and a challenge that laid down the gauntlet to a sunflower growing competition amongst the wider family members. I love a spot of competition and duly raced to the potting shed to sow several seeds in uber growth generating compost and doused them in sunflower power plant food (or similar concoction). I'd actually sown some sunflower seeds the weekend before, and was sorely tempted to get ahead of the game and claim these as the ones received in the post, but that would be cheating.

This is a really lovely competition to hold with friends, family or neighbours, and if you're a city dweller, it allows you to bring a touch of the village fete to your urban life. For our competition there were no rules other than your sunflower must be grown from the packet of seeds that were sent. Other than that it's open season.

Guess the weight of the groom

2010-08-27T09:06:00.004+01:00

I organised the games at a friend's wedding a couple of weeks ago and 'Guess the weight of the groom' was a little number that went on throughout the day. Guests put a £1 in the pot, write their guess down, and closest to the actual weight wins the lot.

Reverse running

2010-08-23T17:33:00.006+01:00

If your regular run is getting a bit boring then why not give it a lift by doing it backwards. Reverse Running has been increasing in popularity and this weekend saw the first UK Backwards Running Championship in Heaton Park, Manchester. But this is no laughing matter, reverse running is said to burn a third more calories than forward running. So trainers on, best foot backwards and off you fall.

Reverse Pick Pocketing

2010-08-07T10:09:00.007+01:00

Reverse Pick Pocketing, the art of putting things in people's pockets without them noticing is an ideal piece of fun to earn you back some karma credits.

Our young cousins played it whilst holidaying in France earlier this month and it proved to be the winner of the week. The only downside was that everyone had the frustrating task of emptying their pockets and replacing the items back around the house at the end of each day.

Tarp Surfing

2010-08-07T10:02:00.003+01:00

If you're surf loving but land locked, then why not have a go at Tarp surfing. All you need is a giant piece of tarpaulin and a skateboard. Get your friends to curl over the tarp and ride the tube. Check these guys out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9sdSCa0V-Y&feature=related

The Slow Cycling Race

2010-05-28T12:38:00.004+01:00

What's the game
This is a brilliant game if you're outside and happen to have a couple of bikes knocking about. The aim of this game is to be the last person across the finish line.

What do we need
A bike and somewhere to race.

How do we play it?
Simples. It's a bike race around a designated course which contestants must complete without touching the ground. The last one across the finishing line wins, which means you to do it as slowly as possible. If you put your foot on the ground or fall off you're out.

Click here to buy your copy of Organised Fun and discover a stack of ideas of how to make your own fun for free.

Cracker Whacker

2010-05-17T17:31:00.000+01:00

With the promise of summer on the way, I thought I'd share a favourite bit of organised fun. Cracker Whacker is a brilliant game to be rolled out at your next gathering. It was a hit at our summer party last year and deserves to be have wider acclaim. The rules to this classic, though rather messy Victorian Parlour Game are featured below:

What do I need to play?
Six crackers each, a thick piece of ribbon and a rolled up newspaper per player. You need to ensure your whackers are the same size per player to ensure no one has an unfair advantage.

How do I play it?
- Distribute the cream crackers to ensure each player has six and then help each other out by tying them to your heads with a ribbon, It's easiest if you tie a ribbon around your head and then slip the crackers in all around the ribbon
- On the word go players chase each other around the room for one minute with their rolled up newspaper and try to whack each other’s crackers until they’re all shattered away into crumbs
- The person with the most in tact cream crackers at the end of the minute round wins.

To buy your copy of Organised Fun and discover an abundance of ideas for homespun entertainment click here

Hopscotch

2010-05-14T13:11:00.002+01:00

Hopscotch can be found dating back to the Roman Empire, when soldiers used the game to improve their footwork and agility in preparation for battle. The game continues to be played all over the world and has spawned many variants. I’ve featured the one most commonly found in school playgrounds today, along with some more novel variations for those looking to experiment.

What do we need to play it?

Some chalk, something to use as a marker and a pavement or tarmac to play on.

How do we play it?

To play this classic game, begin by chalking out your play area.
The first player takes their marker (it can be a stone, or a coin, for example) and tosses it onto square number one.
The hopper then has to hop up the course, missing the square that the marker landed on. They must be on one leg when it’s a single square, or straddle both squares if it’s a double. The ‘home’ square (the first chalked-out square) can be hopped through however the player likes.
Once completed, they must then turn around and hop back, picking up their marker on the way, before throwing it onto the number two square and repeating the process.
If the player falls over, misses a square or steps on the line, their go ends and it’s the turn of the next player.
Players always begin their turn where they last left off. The first player to complete the course working through the numbers wins the game.

Human Buckaroo

2010-05-10T09:24:00.000+01:00

This is a hilarious game invented by my boyfriend Barney and our friends Molly and Louis. It's ideal to play if someone has dozed off on the sofa or has reached a deep state of inebriation and slumber. Remember the 1980s game for Buckaroo? Well this is the real life version.

How do I play it?

Wait until your friend or relative has dozed off and then distribute a stack of plastic or paper cups to all players.
Players then take it in turns to gently place the plastic or paper cup on the dozing individual, carefully stacking them up so you have a big healthy collection balanced all over their body.
The person who places the cup that wakes the dozer up is the Loser.
If you were in a mean mood you could opt to have a small amount of water in each of the cups. Not recommended when playing with aged relatives.

To buy your copy of Organised Fun and discover an abundance of ideas for homespun entertainment click here

Binocular Football anyone?

2010-04-27T13:20:00.002+01:00

I've just pulled Japan in our office World Cup draw. I think this says it all:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aj7f3B1VCYM

Easter Egg Roullette

2010-03-28T20:10:00.002+01:00

Looking for a game to play at Easter breakfast, then this one's a brilliant way to decide who is the Treasure hunt leader. Boil up your eggs to serve for breakfast (like the one in the picture here), eat one in advance and then put all the eggs in the egg cups including the eaten one but turn this upside down so it’s impossible to tell which it is. Place the eggs around the table and get the kids to choose where they’re going to sit down. When they’re seated on the word ‘Go’ the kids must crack their egg with a teaspoon and whoever ends up with the eaten empty egg becomes the treasure hunt leader. Kids find this hilarious but be warned, it’s a practical joke they’ll be intent on rolling out again and again.

For this and many more ideas on how to organise yourself some fun, click here to buy your copy of Organised Fun, Organised Fun for Kids or Organised Fun for Grown-ups

Alternative Easter Egg Hunt - Lindt Bunny Lamping

2010-03-28T19:34:00.006+01:00

If you're looking to shake up the traditional Easter Egg hunt format then this one's great for grown-ups as well as kids. We invented this one Easter at a friend’s house in Wales. It’s best played with those gold foil-wrapped Lindt bunnies, though anything with a reflective surface works just as well.

For those not versed in the ways of the country, bunny lamping is a method that’s used to catch rabbits to keep populations in check. Hunters go out with torches and shine them into rabbit-infested areas. When the light hits a rabbit, their eyes light up like bulbs, similar to when they’re caught in car headlights.

What do we need to play it?
A strong torch and some foil-wrapped chocolate treats – the larger the better – and at least one for every player. Oh, and a night sky.

How many friends?
This requires at least one person to plan and manage the game and as few or as many as you like to play it.
How do we play it?

The organiser needs to go into the garden or on a well-known walk when it’s still light, and strategically hide the foil-wrapped goodies in positions where they’ll shine when the torchlight hits them.
Next, write a set of creative clues to mark out the trail. You might want to be cryptic about it, for example if the foil-wrapped chocolates are hidden in the daffodils, your clue might allude to Wordsworth’s famous poem. Alternatively, and especially if you’re playing with young kids, you can be fairly literal, for example the clue might read: ‘Under a heavy green object ten paces from the front door.’
When all set up and it’s dark enough outside, hand a copy of the clues to each of the hunters, who then compete to find the foil-wrapped treasure by shining their torches around the directed area until a burst of gold flashes out.
For this and many more ideas on how to organise yourself some fun, click here to buy your copy of Organised Fun, Organised Fun for Kids or Organised Fun for Grown-ups

Up Jenkins and variations on the theme

2010-03-25T10:03:00.000Z

This is a great little game to entertain the kids when you're sat around a dinner table. It's also something that adults love to play, which will inevitably mean it's endurance value will be much longer. We played it last weekend when we had a rare sunny day and used it to keep the kids amused whilst we were waiting for our pub lunch to arrive.

How do we play it

The game follows the same rules as Up Jenkins with players getting into two teams sat either side of the table.

The first team takes the coin and secretly passes it between themselves under the table, minimising movements or laying false movement clues as to the whereabouts of the coin.

When someone on the opposing team knows where the coin is they shout 'Up Jenkins!' and point at the offending player who then must stand up and reveal whether the coin is in their fist. If correct, the guessing team score a point before handing the coin over for the other team to play.
First team to five wins.

Variations

Down Jenkins – the accused person has to get down on their knees whilst the accusation is made.
Aeroplane – this time once the passing has finished and before a guess can be made, the team have to get up and spin in circles like a child flying an aeroplane.
Piano – in this format, again before the guessing begins, the playing team have to pretend to play the piano on the table in front of them. This involves some cunning handiwork by lightly crushing the palm of your hand to hold the coin in place.
Slam, Crawl Jenkins - this time the opposing team has to say Slam or Crawl after they have called Up Jenkins. If 'Slam' is called, teh team have to all slam their hands on teh table at the same time with palms faced down. If 'Crawl' is called, the team have to slowly lay their hands palm down onto the table again trying to conceal the noise of the coin as it hits the table.

A guide to hosting the perfect party

2010-03-22T14:25:00.004Z

Gordon's Gin have teamed me up with the omnipotent Gordon Ramsey to put together a brilliant guide on how to put on fantastic parties. The guide is stacked full of winning ideas for party food and cocktails, alongside a rather superb guide to party games. Click here to see it in full animated effect.

Too much to do makes Jack a dull boy

2010-03-14T12:42:00.000Z

A new debate has hit the headlines this week highlighting the problems caused by parents who fill their kids lives with endless after school activities. The discussion was sparked when Graham Gorton, chair of the Independent Schools Association said that constantly judging pupils in a target-driven system risks robbing them of "the very essence of childhood". He believes that being denied the opportunity to "just go out and mooch about in the garden" means young people are failing to develop imaginative and inquiring minds. He went on to say "Children like their own company. They lose the capability to amuse themselves if everything is put in front of them in an organised, structured, club type of way."

With this warning in mind check out the article I wrote for today's Times to help remind your kids how to make their own fun.

Baby Racing

2010-03-14T08:23:00.003Z

Seeing as it's Mother's Day today, I thought I'd share my favourite mother themed game with you. Baby Racing which essentially involves crawling babies of around the same age, racing towards the finish line whilst being lured by their favourite teddy bear is in fact a popular sport in Lithuana. Last year's winning baby was so in love with his laptop that he beat fellow contestants by chasing the keyboard to the finishing line.

How do we play it?

Mark out your racetrack. I’d suggest not being too ambitious with distance at this stage and set out something which is around 3 metres in length.
Get one adult lined up with the child at the starting point and the other adult positioned at the end of the track.
On the word ‘Go!’, babies are released and race (well, that’s the hope anyway) to their adult partner who is waiting and cooing like a maniac at the other end of the track.
The adult at the end of the track is allowed to make as many encouraging noises as they like to entice the baby over but are not allowed to use their hands at all.
The first baby to touch their racing partner’s knees at the other end of the track wins.
For this and many more ideas on how to organise yourself some fun, click here to buy your copy of Organised Fun, Organised Fun for Kids or Organised Fun for Grown-ups

Strawberry Bum Candle (also known as Funghi Bum Candle)

2010-03-08T09:47:00.004Z

Genius game with an even better name. This one can be played with mushrooms but I find strawberries give it that extra edge. We played it at weekend at my friend Oriana's birthday party. The basic idea is that it's a race to see who can put out a candle that's positioned between their legs by swinging and lowering a strawberry that is suspended from a belt with a piece of string.

What do we need to play it?
A tea light, jam jar, mushroom and a 50cm piece of string per player. Players also need to be wearing a belt.

How do we play it?

First of all, get yourselves set up by tying one end of the string to the mushroom and the other end to the belt loop at the back of your trousers. Next get the players to position themselves above the candle with the mushroom dangling majestically between their legs.
On the word, players then race to put out the candle using the mushroom. The first player to achieve the task is the winner.
For this and many more ideas on how to organise yourself some fun, click here to buy your copy of Organised Fun, Organised Fun for Kids or Organised Fun for Grown-ups

Cornflake Packet Game

2010-02-14T07:54:00.006Z

This game will appeal to yoga-ites as it allows guests to demonstrate their dexterity and balance. It’s brilliant to watch and you might be surprised by the suppleness of some people in your group. The idea behind the game is that players compete to pick the packet up with their teeth, whilst it gets lower and lower as the game plays on. It's not necessary to take your trousers off as demonstrated by my friend in the picture, but it does give you that added flexible edge.

How do we play it?

The aim of the game is to demonstrate flexibility by bending down and picking up a cereal packet using only the teeth as it gets lower and lower.
Get everybody to stand in a circle and then each player takes it in turns to step forward, bend down and retrieve the cereal packet with their teeth. The rules are that no body part other than the player’s feet are allowed to touch the floor, and no other object must give them balance.
If players fail after two goes, they’re out. If you want to be strict about it you can make it one go.
Once the remaining players have completed the task you then need to trim the top layer off the cereal packet by about five centimetres. You then go around the circle again, with each player attempting to pick it up with their teeth within two goes.
The game plays on, with the box getting lower and lower as more is ripped off at the end of each round, and more and more players dropping out, until the last man standing is declared the winner.
For this and many more ideas on how to organise yourself some fun, click here to buy your copy of Organised Fun, Organised Fun for Kids or Organised Fun for Grown-ups

Pancake Day Race

2010-02-10T08:34:00.000Z

Pancake racing is a traditional sport played out on this auspicious Tuesday, and involves a group racing each other on foot whilst simultaneously tossing a pancake. The most famous pancake race takes place at Olney and is a tradition that has been upheld for over 500 years. In 1445 a woman of Olney heard the shriving bell while she was making pancakes and ran to the church in her apron, still clutching her frying pan and inspired an event that is honored and observed to this day. Competitors must be female residents of the town who should be appropriately dressed in a traditional housewife outfit. They must run the 375 m course and observe the tossing of the pancake three times.

As I’m a bit stuffy about the concept of kids playing with and losing respect for food, I’m suggesting re-creating this event for kids but making some pretend pancakes.

What do we need to play it?
You need a frying pan per racing child, try to avoid heavy iron ones if possible. You also need something to take the place of the pancake. It needs to be something that has a bit of weight to it so it can be easily flipped. If you don’t have time to craft something then a small book is ideal. Finally, you also need somewhere where you can race.

How do we play it?

Mark out your race course and get your kids lined up at the starting line
On the word ‘go’ kids must race from start to finish and successfully toss the pancake three times. If they drop the pancake on the floor they have to go back to the starting line
First racer across the finishing line having successfully made their three tosses is the winner.
For many more ideas on how to organise yourself some fun, click here to buy your copy of Organised Fun, Organised Fun for Kids or Organised Fun for Grown-ups

Human Christmas Tree - Christmas Games

2009-12-30T08:50:00.000Z

Next up is the Human Christmas Tree game. This is ideal to play on Christmas day once the present opening frenzy has come to an end and the room is awash with wrapping paper and ribbons. It's great to get the kids to help clearing up and will help fill the time before Christmas lunch hits the table.

How do we play it?
Split into two teams, or three if there are a few of you. The ideal number to have in each team is three to four

Equally divide up all the left over wrapping paper, ribbons and packaging so that there’s a healthy pile for each team. You might want to top these up from extra Christmas decorations that you have lying around
Decide who’s going to be the Christmas tree in each team. Teams then have five minutes to turn their elected player into the best Christmas tree using the left over debris
Prizes awarded for creative use of materials as well as closeness to the real Christmas tree form.
For other ideas for children's games, activities and crafting fun you can buy a copy of Organised Fun for Kids by clicking here.

Pin the nose on Rudolf - Christmas Games

2009-12-30T08:21:00.002Z

It's that time of year when the excitement of Christmas is beginning to ware off. The kids have played/broken their new toys and you're likely to be hearing the early sounds of boredom kicking in. Well if it's not too late, here are a couple of Christmas games to help ensure it's Christmas smiles all round.

First up is 'Pin the Nose on Rudolf'. This game is exactly the same as Pin the Tail on the Donkey' but using a different animal and part of the anatomy instead.

How do we play it?

Get yourself armed with an old piece of cardboard, some pens and paint, and get the kids drawing a big picture of a reindeer's head. The easiest way is to use your hands as the outline for the reindeer's antlers. Once this is all coloured in, stick it on the wall at the right height for the kids to use.
Next get the kids to make a large cardboard red Rudolf nose and stick some Blue Tac on the back.
Now you're ready to play. The first person to go is blindfolded, spun around three times and gently propelled towards the reindeer picture with the nose in their hand. They then have to try to stick the nose in the right place. Everyone takes it in turn to have a go and the person who gets the closest wins.
For other ideas for children's games, activities and crafting fun you can buy a copy of Organised Fun for Kids by clicking here.

One-song-to-the-tune-of-another

2009-12-09T09:58:00.006Z

It's recently occurred to me that Radio 4's Show 'Sorry I haven't Got a Clue' is in fact one long spectacular of Organised Fun. As such, I hope the team won't mind me sharing a couple of my favourites on this blog.

One-song-to-the-tune-of-another is one of the show's regular features and quite simply does what it says on the tin. This game is ideal to play on long car journies and will provide perfect in-car entertainment for those facing a long motorway stint this Christmas.

How do I play it?
The game quite simply involves players singing one song to the tune of another. Players take it in turns to challenge each other by giving them two songs to mash together. You might choose the words to Wham's 'Last Christmas' sung to the tune of 'Raindrops keep falling on my head'. Performances are then scored by the other contestants or the Chairman if there are enough of you in the car.

For many more ideas on how to organise yourself some fun, click here to buy your copy of Organised Fun, Organised Fun for Kids or Organised Fun for Grown-ups

Christmas Crafts: Sparkly Bread Baubles

2009-12-09T07:36:00.004Z

This is a brilliant method to get your kids crafting some decorations for the Christmas tree using a few bits from around your kitchen.

What do we need
A loaf of sliced white bread, some paint on glue, glitter or tin foil, a pastry cutter, a straw and some string or ribbon to hang them up

How do we do it
First of all get yourself set up by cutting out some Christmas shapes using a pastry cutter. I only had a traditional circle one so was restricted to moons and pendant shapes, but the shops have loads of Christmas cutters on sale at this time of year. You also need to pierce a hanging hole at the top of your shape so you can hang them from the tree.

Once you've cut your shapes out you need to put them in a low oven (about 150 degrees centigrade) to dry them out. This should take no more than five minutes and you want to take them out before they start turning brown.

Finally it's the fun bit. Get the kids to cover the shapes with glue and then sprinkle on the glitter or stick on some screwed up balls of tin foil - finished!

Fun things to do with kids in the rain

2009-12-07T13:51:00.004Z

If you've weathered yet another wet weekend cooped up inside with the kids, you're likely to be pretty nervous at the prospect of more soggy days to come. To prevent the storm clouds gathering at home, check out the rainy days Organised Fun column in the Times for ideas on how to keep your kids entertained

Christmas Decoration Workshop at Waterstones

2009-11-30T20:31:00.000Z

If you're in the Kingston-Upon-Thames area this weekend, and are looking for something to entertain the kids, then why not come along to the Waterstones store at 2pm this Sunday. The Organised Fun team are running a kids workshop designed to adorn your Christmas tree with homespun charm. Kids will be shown how to rustle up Christmas tree decorations that they can also do at home - ideal to buy you time off to wrap some presents.

Christmas Crafts: Pom Pom Tree Decorations

2009-11-30T20:19:00.000Z

With fashion's continued love of all things thrifty and homespun, Pom Poms are very hip at the moment. These woolen balls of fun are really easy for kids to do, and they make original and colourful Christmas tree decorations. To create that Christmas feel, use brightly coloured or sparkling wools and make sure the kids make enough of them to give your tree real impact.

For a simple guide on how to make Pom Poms, click on this link to the brilliant www.craftycrafty.tv website.

Pumpkin Fettling

2009-11-19T09:21:00.008Z

Pumpkin Fettling is an ancient Dorset game that's traditionally played on Halloween. It has a reputation for being a tad on the dangerous side as it's essentially bar billiards (the one where the ball swings from a string to knock the skittles over) but with humans instead.

The game involves taking it in turns to swing a suspended pumpkin to try and knock the other players off their wooden blocks. Definitely one for the adults, and do keep an eye on your crown jewels as the swinging pumpkin has a nasty habit of hitting where it hurts the most.

What do we need
A pumpkin, 6 wood logs wide enough for people to stand on, a rope and somewhere to suspend it from (a bough of a tree is ideal)

How do we play

Get yourself set up by making a hole in your pumpkin, threading the rope through and securing it in place with a couple of knots. You now need to suspend it from the bough of a tree or beams are ideal if you're playing inside. Next you need to set up your six wood cuts so that they are positioned at the end of the swing of the rope
Once sorted, get the first bowling player to stand with pumpkin in hand and six other players to position themselves on the logs. The aim of the game is to be the last person standing of the log, whilst the bowler attempts to knock the players off.

The Marshmallow Game - Halloween Games

2009-11-19T09:19:00.000Z

Marshmallows are for some reason synonymous with the autumn festivals of Halloween and Bonfire night. I guess it must be something to do with the fact that they're great toasted on an open fire. There are a few games that use these spongy treats including a Japanese one that's featured on Youtube which involves pinning your nose back with an elastic band, but as I don't speak Japanese I couldn't really figure out how this one worked.

One of the more popular ones involves threading 10 marshmallows onto a string for each player, separating the marshmallows out so there's space between them and then suspending them from somewhere at a height that the players can reach them with their mouths. On the word 'go' players race to be the first one to eat all the marshmallows on their string.

The Dinner Table Olympics

2009-11-16T14:05:00.004Z

This is a brilliant game to roll out at your next dinner party. It has particular appeal to competitive sporting friends and any kids will find it thoroughly entertaining too - ideal to keep them occupied over Christmas lunch. The Dinner Table Olympics is essentially a series of competitive sporting events that utilise your dining room table and other kitchen and eating paraphernalia.

• Coin Curling: guests compete to flick a coin along the dining table towards three concentric circle targets that have been chalked out at the end of the table. If your coin is in the outer circle you score one point, next circle two points and middle circle three points.
• Biscuis: Discus with Digestives. Players compete to see who can throw their Digestive biscuit the furthest. If you're playing in a small space then you might want to get guests to compete to throwing it towards a target.
• Ice Cube Hockey: a game of table hockey played with ice cubes and cutlery. Mark out goal posts at either end of your table. Play is in pairs, with one player in goal and the other playing in the field. The aim of the game is to shoot the ice cube into your opponents goal using your fork. The first team to three goals wins.
• Sugar Cube Basketball: guests have three attempts to net a point (or points) by shooting their three sugar cubes (or similar table objects) into the sugar bowl.
• Race on your Face: a competitive sprint to race a cheese biscuit (or similar object) from forehead to mouth by wriggling your features. If the item drops off, pick it up and place back on your forehead. First player to get the item in their mouth wins.
• Olympic Torch Candle: a competition to see who can blow out the candles from the greatest distance.

For many more ideas on how to organise yourself some fun, click here to buy your copy of Organised Fun, Organised Fun for Kids or Organised Fun for Grown-ups

Pin the Nose on the Witch - Halloween Games

2009-11-09T11:12:00.000Z

Last weekend, the Organised Fun team had the pleasure of hosting a Halloween Games and craft event at the Selfridges store in London. We had a good couple of hundred screamingly enthusiastic kids come along, who got stuck into a whole stack of Halloween fun.

One of the winners was a brilliant game called 'Pin the Nose on the Witch', which is essentially a Halloween themed version of 'Pin the Tail on the Donkey'. It's ideal if you're looking for a Halloween game that works for kids of all ages and is not as messy as Apple Bobbing.

I made our witch out of felt and used a velcro on felt nose. If you're lacking in the felt department then you can easily draw yourself a witch on a large sheet of paper and cut out a nose and use blue tac to stick it in place.

For other ideas for children's games, activities and crafting fun you can buy a copy of Organised Fun for Kids by clicking here.

Organised Fun Team at Selfridges

2009-10-25T10:19:00.000Z

If you're looking for something to entertain the kids this weekend then head on down to Selfridges in London who in partnership with Tatler magazine are hosting a Halloween event in the children's department. There will be a host of Halloween fun with face painting, fancy dress and a Tatler photo shoot, and the Organised Fun team will be there to run a whole stack of Halloween games and crafting fun.
To find out more click here

Halloween Crafts - Bouncing Egg Carton Spider

2009-10-05T20:39:00.004+01:00

This egg carton spider is easy-peasy for kids to make and ideal to decorate a Halloween outfit or to hang around the home.

What do I need?
An egg carton, paint and paintbrush, pipe cleaners (colour dependent on the chosen colour of the spider), white paper and felt tips, scissors, glue, something to pierce holes (a wooden kebab stick is ideal) a conker and some elastic.

How do I make it?
Cut out one of egg holders from an egg carton, and pierce four holes on either side and one at the top (best that an adult does this part). Next get the kids to paint the egg holder black or whatever colour they fancy (my friend Snow was very keen on her multi-coloured spider - see pic).

Leave the egg holder to dry and meanwhile cut out two eyes and a mouth and colour these in. Once the egg holder is dry stick these into place.

Finally once the egg holder is completely dry, stick a pipe cleaner into each of your holes and bend these into leg like shapes. Pierce the conker, thread this onto the elastic and then thread the elastic through the hole at the top of the egg cup. This will give the spider the weight it will need to bounce.

All done.

Wooden Spoon Puppets

2009-10-05T16:18:00.000+01:00

My friend Snow who also lives on our island popped around this morning for a puppet making session. We decided to make some Wooden Spoon Puppets as I had a load of old material scraps that needed using up.

These are really simple puppets for kids to make, and it provides a whole other puppet theatre game once they're made. You can theme them to different times of the year. I have an event at Selfridges Store in London on Halloween, where we're going to be making a whole theatre of scary puppet characters.

What do I need
A wooden spoon, some felt tip pens, a stapler and some old scraps of material.

How do I make a Wooden Spoon Puppet
First of all get your kids to decide what type of puppet they want to make. They might choose a Halloween themed witch or even decide to model one on themselves.
Get them started by drawing their characters face onto the wooden spoon using felt tip pens. Next get them to cut some long
strands of wool which you can then staple into the wooden spoon as hair.
Finally the fun part, get them to rummage through your pile of material scraps and design their puppet an outfit.

Bolving or The Dr Dolittle Game

2009-10-05T09:54:00.006+01:00

Bolving is a traditional Devonshire sport played out on the tussocked hills and craggy plains of Exmoor throughout October. It's essentially a competition to see who can best imitate the roar of the Red Stag that lets out its unearthly autumnal cry to attract the ladies ready for the amorous rutting season.

The game isn't confined to country folk, we had a go in our local London park over the weekend with suprising success. To play, competitors take it in turns to do their best imitation of an amorous stag, intent on telling the ladies what a catch he is. Each time you get a response you score a point, the player with the most points at the end of the game is the winner.

Now we've been playing a similar game for a number of years when out on country walks. It's called the Dr Dolittle game. The same principles apply, but in this format it's open season on whatever animal responds to your imitation cry. I've always been rather good at this one, you should hear my turkey impression.

Conkers

2009-10-03T09:47:00.003+01:00

With conker season well underway, now is the time to wrap the kids up and head out into the great oudoors to get foraging. The game of Conkers has been a playground favourite for centuries and was recently voted as school kids number one in a poll in the Daily Telegraph .

Although a British invention, the game has since gone international. From Canada to France, wherever the horse chestnut prospers schoolchildren can be found hanging the shiny seeds on string and smashing their mates’ ones to pieces. The game's popularity has grown to such an extent that a World championship is held each year in Northamptonshire. Although tempting to come up with a variation, some classics shouldn’t be messed with.

How do I play it?

First up, select your conker on the basis of form, symmetry and lack of cracks.
Next, prepare for battle. Drill a hole down the middle using a sharp skewer (probably best to make sure an adult does this bit) and thread a piece of string through the hole. You need one that’s about 25 centimetres in length. If drilled badly you can weaken the strength of the conker. Try to drill or skewer as straight as possible. Avoid the lighter-coloured circle on top as it’s not as waxy as the rest of the skin and therefore more likely to crack.
Once you’ve threaded your string through, tie multiple knots at the bottom to ensure it doesn’t fall off.
Once conkers are threaded and contestants are ready to play, two players face each other with their conkers hanging down on the string and the string wrapped around their hands a couple of times for extra support.
Players then take it in turns to thwack and hopefully crack their opponent’s conkers, by stretching the string taught with the hitting conker drawn towards them, and then using this length to target the full force towards the opponent’s hanging conker on its release.
If a player misses, they are allowed two extra goes. If the strings tangle, the first player to call, ‘Strings!’ gets an extra shot. If a player strikes and causes their opponent’s conker to spin in a full circle, the player gets another go. If a player drops their conker or it’s knocked out of their hand, the other player can shout, ‘Stamps!’ and then is able to jump on it, hopefully to crack it. If the first player cries, ‘No stamps!’ first, then the other player is not allowed to stamp on it.
The winner is the one whose conker lasts the longest. Each time a conker defeats another it clocks up its victim’s numbers. In a contest of two new conkers the winner’s conker thus becomes ‘a oner’ (bring back memories?). If the same conker beats another successful conker who was, say, ‘a fourer’, the winning conker then goes on to take on its defeated conker’s score – making it ‘a fiver’.
Now when I was younger there was a whole lot of jiggery-pokery around how to make your conkers as un-crackable as possible, from soaking them in vinegar to baking them in the oven. I’m not sure how effective any of these are. I remember being convinced that doing both was the secret behind my ‘elevener’ at school. One tip I recently heard which does make a lot of sense is: if you put a selection of conkers in water and some of them float, discard these ones and use the heavier and denser ones at the bottom of the bowl as they’re likely to be stronger.

Just a Minute

2009-10-02T17:03:00.005+01:00

One of my favourite car based pieces of organised fun, has to be 'Just a minute', pilfered from the brilliant Radio 4 show of the same name. It's a regular feature of long trips and we often use our loud hailer (as demonstrated in the picture by Hannah) for added dramatic effect. The game basically requires players to keep talking about a given subject for sixty seconds. The game was invented by Ian Messiter when riding on the top deck of the number 13 bus. He remembered being petrified when one of his schoolmasters challenged him to talk non-stop for one minute, but soon recognised its entertainment potential when played with erudite and articulate friends.

How do I play it?

All players write down five topics of conversation, which are then folded up and put in someone’s hat or a similar vessel.
Players take it in turns to pull a topic from the hat and then must speak on the subject for a minute without hesitation, deviation or repeating a word, with the exception of mentioning the given subject.
Points are awarded when other players make a correct challenge for perceived hesitations, deviation or repetition. I’d suggest nominating a non-playing umpire to prevent arguments occurring.

Scissor, Paper, Stone, Raygun

2009-09-30T20:48:00.000+01:00

This one is blends the traditional game of Scissor Paper Stone with an added element of Top Trumps. It was invented by Barney and my young cousin Leon (shown playing in the pictures), and provided an afternoon of entertainment at a family wedding. It's a winner for kids as as it means they can battle it out over whether a stick of dynamite beats a fire squirter, or whether a tractor can destroy a Landrover . All very subjective but certainly encourages some healthy debate.

How to play

Form a fist with your hand and on the count of three form the shape of either a pair of scissors, a piece of paper or a stone and hold your hand shape out in front of you
The rules of the game are that the shape that you form will either defeat or be defeated by the other players. Scissors cut paper but are blunted by stone and paper wraps stone
Once the kids have got the hang of this, they can introduce a weapon, vehicle or even animal of their choice and embark on a healthy debate of which one would win if they met face to face
To purchase Organised Fun for Kids click her e.

Recycled Carton Houses

2009-09-30T18:30:00.002+01:00

If you're stuck inside on a rainy afternoon and caught short without anything to entertain the kids, you can always rely on your recycling bin to help you out. From water bottle lighthouses to egg carton monsters (see other blog entries), you can rescue an afternoon that would otherwise be given over to the television or computer console with a spot of creative imagination. Over the next few months I'll be blogging a host of recycle bin ideas to inspire your young Gormleys and Hirsts. To get things started, why not give the trusty milk or juice carton another lease of life and get our kids to create a carton house.

How to make a carton house
First of all get some coloured paper and cover your milk carton all over - one sheet of A4 is all you need
Next, get the kids to cut out some pictures of windows and doorways and other plants and pots from some gardening or home magazines and stick these into place. If your kids prefer, you can get them to draw the windows, doors and other features in place as Polly is demonstrating below

Finally create your roof by sticking some firmer card or corrugated card on the top to create a pitched roof. Brown felt is another great roof
alternative, especially if your glue isn’t strong enough to stick the card in place. You could even make yourself a chimney by using some rolled up paper or wine bottle cork
To make a block of flats or factory you can use a cereal packet instead but this time keep the square shape and follow the same steps above
Egg boxes are great cut up and used as plant pots or rubbish bins, screwed up bits of tin foil can make railings, strips of black and white paper make great zebra crossings and as always it’s about using what you’ve got in your recycling box or around the house without having to go out and buy something new.

To buy your copy of Organised Fun for Kids click here

Rainbow Rain

2009-09-30T12:13:00.009+01:00

Those friendly folk down Bristol way have shown themselves to be dab hands at organised fun. Earlier this month they held Igfest, a jamboree of gaming festivities which took place over four days across the city and featured a whole host of genius gaming shenanigans. One of my favourites has to be Rainbow Rain, where teams compete in a mass coloured water fight.

How do I play it?
Get yourself set up by preparing three buckets of coloured water by adding a healthy dose of poster paint to the water and giving it a good mix.

Next make sure everyone has a water pistol with them and is wearing white (a white t-shirt will do). Finally get them into three teams and give each team a bucket of coloured water.
On the word go, teams get shooting each other using their team's coloured water.
The winning team is the team who's colour dominates the white t-shirts at the end of the battle. Cunning tactics and unsportsmanlike behavior is encouraged, whatever it takes to win.

To buy your copy of Organised Fun and discover an abundance of ideas for homespun entertainment click here.

Paper Caterpillar Puppets

2009-09-28T19:30:00.002+01:00

These puppets are an ace piece of crafting fun that are really easy for kids to do and can be made out of whatever paper you have around the house. Once they've cracked the basic concept then the format can be extended to make all sorts of different creatures. You'll be amazed how long some paper, glue and pens can keep them amused.

How to make a caterpillar puppet

Ideally you need two sheets of A3 paper (one green and one yellow is ideal), a stick from the garden and some string and a pipe cleaner if you’ve got one to make the antennae. If you don't have the A3 paper then just use whatever you've got to hand. Caterpillars come in all shapes and sizes and if you're using smaller sheets you can just stick them together
First of all cut the sheets of paper into 4cm wide strips and give each child one of each colour

Next get them to stick two ends of the strips together so they create a right angle. Once firmly stuck in place, get them to alternate folding the strips of paper over each other to create a corrugated tower structure – see diagram. If you want to make your caterpillar longer, the simply make another and stick the two pieces together

Next cut out a large circle to make the head and stick this to the end of the tower and cut out two circles with two smaller black circles inside to create the eyes. If you don’t have any black paper you can draw in the eyes
Then take your pipe cleaner and cut two small pieces off and tape these to the back of the head and position them so they curl forward
Finally, tape or staple a piece of string to the front and the back of the caterpillar and then tie the other ends to the stick to give you the handle to move the puppet about.

To buy your copy of Organised Fun for Kids click here

Egg Carton Monsters - Halloween Crafts

2009-09-27T21:13:00.002+01:00

This is one of my favourite pieces of make and do for kids. It quickly turns the humble egg carton into a truly realistic and scary monster. Great fun for Halloween crafting

What do I need?
An egg carton, scissors, glue, and red, green, white and blue felt or paper.

How do I make it?

First of all, you need to create your monster shape. Carefully tear the lid off the egg carton so that you have two separate parts, and also detach the smaller flap from the lid that is used to hold the carton closed − don’t throw this away as you’ll need it later.
Next, you need to cut the bottom part of the egg carton in half down the middle of the tray, to create the teeth. An adult will probably need to do this bit, as it’s quite tricky manoeuvring scissors in between the egg holders.
Once you’ve done this, put lots of glue in the egg-carton lid and position the two egg-carton halves in the lid so that they appear like big scary monster teeth. You may need to trim the sides of the egg holders to ensure they fit in.
To complete your monster shape, you then take the smaller flap that is normally used to hold the egg carton closed and cut two eye shapes in it, leaving a length at the bottom of each to stick these in place. Put some glue on the length and stick these in the two holes that normally hold the egg carton closed. If possible, it’s a good idea to set your carton aside at this point to leave it to dry.
Finally, it’s the fun bit. Cut out a red tongue and stick this in between the teeth as if the monster is poking its tongue out. Next, cut some white and black circles and stick these in place to create the eyes; you could even add some eyelashes if you fancy it. Then cut out a long zig-zag tail and stick it on the back of the egg carton, plus some tentacle-like hands sticking out of the side.
All done! All you need to do now is come up with a name.
To purchase Organised Fun for Kids click her e.

Luke's Teenage Stepping Stone Game

2009-09-27T20:58:00.005+01:00

Last weekend we headed down to Devon to hang out with my sis and her husband up on their farm on Dartmoor. Whilst out on gorgeous September walk, my brother in law Luke led the way on a brilliant stepping stone game that he used to play with his mates when they navigated their way through the woodland and down to their favorite fishing spot on the River Dart.

The game basically involves finding your way without touching the ground. You can jump on stones, tree stumps, logs and whatever else you come across - fall off or touch the ground and you're out. Growing up in London, we used to play an urban equivalent which involved avoiding the cracks in the pavement - everyone knows that one.

Easy-Peasy-Piñata

2009-09-25T22:26:00.000+01:00

The Piñata is a traditional Mexican game that's one of the highlights of kids’ parties in Mexico and across the United States. It’s best played outdoors as you need something like a tree to hang your piñata from and enough room to swing the stick. The idea behind the game is that the piñata is full of sweets and tissue paper, and the kids take it in turns to be blindfolded and to bat it down with a stick.

You can buy piñatas from toyshops or online, and I've included instructions for making a proper piñata out of paper mache in 'Organised Fun for Kids', which is great fun for kids to help out with as well.

If like me last weekend, you're short on time and need to rustle one up fairly quickly then why not have a go at this easy-peasy version. Admittedly it looks a little more like a West Highland Terrier Piñata, but that's its British edge. Anyway instructions below:

How to make a piñata (the easy-peasy verison)

Get yourself a couple of cardboard boxes - one large and one smaller and some extra cardboard and cut yourself out some ears.

Next you need to figure out how to fix these in place before you start decorating the elements. We pierced holes in the cardboard and threaded string through, ready for it to be tied in place once the piñata had been covered with the tissue paper.

You also need to fix a strong piece of string or ideally rope so you can hang it up somewhere. Again do this now before you start decorating.

Before you close up the bottom of the large box, fill it with sweets and treats and shredded newspaper and tape it closed.

Once you've got all that figured out, this is where the kids can help. Get some different colored tissue paper and cut into 20cm strips and then snip all the way up to give them a fringe and glue them in place to give your piñata a colorful shaggy coat. Finally tie all the components firmly in place to complete your West Highland Terrier Piñata as in the picture at the top.

How do I play it?

When you’re ready to play, gather all the children around the piñata. Each child takes it in turn to be blindfolded and spun around and then with stick in hand they have to try to walk towards the hanging piñata and take a swipe at it to knock it down or knock a hole in it to get the sweets and toys inside.
Each child has two swipes. If a child is under three, don’t worry about the blindfold; just let them have their two swipes without. Also, let younger kids go first so the older ones don’t knock it down early on.
The winner is the one who knocks a hole in it or knocks it out of the tree.
To purchase Organised Fun for Kids click her e.

Toilet Paper Mummies

2009-09-19T20:50:00.000+01:00

I’m not quite sure what the element of appeal is but this is one of my favourites. This was another one we rolled at the Manchester Kids Good Ideas Show, but again is good for adults as long as they are at the jovial genial stage of the evening. For those conscious of wasting valuable resources, you can wind your toilet roll back up for use, but be warned you are left with an inelegant pile of unhygienic bottom wiping material.

How do I play it?

Split players into teams of three and give each team a toilet roll
Decide who’s the Egyptian Mummy and stand them in the middle between the other two players. The two players then wrap the third in the toilet roll by winding it around them so that they look like an Egyptian Mummy. If the toilet roll breaks, they must tuck the broken end in and carry on
Once done, players must then wind the paper back onto the toilet roll
The winning team is the one who completes the task first

To buy a copy of Organised Fun for Kids click here

Competitive Swimming Pool Fun

2009-09-18T17:17:00.011+01:00

Again another one I should have blogged at the beginning of the summer, but I'm sure there are a few of you with their holidays still to come. For you lucky ones here are a few of our tried and tested race based swimming pool favourites, alongside a couple from Organised Fun fan Helen Cavendish, that she's used to entertain her kids this summer.

Feet First Race: a race across the swimming pool with your feet first
Pool Pogo: a bouncing race across the swimming pool where contestants must touch the bottom on each bounce
Look no hands: a race across the pool on your front with head out of the water, but with hands behind your back.
Whacky Pool Races: this one's great for kids. Width races where someone chooses a different animal to impersonate for each width that they race across the pool
Tunnel relay race: get into two teams and each form a line in the pool. On the word 'go' the person at the back has to swim through everyone else's legs and all the way to the front. When they arrive, it's the person at the backs turn to go. This one's for strong swimmers only.

To buy your copy of Organised Fun and discover an abundance of ideas for homespun entertainment click here

Playground games are dying a death

2009-09-03T20:44:00.000+01:00

A new piece of research by Robinson's Fruit Shoots published earlier this week has highlighted that playground games are dying a death as a result of our cotton wool culture and overly protective nanny state.

According to an article in the Daily Mail, more than three in four of today's little girls do not play with skipping ropes. The figure compares with 94 per cent of their mothers who remember skipping to rhymes and songs when they were at school.

Little more than 33 per cent of boys play conkers, while 83 per cent of their fathers have fond memories of glorious conker battles at the same age. A growing appetite for computer games and television is not the only reason that traditional games appear to be passing the present generation by. The survey shows that parents believe today's 'cotton-wool culture', in which children are molly-coddled and not allowed to take any risks, is to blame.
Eighty per cent of parents said modern health and safety regulations were behind the demise of traditional playground favourites such as skipping, conkers, hopscotch, British bulldog and climbing trees.

The research not only highlights the demise and future death of those traditional games that we nostalgically recall from our childhood, more importantly it raises concerns around the loss of a key stage in childhood where kids learn crucial social skills. It's through these games that children learn right from wrong and how to socialise and interact with their peers. After all, Lara Croft is going to be great to show the kids how to navigate their way out of canyons whilst being chased by crazed terrorists, but she's not going to be particularly good at teaching them how to make friends.

Frozen T-Shirt Competition

2009-08-31T09:13:00.003+01:00

I know summer is drawing to a close, and I should have blogged this one earlier in the year when you were looking for ideas to cool you down in the summer sun. Well the sun's out with us on the river today, so fingers crossed you might be able to find yourself a last sunny weekend.

I like to think of the Frozen T-shirt Competition as a family friendly interpretation of the Wet T-shirt Competition. In this sporting event, contestants race to be the first to don a frozen t-shirt. Don't laugh, it's a lot darn harder than you think.

How do I play it?

Get enough T-shirts for each playing contestant and give them a thorough soaking. Next fold them up into a neat tight package and whack them in the freezer overnight.
Whip them out about 10 minutes before you start the game.
When you're ready, distribute them so that each competitor has one and on the word 'Go' players race to be the first to put one on. Simples.

To buy your copy of Organised Fun and discover an abundance of ideas for homespun entertainment click here

Human Musical Chairs

2009-08-25T11:20:00.000+01:00

This is another great alternative to musical chairs, but this time kids play in pairs and use each other as 'seats'. It's ideal if you haven't got enough chairs for the gathered masses and also works brilliantly as a game to get the parents involved as the kids can sit on their oldies backs. We rolled it out at this year's Camp Bestival and it proved to be a winner.

How do I play it?
To get started get everyone into pairs and get them to agree who’s a chair and who’s a human.

Once everyone’s made fully aware of their chair or human status the game proceeds as with the standard game of musical chairs but this time when the music stops, the chairs get on their hands and knees and the humans sit on top. The last child or adult to sit on a chair is out and they must choose a chair to be out as well (i.e. two players, one from each group leave the game)
The last chair and the last human win

To buy your copy of Organised Fun for Kids click here

Knights, Horses and Cavaliers

2009-08-20T11:15:00.000+01:00

This games a great alternative to your bog standard game of Musical chairs. In this format players play in pairs but must assume a different 'position' when the music stops.

How do I play it?
Get your friends to pair up, ideally with someone from the opposite sex
When the music’s on, the pairs must prance and dance around at will. When the music stops the games facilitator shouts either ‘Knight’, ‘Horse’ or ‘Cavalier’
‘Knight’ means the male has to give his partner a piggy back, ‘Horse’ means the male has to give their partner a horse ride by getting on all fours and ‘Cavalier’ means the male has to get down on one knee and the female sits on it

The last couple to execute the maneuver is out and so the game plays on until the remaining couple is announced the winner
To purchase Organised Fun for Kids click here.

Looking for ideas to entertain at your summer party? Then check out today's Organised Fun feature in The Londonpaper

2009-08-18T11:30:00.011+01:00

If you're looking for ways to liven up your summer BBQ then click here and check out today's Organised Fun feature in the Londonpaper. Who'd have thought watching your mates battle to don a frozen t-shirt could be so darn entertaining.

To buy your copy of Organised Fun and discover an abundance of ideas for homespun entertainment click here

Observer voted Organised Fun the Best New Discovery Act at Camp Bestival

2009-08-04T10:29:00.001+01:00

"Who'd have thought three men knocking a nail into a log could be so funny!" The Observer Click here to read the full article

The Human Fruit Machine

2009-08-03T10:39:00.019+01:00

This weekend we seduced the East London too cool for school crowd with some good old fashioned organised fun.

The Organised Fun Human Fruit Machine made it's virgin festival voyage to Field Day Festival in Victoria Park, East London to delight the crowds and show people the abundance of free fun to be had from a bag of fruit.

Don't despair if you missed out, you too can re-create this piece of fruity magic at home or even delight your friends down the pub.

How to play:
Set up the table with three chairs in a row behind it. Place the cardboard boxes on the table next to each other so that when the three players sit down, they can lean into them providing a shield from what the others are doing.

Get the three players (or the ‘fruits’) to sit in a line behind the table with their arms leaning into the boxes, and place their bag containing the fruit in front of them.
The other player stands to the side of the boxes with rattle (or similar) in hand.
Non-players are then invited to come forward and take it in turns to bet.
As each ‘punter’ hands over their money, the ‘rattler’ shakes or spins their sound and those with the fruit reach into their bags, unseen by their colleagues, and pull out a single fruit item, holding it inside the box so it can be seen by the punter.
The punter wins the agreed sum if the fruits simultaneously held up are all the same.

Click here to buy Organised Fun and find out about more games like the Human Fruit Machine.

Bearded Kitten at Field Day

2009-08-02T16:43:00.007+01:00

The Bearded Kitten boys put on a massive organised fun performance at Field Day festival in Victoria Park last weekend. Their inventive spectacle of games which included a highly competitive Onion Peeling Contest alongside some more classic village fete fun such as Tug-of-war and Egg & Spoon Race were my non-music hit of the day.

You can check them out at www.beardedkitten.com

The Nail Game

2009-07-28T20:02:00.005+01:00

This is an Alpine classic, known to anyone who’s been on an Austrian skiing holiday that included a visit to the local tavern. It’s a competition of judgement and strength where players compete to be the one to hammer the nail all the way into the log. It provides a great opportunity for male bonding as it combines strength, hammer dexterity and a dousing of competition in one neat ‘hanging out at the bar’ package.

The game proved itself to be a winner with a bunch of competitive Dads at this year's Camp Bestival event.

How do I play it

The object of the game is to be the person who takes the final strike to get the nail into the log.
First, tap a good-sized nail into a solid log or wooden block.
Each player takes the hammer and strikes the nail in turn. If they are particularly bold they might go for getting the nail all the way in. I’ve never seen this happen, though am sure that if you’re a challenger for the Austrian Championship it’s a possibility.
If, as usually is the case, the player only gets it a short way in, the hammer is handed around the group, with the last striker getting the point.

Organised Fun at Camp Bestival

2009-07-28T19:29:00.011+01:00

Last weekend, the Organised Fun team reminded Camp Bestival festival goers how to make their own fun for free. We performed throughout Sunday in the Bookworm tent and rallied large numbers of festival revelers to join us in some homespun fun. Particular favourites were a mass game of 'Race on your face' (see earlier blog entry for full rules) and the kids thoroughly enjoyed various versions of Musical Human Chairs (again see earlier entry).

If you'd like details of any of the games played or indeed if you have any ideas of other games you'd like to get featured in the next book then I'd love to hear from you. Email me at organisedfunforeveryone@gmail.com

For more pictures and information about Camp Bestival click here

Heading off for the summer holidays with the kids?

2009-07-28T14:50:00.005+01:00

Then click here to read this Organised Fun piece in the Times today. Should give you a few tips on how to keep them entertained.

Bobby Dazzler Dolls

2009-07-26T20:57:00.007+01:00

The Bobby Dazzler gang in their customised horse box shop were at this year's Camp Bestival and were one of my favourite features of the whole weekend. These guys have managed to re-invent the doll wheel and come up with these fantastically quirky dolls that are that little piece of creative genius. Check out their wares at www.theworldofbobbydazzler.co.uk.

Priced at around £20 for handmade pieces of magic, I have no idea how they manage to turn a profit but they're definitely worth every penny.

Playground Games are dying a death

2009-07-26T07:27:00.003+01:00

Little more than 33 per cent of boys play conkers, while 83 per cent of their fathers have fond memories of glorious conker battles at the same age. A growing appetite for computer games and television is not the only reason that traditional games appear to be passing the present generation by. The survey shows that parents believe today's 'cotton-wool culture', in which children are molly-coddled and not allowed to take any risks, is to blame.

Eighty per cent of parents said modern health and safety regulations were behind the demise of traditional playground favourites such as skipping, conkers, hopscotch, British bulldog and climbing trees.

Andy's Ace Heads and Tails Game

2009-07-25T20:33:00.005+01:00

This is a brilliant game invented by my friend Andy (or maybe he picked it up somewhere - I can't remember). Either way its a winner for large groups to tease everyone into an afternoon of homespun fun. Put simply (well it's hard to complicate it as it is indeed a simple game) the game involves a slow process of elimination by the toss of a coin.

How do I play it?

Get everyone to stand up and decide whether to put their hands on their heads or their tails (i.e. their bums)
Toss a coin and whatever it lands on determines who stays standing up i.e. if it lands on tails then all of those with their hands on their heads have to sit down
This process of elimination continues until you are left with a winner (or two).

50 ideas to make this a thrifty summer of fun

2009-07-24T14:19:00.003+01:00

If your watching your purse along with your waistline this summer, then you might want to check out Style Magazine's guide to thrifty summer fun. Click here to read more, and check out their recommendation in point 33.

Field Day Festival - Saturday 1st August

2009-07-23T19:45:00.002+01:00

If you're fancying some London stylee festival fun othen get yourself down to Victoria Park on Saturday 1st August: www.fielddayfestivals.com

Apart from having a reputation for showcasing some of the best new and emerging musical talent, the event also features a Village Fete jam packed with exactly my kind of Organised Fun.

Indeed the Organised Fun team are such fans that we will be showcasing the Human Fruit Machine in the Village Fete area, and giving away free samplers of the book to anyone who comes along to have a crack at the human version of the dusty pub classic. Hopefully see you there!