Ideas for eliminating the January blues and banishing ‘Blue Monday’

Themed Film Nights

We always watch a lot of Christmas films in December, but after Boxing Day that’s it! To fill the void in January, pick a theme for each weekend, such as 1980s classics (I’m really enjoying re-visiting these with my kids) or comedies, and watch a series of films together. Don’t forget the popcorn and cozy blankets!

Plan a Future Trip

Research and plan a big day out, weekend away or even a family holiday. It’s something to look forward to and the anticipation and excitement of planning gives everyone a boost. We had a wonderful time plotting our route and stop offs for a European road trip. Not quite as far afield, but we’re excited about going on the City of London Mystery Adventure, which I got as a family present at Christmas. My mother-in-law coincidentally got me a voucher for another Mystery Guide so we’re thinking that we may head to Oxford for our next adventure and make a weekend of it.

January bakeoff

Get the cookbooks out and try out new recipes as a family. Bake some biscuits, make homemade pizzas or sausage rolls, be adventurous with an unfamiliar country’s cuisine or create a delicious dessert. Cooking together is a great activity plus you get to enjoy the results. I cherished our bake-alongs on Zoom with friends during lockdown.

Arts and Crafts

Gather some art supplies and bits and pieces from around the house – think spare buttons, bits of wrapping paper, ribbon, old cards – and get creative. You can paint, make crafts or even create a family scrapbook with photos and memories.

Games, Cards and Puzzles

Break out the games and cards and have a family games night. It’s something we do regularly. We have lots of favourite board games and play a variety of card games – including poker – but also like more active games.

The surprise hit of 2023/2024 is Chicken vs Hotdog. It’s a silly game, but so much fun, and kids and adults love it equally; it went down a storm at the New Year’s Eve party!

We’re also fans of jigsaws. It’s a great collaborative experience and actually very relaxing.

Home Spa Day

Relax together with a home spa day. Chill out, put your feet up, put on face masks and have some calming music in the background. You could add in some yoga, give massages and have an all round pamper. It’s also a good opportunity to pay attention to those winter chapped hands and lips.

Walks in January

There’s nothing nicer when it’s cold and crisp (and sunny if you’re lucky) than to rug up and head out for a nature walk. Exploring the winter landscape can be really refreshing. There’s still plenty to see even if it seems a barren time of year on the surface; if there’s snow so much the better. Our National Trust membership comes into its own.

Learn Something New in January Hobby Month

My eldest daughter started learning a bit of Italian with Duolingo last year. I want to get the rest of the family doing this too. Knitting is seeing a huge resurgence, and a lot of this could be down to its dopamine-releasing effect. Similarly crochet has become very popular. You could keep it even simpler and learn a new card game together.

Indoor Gardening

Start a windowsill garden with herbs or small vegetables. We did well with our Eden Greens Microgreen Grow Kit. It’s a great way to bring some green inside and maybe sprout an interest in gardening. You could get even more creative and make a miniature terrarium.

Become a Twitcher

The birds really need a helping hand at this time of year. Leaving food out will attract lots of feathered friends, which are fascinating to watch. The Big Garden Birdwatch, which is taking place the 26th to the 28th of January, is a great activity to take part in. As well as helping collect vital data about the UK’s bird population, it’s the perfect opportunity to take an hour out and get closer to nature.

Would love to hear your ideas; please share below!

The post 10 Ways to Beat the January Blues appeared first on The Parent Social.

Thanks to Sarah Thake – friend, crafting supremo and deviser of a 101 rainy day activities – for these great ideas.

13 cheap and cheerful summer holiday activities

Picnicking: house, garden and even the car!

We have the routine of eating dinner at the table so a chance to have a picnic is always exciting. The kids love helping me prepare the picnic then we pack it up and grab a ball or frisbee and visit a different park. You might find a new playground or daisies to make a daisy chain or the perfect place to make a den. My children enjoy a car picnic just as much, and it’s great if the weather isn’t playing ball. I fold the seats down and we sit in the boot.

You don’t even have to leave the house. Mine rarely get to have a TV lunch or dinner so a picnic rug in front of a film is a treat. You could even watch a film at night in the garden or make your own film and have a red carpet unveiling.

Treasure hunts, scavenger hunts and escape rooms

Treasure hunts around the house are another family friendly activity. I don’t have to write all the clues as the children like making them up as well. Alternatively, there are loads of online resources to provide a helping hand.

Scavenger hunts are a spin on this. Provide a list of items that everyone has to find in a certain time. The person who finds the most is the winner.

If the kids like solving problems then try an escape room. There are plenty of box sets online. Why not try geocaches – there are 8,391 around London alone?

Get busy in the kitchen or on an open fire

Try out a new recipe. This is a great opportunity to make something new for dinner. The children love getting involved, even better if they have been somewhere to pick their own. If you prefer being outdoors, cooking sausages or meatballs on the fire is a great option. You can follow with a s’more made with marshmallows and digestive biscuits.

Set a challenge

Children love a challenge so use whatever they enjoy and make it more exciting with a competition for all the family. Set a theme and off they go. We’ve done everything from an animal Lego challenge and dress the Barbie using newspaper to making a house for a Guinea pig, cake decorating and make up/face painting competitions.

Starry, starry night

Enjoy the sky! There is nothing like enjoying the starry sky on a clear summer night. Download a star app on the phone to find out what you’re looking at or be the first to spot a satellite. If you live in the city perhaps take a drive (with a flask of hot chocolate) and find an alternative spot near open fields away from the light pollution and see what you can find.

Board games and quizzes

Enjoy some family time and gather around the table for a fun board game. Play an old favourite or borrow a new one from someone else. You could even make your own!

Alternatively, make a quiz or get the children to make a quiz. Mine also love dressing up from famous films, songs and art and taking photos for our family quizzes.

Water play

My kids love water and spend hours playing in it on a hot day. Pack up your swimsuit, towel and sun cream and drive to a beach, river or lake. If sand puts you off try a free splash park, babbling brook or paddle in a stream or visit a local lido. Alternatively turn the garden into a water park with water guns, water balloons, sprinklers and a paddling pool. If the weather is rubbish put on your wellies and get them to jump in muddy puddles!

Arts and crafts

Get creative, encourage your children to use their imagination and have an arty afternoon. Pick up cheap supplies or use things you may ordinarily throw away and up-cycle them. Play with playdough, paint canvases, make cards, build sculptures from recycled rubbish, make beads from paper, do rock painting, create papier-mâché masterpieces, make soap/bath bombs or take fun photos that play with perspective and make an album.

Giftmaking

Have fun making gifts; it’s never too early to get ready for Christmas! Make Christmas cards and wrapping paper by decorating brown paper. You could even make christmas pressies such as candle holders, calendars and bookmarks.

Plan a day

Get the children to plan a day. It could be a spa day with face packs, a yoga session, massage and nail painting or a sports day with obstacle races, jumping and throwing competitions. You could even hold a pyjama day party and raise money for charity at the same time.

Visit a museum

There are hundreds of museums up and down the country many of which are free. You could spend your day learning about a topic you don’t know much about or finding out more about one you do. It’s worth checking out the website before going as many have family events, activities and interactive exhibits scheduled to take place in the holidays.

Check out your local library

Local libraries are a great source of information and offer the chance to find a new favourite book. Many also provide a programme of free activities over the summer as well as their annual reading challenge.

Get close to nature

Get closer to nature: try a sensory walk, go on a mini beast hunt or build a bug hotel. Make a bird feeder for seeds and fat and get bird watching; all kids need are their eyes and their ears. However, if you want to help your children get the most out of it then a pair of binoculars and a bird identification book from the library will help.

What are your favourite summer holiday activities that don’t break the bank? Feel free to add below in the comments

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What is PGL?

There are many PGL venues up and down the country (my daughters went to Liddington). They are outdoor adventure holiday centres where children take part in a great programme of fun, physical activities designed to challenge them. Whilst they are encouraged to push themselves and achieve as much as possible, it’s ‘challenge by choice’ and no child is ever forced to take part. There are also Family Adventures.

PGL takes its name from the initials of Peter Gordon Lawrence, the man who started the company 60 years ago. However, it’s more ‘affectionately’ known by children to stand for Parents Get Lost!

What PGL promotes

Like with any residential trip, PGL is all about fostering independence. This was my twins’ first time away from home on their own. Whilst we talked through some of the decisions they’d need to make when there and I’d guided, ultimately they would make the final call (and from a few of the photos I’ve seen, advice on suitable clothing for particular activities was ignored!). The whole ethos is about giving it a go, challenging yourself, working together, supporting and encouraging each other and of course having fun.

Whilst my two took a few favourite items of clothing for evenings, this was never going to be a fashion parade and their usual preoccupation about their wardrobe was left at the door. They actually ended up wearing older clothes in the evenings as they were still doing outdoor activities like sitting around the campfire.

Preparing for PGL

PGL is all about getting stuck in. It’s outdoors, it’s physical and children will get wet as there are water-based activities (and there’s always the strong possibility of wet weather). With this in mind they need plenty of clothes that are comfy, don’t restrict movement and dry easily. Our school recommended packing enough clothes for seven days despite them only being there for four nights. Crucially, whatever the weather they need long sleeves and long bottoms to protect them when doing certain activities.

They take their own pillows and sleeping bags. It’s the UK, so suncream, wet weather gear and warm clothes can be required across the seasons!

Refreshingly no phones or electronic devices are allowed. My two love their phones and would cheerfully spend as many hours on them as possible. However, amazingly, they didn’t bat an eyelid at the news that they couldn’t take them. The prospect of adventuring and having fun with their friends threw iPhones out the window.

The activities

Jacob’s Ladder

Teams of three work together to help each other climb to the top of a suspended ladder of logs, which get progressively trickier to tackle as the rungs get further apart.

Raft-building

A problem-solving activity where teams work together to design and construct the most ‘seaworthy’ vessel. They then test them out in the water and that’s where the real fun begins!

The trapeze

Children climb high up and then manoeuvre onto a small platform from which they jump to catch the trapeze – this is a real leap of faith and requires a lot of courage.

Canoeing

The children learn how to paddle, steer and control their canoes and then in pairs take part in a number of games and challenges.

Zip wire

The children go on an exciting flight. It’s very high and takes many of the children out of their comfort zone. The anticipation is scarier than actually doing it I’m told.

The giant swing (or the death swing as the children call it)

I’ve seen the videos, this is like a theme park pirate ship ride (minus the ship). Two/three children sit in the swing whilst the others haul them up. They decide how high they want to go (up to a max of 10 metres). Then the team pulls their own ripcord and it’s chocks away. Very scary!

Vertical challenge

This is a vertical obstacle course including tyres, ropes, cargo nets and more. It teaches the children climbing and belaying skills. Co-operation and communication with teammates is vital.

Climbing wall

Children are taught climbing skills and gain knowledge of equipment. Perseverance is a must as they learn to tolerate heights.

Survivor

Teamwork and navigational skills are required as is an understanding of environmental factors in order to build the best shelter suited to their surroundings.

Archery and archery tag

Children gain an understanding of the hazards as well as the techniques required for archery. Archery tag was ‘amazing’ and saw them split into two teams to battle it out, taking aim at their opponents with foam-tipped bows. Several war stories have been recounted.

Sensory trail

With eye goggles on, children navigate a series of obstacles relying on their teammates for help and guidance.

It was great to hear that all the children took part in all the activities even those that had initially been very nervous.

How I felt

I knew neither would be homesick so I didn’t have any concerns on that front. Obviously no phones meant no communication (they don’t have access to phones on site either). This initially seems very daunting as a parent, especially for one that has high daily levels of communication. The school posted lots of pictures on their Twitter account of the children taking part in activities, sitting down for meals and having fun with their friends. I quickly adjusted to the reduction in communication. Although this would have been very hard without any pics, if I’m honest, it was actually quite nice to get respite from Snaps and shared TikTok videos!

It was very strange cooking dinner for three instead of five and saying goodnight to just one child each evening. It was weirdly quiet in the house. I think if I hadn’t got work to occupy me it would have been extremely difficult.

In their absence there was a lot less running around as there wasn’t the usual roster of clubs. There was no rushing in the morning as there was no school run to do. It did also mean I spent more time with my eldest. We played cards, chatted more and watched scary films that we couldn’t have watched with the twins.

What they thought of PGL

They had an amazing time and raved about all of the activities, and loved the camaraderie and independence. They were absolutely shattered on their return, but so happy. Like their big sister, they will be talking about this experience for many years to come.

We would thoroughly recommend it!

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Entertaining the kids this half term

Bowling

Hollywood bowl is laying on lots of activities and prizes this February half term. Early birds bowling before 10am can get a 25% discount. Just enter the code ‘FEB2025’ at checkout.

Tenpin is offering two games of bowling and a burger meal for £8.70 for Juniors and £11.20 for Adults. This is available Monday to Friday until 5pm over the February half term.

Paintball

If booked via Groupon (link here) you can get a paintball experience for up to five at Paintball Network for £5. That includes 100 balls and light lunch each. For £10 and £15 you can get the same for up to 10 and 15 people. That’s a whopping 96% discount!

There are loads of venues throughout the country; players must be 10 or above.

Cinema

Vue – Children aged 2-12yrs can get cinema tickets from £2.49 every morning during the school holidays (accompanying adults also only pay £2.49 plus 75p booking fee). Vue’s Mini Mornings screen the best kids films and family films at lots of locations in the UK. Don’t forget, you can also pay using Nectar points

Odeon also has a great offer on during school holiday mornings. Adult and kids’ tickets at participating cinemas are £2.50 each for selected movies (there’s a 75p online booking charge per ticket). Showings vary between cinemas. See Odeon’s website for full listings

Golf

Topgolf is running its Eat, Drink, Play deal this February half term between the 17th and 20th (from 11-1pm and from 4-6pm) at its nationwide locations. Visitors get a meal, drink and two games for just £11 for juniors and £17 for adults.

Big attractions nationwide

Daysoutguide.co.uk in association with National Rail offers 2FOR1 on 100s of attractions nationwide including: LEGOLAND, London Dungeons, Thorpe Park, Liverpool Cathedral, London Zoo, Cadbury World, SEA LIFE Centres, Alton Towers and Chessington World of Adventures.

Go to: https://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/ for more details

National Trust

As always, I thoroughly recommend getting a National Trust membership. After the initial outlay of £126 for a family membership for a year (or £10.50 a month) you get access to 100s of great places countrywide all year round. It really is great value for money.

Kids eat free/£1 deals this half term

Plenty of high street favourites are offering kids eat free deals this February half term. Head to Bella Italia, Las Iguanas, Yo Sushi! or Brewers Fayre to bag a freebie meal this half term. You can even combine your weekly shop with a free meal for the kids at Morrisons. Carluccio’s, Toby Carvery and Stonehouse Pizza & Carvery  are offering £1 meals for children.

Something a bit posher or different?

Galvin, a family–run collection of restaurants founded by Michelin star brothers, is offering free meals for children 14th February- 22nd February.

If Vietnamese street food is your thing then get over to Pho for another freebie for the kids. For free Brazilian fare get over to Cabana.

Londoners can get children’s’ meals for free at Le Pont de la Tour right by Tower Bridge.

Even Gordon Ramsay is getting in on the act. Go to his restaurants from February 17th and children eat for free from the Tilly’s Treats menu.

Travel

National Express is offering half-priced children’s fares on its coaches this February half term. Just enter your travel details in its journey planner and the discount will be automatically applied at checkout. Get exploring!

Southeastern trains have Kids for a Quid all year round. If you buy one valid off-peak adult ticket on the operator’s services you can take up to four children for £1 each. Tickets need to be booked online or at the ticket office (not available from machines). Check terms and conditions before travelling.

Kids travel for £2 each on Southern if accompanied by a full-paying adult off-peak. Again check the terms and conditions first.

Lots of other train operators offer similar discounts so check online and bag yourself a bargain.

Happy half term!

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I started flicking through to see if there were any ideas that could be adapted for a thirty-somethings girls’ night in.   I reckon there are…

Girls’ night in ideas

Book’s version: Movie Star Punch

• Lemonade
• Fresh orange juice
• Strawberries
• Mint leaves
• Lemon slices

My version: Negroni Punch 

I love a classic Negroni aperitif – one part gin, one part vermouth, one part Campari (a bit of orange peel as a garnish) – but this punch sounds like a great, longer drink alternative.

Book’s version: Plait perfection 

A step-by-step guide to creating a French and fishtail plait.

My version: I nearly always wear my hair down and sometimes run straighteners through it if it looks really bad of a morning. I commented that a friend’s hair always looks nice (not over the top, just casually styled). She said it was really quick and easy to do – all part of the blow-dry apparently. She said we should organise a girls’ night in and she’d show me and others how. I want to do this.

Book’s version: Get swishing

“Swishing is when you swap clothes you no longer want with your friends.”

This would work on the school run

My version: Much as I would actually love to do this, the fact that I’m 5ft nothing is slightly limiting. However, accessories would be good. I don’t accessorise much at all so this could provide the opportunity!

Book’s version: Fun Times 

A pure and simple games night with the girls, with the suggestion of everyone bringing around their favourite board game to play.

My version: Who’s in the Bag? (always great comedy value) with plenty of Prosecco followed by the Top Gun drinking game. Also, I’d take round the surprise hit of 2023/2024 Chicken vs Hotdog. It’s a silly game, but so much fun; it went down a storm at the New Year’s Eve party!

Book’s version: Movie Night 

The suggestion is a ‘movie marathon’.

My version: Not sure I’d have the attention span for back-to-back films in one night. However, I’d definitely be up for a Sex and the City, Father Ted, The Sopranos or Cold Feet marathon.

Sofia is already asking if she can buy this book. I can really see the appeal. Alongside the inspiration for different themed nights in are recipes, craft ideas, quizzes (think Cosmopolitan mag quizzes but more age-appropriate), games and activities. I now really want to organise a girls’ night in.

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