40 ways to entertain your kids: Part 7

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31. Go pond dipping

Get your kids to discover a bit about nature just by visiting your local pond: all you need is a net or plastic carton and a local pond.

Sweep the net or carton firmly through the water and then transfer the creatures using a plastic spoon into a separate carton filled with clean water. You'll be amazed at what's in there!
- Find out more and what you'll need
Best for: Boys
Age: 6+

32. Play Poohsticks

This came from the famously Winnie The Pooh books and has now become a worldwide activity. All you need are some sticks and a running stream or river with a bridge over it.

Just throw your sticks in one side and then rush to the other to see whose comes through first. There's even an annual world championships held every year at the end of March in Oxfordshire - anyone can enter!
- For more info go to the World Pooh Sticks site
Best for: Girls and boys
Age: 4+

33. Learn origami

The ancient Japanese art of paper-folding easy to do and is also dead cheap. You can fold a sheet of paper into pretty much anything, as long as you've got a pattern.
- Origami.com is a great place to start.
Best for: Girls and boys
Age: 8+

34. Do some junk modelling

Get together a load of things like egg boxes, cereal cartons, plastic milk bottles and let their imaginations run riot. If you get some friends round and ask them to bring their own junk, it becomes even more fun.

You just need to provide the sticky tape, scissors, glue and paint and keep an eye on them. If you do need some inspiration, give these home-made skittles a go.
Best for: Girls and boys
Age: 6+

35. Go star spotting

Gazing at the clear night sky can be an amazing experience and, if you can tell your son which constellations are which, it'll be even cooler for him.

Do some research beforehand, if you want, otherwise just get him to see if he can spot any interesting shapes in the patterns of the stars.
- For a beginner's guide, check out Astrocentral or buy Philip's Stargazing 2008
Best for: Girls and boys
Age: 8+

- Next: Try things like ice-skating and family tree building

More help and advice

- Fun ways to help your kids learn
- Help the kids are off school!
- 7 ways to teach kids big stuff

By Rob Mansfield