LAST-MINUTE DIY FAMILY ACTIVITIES BEFORE BACK-TO-SCHOOL

The back-to-school season is approaching, but that doesn’t mean the fun has to stop! Before the hustle and bustle of school schedules take over, seize the opportunity to create lasting memories with your family through engaging DIY activities. In this interactive guide, we’ll walk you through a variety of exciting and easy-to-organize family activities that will leave everyone smiling.

Nature Scavenger Hunt

Venture into the great outdoors for a nature scavenger hunt! Craft a list of treasures like shells,colourful leaves, and unique rocks. Then, explore your backyard or the beach, embracing the thrill of discovery. Who can find the most items on the list? The winner gets to choose the next family adventure!

Art and Craft Day

Unleash your inner artists on a dedicated art and craft day. Gather around the table armed with paints, markers, and a medley of crafting supplies. Transform ordinary rocks into miniature masterpieces, weave vibrant friendship bracelets, or collage memories onto canvas. The result? A gallery of family creativity that captures your unique talents.

Making vibrant friendship bracelets can be a fun and creative activity! Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to make them:

Materials You’ll Need:

1. Embroidery floss in various vibrant colors

2. Scissors

3. Tape or clipboard (to hold the bracelet in place)

4. Optional: beads, charms, or other decorative elements

Steps:

1. Choose Your Colors: Select the embroidery floss colors you want to use for your bracelet. Vibrant colors work great for creating eye-catching designs.

2. Measure the Thread: Decide on the length you want for your bracelet. A common length is around 60 inches (150 cm) per thread, as you’ll be folding them in half to create the bracelet.

3. Prepare the Threads:

   • Cut the selected colors into equal lengths, usually around 60 inches each.

   • Align the threads of different colors and make sure they are of the same length.

   • Tie a knot at one end, leaving a few inches of excess thread.

4. Secure the Bracelet:

   • Tape the knotted end of the threads to a flat surface or use a clipboard to hold it in place. This will make it easier to create the bracelet.

5. Start Braiding:

   • Divide the threads into groups. A simple starting point is to use 3 threads per group.

   • Cross the right thread over the middle thread, forming a “4” shape.

   • Take the left thread and pass it over the right thread, then under the middle thread, and through the loop formed by the right thread. This is a basic braiding technique.

6. Add More Threads (Optional):

   • As you continue braiding, you can introduce new threads by placing them in the middle of existing threads.

   • Continue braiding the new threads along with the existing ones.

7. Create Patterns (Optional):

   • To create patterns, change the order of the threads as you braid.

   • For example, you could bring a thread from the rightmost group to the leftmost group, or vice versa, to create a color pattern.

8. Continue Braiding:

   • Keep braiding until your bracelet reaches the desired length. Remember to leave a few inches of space at the end.

9. Tie a Knot:

   • Once the bracelet is long enough, tie a knot at the end to secure the braided part. You can tie multiple knots for added security.

10. Trim Excess Thread:

    • Trim the excess thread beyond the knots. Be careful not to cut too close to the knot to prevent unraveling.

11. Add Decorative Elements (Optional):

    • You can add beads, charms, or other decorative elements to your bracelet.

    • Thread them onto the individual threads before you start braiding.

12. Tie the Bracelet:

    • To wear the bracelet, tie the two ends together around your wrist.

Cooking or Baking Challenge

Turn your kitchen into a culinary battleground with a cooking or baking challenge. Assign each family member a surprise ingredient – whether it’s chocolate chips or sultanas. Then, let the cooking creativity flow as you whip up unique dishes. From savoury to sweet, the meal becomes a collective masterpiece you’ll be savouring for weeks to come.

Movie Marathon

Create a cozy movie haven at home for an epic movie marathon! Choose a theme like classic comedies or magical adventures. Build a blanket fort, whip up themed snacks, and dive into cinematic worlds. It’s not just about the movies – it’s about sharing laughter, emotions, and popcorn-fueled moments. Best family movies on NETFLIX. 

Board Game Tournament

It’s time to bring out the board games and crown a family champion! Select an assortment of games that cater to all ages. From strategic battles to hilarious wordplay, compete in a friendly tournament that culminates in a round of applause for the winners. Let the games begin!

Indoor Picnic

Rain or shine, an indoor picnic is a fantastic twist on the traditional mealtime routine. Lay out an ankara or checkered blanket in your living room, set up a picnic basket loaded with sandwiches, fruit, and refreshing drinks. This quirky change of scenery is a refreshing way to bond over good food and great company.

DIY Science Experiments

Transform your home into a science lab and ignite curious minds. Hunt down household items for thrilling DIY science experiments. Make a volcano erupt with baking soda and vinegar, or create a rainbow in a jar using kitchen staples. As you marvel at the wonders of science, you’re sparking a love for learning that lasts.

Bonus: Homemade Lava Lamp:
Materials:

Clear plastic bottle or glass
Vegetable oil
Water
Food coloring
Alka-Seltzer tablet (or similar effervescent tablet)
Instructions:

Fill the bottle about one-quarter full with water.
Pour vegetable oil into the bottle until it’s almost full.
Wait for the oil and water to separate.
Add a few drops of food coloring to the bottle. Watch as the drops sink through the oil and mix with the water.
Break an Alka-Seltzer tablet into a few small pieces.
Drop a piece of the tablet into the bottle and observe the colorful “lava” blobs that rise and fall.

Storytelling Night

Gather  around for a storytelling night where creativity knows no bounds. Begin a tale with a sentence, then pass the story torch around, each person adding their own twist. With Bra Rabbit, Pa Spider or dragons, unicorns, and intergalactic adventures, you’re weaving a family narrative that’s as vibrant as your imaginations.

Family Photo Album

Embark on a journey down memory lane as you organize old family photos into charming albums. As you reminisce about vacations, milestones, and everyday moments, the stories behind the pictures come to life. It’s a chance to bond over shared experiences and reflect on the journey you’ve taken together. Are you an electronic loving family? you can create a pinboard!

Gardening

Connect with nature through gardening, a hands-on activity that cultivates both plants and family bonds. Plant vibrant flowers or tender vegetables, learning about growth and responsibility along the way. As your garden blossoms, so too does your appreciation for the natural world.

Puzzle Challenge

Unravel a world of challenge and teamwork with a puzzle challenge. Choose an intricate jigsaw puzzle and gather around the table to piece it together. Every snap and connection you make is a metaphor for your united efforts, resulting in a complete picture of shared achievement.In Sierra Leone purchase puzzles etc here at Smart Link School Zone

Build a Fort

 Imagination takes center stage as you build a fort using blankets, pillows, and furniture. Once your cozy sanctuary is complete, use it as a hub for storytelling, board games, or even a family sleepover. Inside your fort, you’re crafting a space that’s uniquely yours.

Karaoke Night

Channel your inner divas and rock stars for a karaoke night to remember. Set up a stage complete with microphones and a karaoke machine or app. Sing your hearts out to your favorite tunes, capturing the joy of music and uninhibited self-expression. You do not need the equipment to sing along, make it happen.

 You do not have to be rich to create beautiful memories with your child(ren). We hope these back to basic low-budget DIY activities will light up family. With creativity, resourcefulness, and a touch of family magic, you’re crafting memories that will shine brightly in your hearts for years to come.