As the previous weekend had been so lovely the kids had plans to spend the half term holiday playing outside in the paddling pool. Unfortunately as the holiday loomed the weather forecast had other plans. I know that given the chance the kids would spend the entire holiday glued to the screen of a computer or an iPad so I wanted to find something to occupy them that wouldn’t cost the earth but didn’t need plugging in!
We decided to have a shopping trip on Saturday with a strict budget of £5. The only rules about what they could spend it on was that it could not have batteries or a plug.
The girls had come home from school with bracelets that their friends had made for them from Loom Bands so they decided that they would get some of these. We managed to pick some up really cheaply and we also visited the pound shop and purchased a plastic compartment box to keep them all in. It is possible to buy more expensive packs that contain peg boards and other bits and pieces but these are not necessary to make basic bracelets and necklaces.
Each pack came with 300 bands, a hook and a pack of S clips to join them together. The first job when they got them home was to sort them all out into the box and this took them the best part of half and hour.
Once they had them all sorted they started creating. No 4 started making the simplest type of bracelet using her fingers. To start it off you twist one of the bands and put it over your index finger and middle finger. You then place another band, without twisting this time, above the first and pull each side of the first band over the top of the second band and into the gap between your fingers. You then add another band above the one on your fingers and repeat until the band is the desired length.
This type of band can be created really quickly and No 4 loved making patterns using different colours. You finish the band off by hooking both ends of the last band onto one side of the S hook and hooking the other side onto the twisted band that you started with.
No 2 was busy making the slightly more complicated version that results in a thicker band. To make these, instead of just having two bands at a time on your fingers you use three. After twisting the first band and placing it on your fingers you then place two more untwisted bands above it and pull the bottom band over both of the others before adding another band.
I had a go at these and my fingers very rapidly grew tired (The girls never complained though so I assume this is just because I am getting old!). To avoid this the bands can also be made using two hooks instead of your fingers.
No 4 was also soon making the more complicated version and by the following morning she had created several bracelets, some ankle bracelets, some rings and a hair band.
If you are feeling more adventurous there are lots of tutorials on YouTube that tell you how to make all sorts of objects with the bands but in terms of keeping the kids occupied the simple bracelets are great.
No 3 didn’t fancy making himself any bracelets so he decided to buy himself a Scraperfoil set. I remember having these when I was a child and I hadn’t seen them for years. Now No 3 is not known for his patience and immediately after opening the box he was scraping away at the picture without using the little piece of the card to practice first. It wasn’t long though before he realised that maybe he should have practised making narrow lines with the scraper first and the results after this were much more delicate!
The kids had a lovely time for a fairly small amount of money and I was really pleased that they had not spent all day in front of a screen.
If you fancy having a go with the Loom Bands yourself or would like to keep your kids entertained for a while I have three packs of 300 bands with hooks and S clips to give away to one winner. Just follow the instructions in the Rafflecopter to enter.
Giveaway is open to UK residents and all entries will be checked.
It’s all about the loom bands at the moment but we also like baking (and eating) cakes!
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Baking, eating!
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My kids love Loom bands! On rainy days we bake, do colouring, play board games, make dens, play dominos (current fave) or have a book reading marathon xx
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we love a lounge picnic
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board games, painting or a good dvd!!
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Painting!
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puzzles, stickers (which are my grandsons favorite) painting and board games
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painting baking and lots of fun
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Baking, playing cafes, craft and hopefully loom bands!
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My too love painting, sticking, anything messy really, but the older one has just discovered loom bands, so less mess, but loom bands everywhere
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We like making peg dolls 🙂
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Baking
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We like to watch films together or get our craft box out
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Baking, board games, crafts, stories and wii games. My kids have just got into loom bands so they would love this prize, thanks for the giveaway.
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My daughter loves loom bands at the mo… 🙂
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Crafts with toilet rolls and other bits and bobs, dot the dot books, building, tent making
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We get out all the crafty bits 🙂
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Bin Weevils, Movie Star Planet and Loom Bands!
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Mine loves making models, castles, villages, anything like that – keeps her out of trouble for hours 🙂
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If you wait for the weather, you wait for ever – we still go out and about – albeit sporting wellies and rainmacs.
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we’re all book-worms here so entertaining whilst it rains is simple. The dogs are a different matter – they don’t see reading as a valid activity and need two walks a day whatever the weather..
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Colouring books and crayons
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Baking
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Baking is definitely the obsession in our house at the moment!
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We like baking cakes and cookies and also making crafts stuff
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Coats and wellies on for some puddle jumping 🙂
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A pajama day 🙂 all under a duvet watching dvd’s 🙂
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Building a den with dining chairs and a sheet 🙂
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We like making badges or cut and stick.
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I usually do baking with my children but would love to do the Looms 🙂 x
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my son plays on a rainy days too! theres no stopping him
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We set up a treasure hunt around the house
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Do crafty things. My niece loves loom bands.
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playing board games
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baking, crafty stuff, gloop but at the moment it is loom bands loom bands loom bands
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knitting
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painting
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Baking and arts and crafts 🙂
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Both my daughters love loom bands so would be very happy with this prize
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I get stuff out from the back of the toy cupboard working on the basis that it will have some novelty value if it hasn’t been seen for a while.
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Baking & eating!
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Can’t beat a good old jigsaw.
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my grandson loves baking cakes or playing dominos
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jigsaws
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Baking cakes and decorating with sprinklings, butterflys, flowers. Loom bands or board games 🙂
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Paper mâché animals to hang on their ceilings, window pictures from tracing paper and paint and baking 🙂
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We usually go swimming
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we have cinema days indoors 🙂
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nightmare how do you keep them occupied when all they want to do is run round and it’s throwing it down x
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