Whether you want to recycle cartons into Star Wars masks, or create a road map from old jeans, we've found ideas that are perfect
Drive your kids towards creativity
Here’s some toys and games you can make for free:
1. A dolls house
A dolls house is all about collecting and creativity - so why not start with the house itself? Instead of forking out on a twee model, make it yourself.
We’ve found houses made from an old chest of drawers, a suitcase and a bookshelf.
2. A junk marble run
You don’t have to have a super shiny marble racer run. All. You. Need. Is. Gravity. And marbles. Grab toilet rolls, Lego, insulator strips, foam and masking tape, find a staircase and make the most extreme marble run you can.
3. A car play mat
Give your kids’ toy cars a destination.
This blogger cut up old jeans to make reusable roads, or you can even print out a pre-made road map. If you have more time on your hands, try using old fabric scraps to make a reusable roadmap with all your local landmarks on it - like this one.
4. Masks
Fancy dress parties, disguises, freaking people out - every kid needs a mask.
Get in the mood for this year’s inevitable Star Wars madness by making this amazing Stormtrooper mask from plastic milk cartons. Or make a papier mache mask with a carton as the base.
5. A bowling alley
If your kids are gulping down juice by the gallon, keep the bottles and create a bowling alley. Strip the bottles of their labels and fill each one with grit or similar weight.
You can decorate the bottles in lots of different ways - this blogger made gnomes, while this one has created a team of sumo wrestlers. Or fill the dark evenings with glow-in-the-dark bowling.