Inspirational ideas for "cheap" activities with the children wanted!

[Sonnet]

Hi,
As the title says "can anybody help please".

to put it into perspective we have close family who are wealthy with 2 children similar ages to mine. Thes children have just been unindated with expensive toys and treats this half term - nothing unusual in that and TBH my kids appear to take it in their stride - but I'm feeling a bit down about it...So, I have decided to put a some effort in tomorrow as i am off work, and Sat and Sun which are quiet days and "do" something fun with the kids that dosn't cost in money terms but I am prepared to invest all my time.....

I wasn't working on Monday and we made a toy theatre out of a cardboard box and some finger puppets - this has been a great sucess and much played with this week.....
I do quite a lot of painting, sticking, cooking with them anyway - just looking for somthing different IYKWIM.....
By the way, they are both girls 7 & 3

Any ideas??
Thanks for reading....

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you made a theatre - wow!

A variation on twigletts is a birthday party for a certain toy, we have great fun decorating rooms, making food and then we have a party and play games with the toys.

oh thanks Twigglet...that has brought a smile to my face....(My "common-sense" head tells me that children don't need all that but just sometimes my emotions get the better of me and I feel inadequate as a parent ) anyway enough of all that.
I live in the east midlands area..
Like the idea of a longe picnic....could invite the dolls and teds along, kids could make sandwiches, cakes etc in the morning..

singing/dancing - could dress up and do some play acting....

Thanks ever so Twiglett...
ps: my favourite anti-stress remedy is to dip Twigletts into a jar of marmite - mmm - presume there must be some link for you too?

I love the full on carpet picnic, We sometimes do this but not planned out with a tent etc!

Hi Lillibet - just a cardboard box, painted and decorated with glitter, and material threaded on a piece of elastic - great fun!! - actually got an idea to make a bigger one out of MDF with hinges so it folds away - but that's another story (if it works, I'll post on here!)
Like the toys birthday party idea - can build that into my idea below..

Thnaks for replying...

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love the lining paper and paints etc....Does "normal" childrens paint go Ok on linning paper ?is it too absorbant?? just a niggle in my mind...

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let them paint one bedroom wall

I am gonna decorate dd's rom oneday and let her go wild as she halped me with the bathroom a few months ago

should have done that last month, Both DD's rooms now a girly pink and the other a girly Lavender...

Get some card and make the girls crowns -

sort through old clothes & shoes and dress them up and put a little make up on them to make it special.

then have the lounge picnic fit for a princess

i think they'll just apreciate you playing with them

oooh that's good fairydust! Then you could get a film in your camera and do a fashion show with music and stuff.....oohhh can i come????

oh - fantastic idea fairydust - and Angeliz....
don't know who will enjoy it more!!