Paper Crafts

Useful materials: coloured paper or card, scissors, glue or sellotape, pens, pencils and paints

Start collecting: Junk such as toilet roll cardboard tubes, colourful pipe cleaners, googly eyes

Paper Bats

Bring a touch of spooky magic to your home with these easy DIY paper bats (https://kiyafries.com/diy-paper-bats-with-free-printable-templates/), made using free printable templates. Simply print, trace onto black card, cut out, and hang them on walls, lampshades, or even branches for a striking Halloween effect. This quick and affordable craft is perfect for kids and creates decorations that look like bats fluttering right through your house.

Toilet Roll Monsters

Start collecting toilet roll cardboard tubes now and use craft materials to make them into silly or scary monsters for Halloween. A key craft material for Halloween is googly eyes which can be bought cheaply from craft shops or high street shops like The Works. Gather fun craft materials such as colourful pipe cleaners for arms. Or if you don’t have these, use other pieces of junk. Cut out shapes from other pieces of cardboard to make all sorts of monster-like limbs. Use coloured pens, pencils or paint to add to your Halloween designs.

Paper Plate Pumpkins

Paper plates can be a fun and cost-effective way to make a Halloween-themed kids craft. The round shape is perfect for makeshift pumpkins. If you can get hold of orange paper plates, great! They don’t have to be pumpkins, paper plates can also be used to make fun, scary or silly Halloween faces. Again, Googly eyes of all different sizes can be fun. Collect wrappers and shiny materials or fabric scraps to add to your designs.

Halloween Party Decorations

Kids Halloween crafts could be to make Halloween party decorations or general decorations for your home. Here are some ideas.

Ghost garlands

White card is great for making ghost garlands. Cut out shapes and use felt tips to draw on eyes (or our favourite – googly ones). Use string, to make the garlands ready to hang. The strong can be attached by punching holes with a hole punch, stapling on, sticking or sellotaping. We find holepunching works best.

Spider webs

There are many different materials that work well for Halloween spider webs. String or wool is a really good options, but get creative with whatever materials you like. Some people have made them with lolly sticks. You could make spiders from cardboard, craft materials or stick toy spiders on. Another good option is paper spider webs, which can be made like paper snowflakes you may have made before at Christmas. To do this, fold the paper and then carefully cut out a design.

Halloween Lanterns

Start collecting jam jars now and these can be made into Halloween lanterns, with fairy lights inside or a tea light. One option is to cover the jam jars in orange tissue paper to make them like pumpkins, or you could use glass painting paint to create spooky designs. Again, you’ve got it, we’re going to mention googly eyes, they can be fun with Halloween lanterns or jam jar pumpkins.

Pumpkin Crafts

We appreciate carving a pumpkin may be challenging with kids but did you know it’s still possible to have a fun time decorating pumpkins, without carving?!

Other options for decorating pumpkins at Halloween include; painting (glow-in-the-dark paint is  a fun option), using stickers and/or using fabric to collage onto them.

DIY Halloween Costumes

It makes sense to save money and use Halloween Kids Crafting as an opportunity to make your own Halloween costumes. Masks are a great option and can be held in place with elastic bands or string. Cut out shapes from white card or cardboard from your junk, including cereal boxes to make ghosts or monsters. If you’re feeling extra creative, try animal masks. Black cats or owls are great Halloween themes. Remember to cut holes for eyes, nose and mouth,

Paper and card can also be used for crowns, which can be decorated for Halloween. Old sheets and fabrics can be used to fashion ghost costumes or superhero capes. Cardboard, card and washed food containers can be transformed into wands and brooms. Another great option is using objects from nature such as sticks.

Other Halloween Kids Crafts Activity Ideas

• Decorate cakes and biscuits. Ideas include bats, spiders, monsters, witches and pumpkins. It’s amazing what you can do with icing
• Make trick-or-treat bags. Decorate bags ready for trick-or-treaters and you could also spend time filling them
• Use items from nature to make leaf ghosts, pinecone monsters or conker spiders
• Top hot chocolate with spooky toppings
• Decorate marshmallows with chocolate chip eyes
• Halloween drawing and colouring books

Top tips for stress-free crafting

• Clear enough space
• Allow enough time
• Lay all your craft materials out and share ideas
• Prepare the area – you may want to lay down a plastic tablecloth or newspaper to protect surfaces
• Wear craft-suitable clothes or use aprons to protect materials
• Keep things simple. No need for perfection
• Play a suitable playlist to create the mood you want
• Have fun
• Celebrate everything created
• Allow time for show and tell. Maybe have a play with the new creatures created
• Make space to hang or display crafts
• Leave time for everything to dry
• Consider giving extra crafts to friends and family as gifts
• Allow enough time to tidy up

The post Halloween Kids Crafts appeared first on Mums in Jersey.

While indoor soft play areas help kids burn off energy during rainy days they also provide much more. Colorful cushioned play areas serve as powerful developmental spaces where kids learn essential skills during their most joyful playtime.

The UK continues to deepen its connection with indoor soft play venues annually as they prove their value. The specially engineered spaces provide children of every age group with the right combination of security and enjoyment while promoting critical developmental skills.

I will demonstrate how these enchanting play areas are secretly providing powerful developmental advantages to your child that you may not have noticed!

Inside Your Guide:

1. Why Indoor Soft Play Is Booming in the UK
2. Physical Development Benefits
3. Social Skills That Flourish in Play Zones
4. Cognitive Development Through Play
5. Emotional Growth in Safe Spaces
6. How to Maximize Development Benefits

Why Indoor Soft Play Is Booming in the UK

The statistics clearly show that indoor play has become a major commercial force in the UK and continues to expand.

In 2021 the UK family entertainment center market reached $857.64 million and experts expect it to reach $2.72 billion by 2031 with sustained growth at a CAGR of 12.6% from 2022 to 2031 as reported by recent market analysis.

What’s driving this massive growth? Parents are realizing that these venues provide benefits beyond mere entertainment options. These venues function as structured settings which enable children to develop important skills while they enjoy themselves. The indoor entertainment sector in the UK saw children’s entertainment centers with the largest market share during 2021.

Parent-child users regularly attend indoor parks with more than half (53.5%) visiting 1-2 times monthly and 35.7% of accompanying adults also being frequent visitors. Continuous participation demonstrates how indoor play serves an essential function in children’s social connections and physical exercises.

Physical Development Benefits

Soft play areas inside buildings function as essential physical development centers while appearing as enjoyable recreational spaces.

Gross Motor Skills

As your child ascends the padded ladder and descends the spiral slide or maneuvers through the obstacle course they develop essential physical abilities.

• Building core strength and stability
• Developing coordination between different body parts
• Improving balance and spatial awareness
• Developing power in the arms and legs through strengthening of large muscle groups

Fine Motor Skills

Indoor play areas provide activities specifically designed to foster essential fine motor skills development through multiple interactive features.

• Manipulating small balls in ball pits
• Navigating interactive wall panels
• Handling small play objects in dedicated zones
• Children manipulate basic devices and equipment as part of their play activities in the play area.

Indoor soft play areas offer physical development chances in a secure padded space that lets children explore their limits without the dangers found on harder surfaces.

Social Skills That Flourish in Play Zones

Have you observed how children who don’t know each other begin to play together immediately at an indoor play center? These environments naturally form a social laboratory where children learn to interact.

Turn-Taking and Sharing

Indoor play structures require children to develop social skills through shared play experiences.

• Wait their turn for popular equipment
• Share space with others
• Negotiate who goes first or last
• Understand fair play concepts

The learning potential in these moments extends beyond their size because they foster patience and respect among children for each other.

Communication Skills

Take note of this phrase when visiting an indoor play center: “Can I go next?” “Let’s pretend this is our spaceship!” I’ll take the upper route while you proceed in the opposite direction.

Children express their thoughts and limits through continuous communication. Nonverbal toddlers effectively communicate their needs and desires by using gestures and body movements as well as making sounds during social activities.

Teamwork and Cooperation

Many play structures encourage collaborative play:

• Multi-person seesaws require coordination
• Role-play areas enable children to take on various roles in their play activities.
• Participants often need to assist each other when progressing through obstacle courses.

Through their play experiences children learn to enjoy teamwork because it brings fun and rewarding results.

Cognitive Development Through Play

Though it appears to be nothing more than entertainment, children develop their brains through active exploration of indoor play spaces.

Problem-Solving Skills

Children face physical challenges when they interact with indoor play structures.

• What is the best way to move between these two platforms?
• What’s the fastest way through this maze?
• What methods can I use to construct stable structures with these soft blocks?

The challenges presented in play activities stimulate children to think critically and understand spatial relationships when they try various solutions.

Creativity and Imagination

The limitless quality of play stimulates creative thinking.

• A climbing frame transforms into a mountain that children strive to reach.
• Kids can turn a ball pit into an ocean where they swim.
• The padded tunnel functions as a mysterious path leading to another realm.

Imaginative play serves as a fundamental tool for building creative thinking abilities.

Emotional Growth in Safe Spaces

Indoor soft play areas create excellent conditions for emotional growth by providing challenges which expand boundaries together with safety that fosters confidence.

Confidence Building

Successfully overcoming an intimidating play structure leads to increased self-confidence. Through persistent efforts children discover they can surmount difficulties.

Most play areas allow children to:

• Start with easier elements
• Build skills and confidence gradually
• As children grow they should aim to tackle more difficult parts of the play structure.

Risk Assessment

Padded play environments teach children to evaluate risks.

• Is this jump too far for me?
• Can I reach that handhold with my current height?
• Do I have the courage to slide down headfirst or will it frighten me too much?

Through these risk assessments children learn to evaluate their personal abilities which is a fundamental skill needed for life.

Emotional Regulation

Indoor play offers a range of emotional experiences that can shift from exciting to frightening to joyful within only a few minutes. By learning how to handle these emotions children build their ability to regulate emotions.

• Managing disappointment when waiting for a turn
• Working through fear to try something new
• Expressing joy and achievement appropriately

How to Maximize Development Benefits

Follow these guidelines to maximize developmental benefits during your visits.

Allow Independent Exploration

Though following your child constantly feels natural it’s best to let them explore independently while maintaining safe supervision for optimal learning experiences.

Try to:

• Resist solving problems for them
• Create opportunities for your child to play with their peers.
• Let them pick the equipment they want to experiment with.

Ask Open-Ended Questions

During your interactions, ask questions that stimulate thought.

• What was the strategy you used to climb up to that spot?
• What outcome do you expect if you experiment with that approach?

Regular Visits

The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for the UK indoor amusement center market is expected to reach 9.6% between 2025 and 2030. Frequent visits to play areas help children develop their skills by building upon their past experiences.

Let’s Sum It Up

Indoor soft play areas offer more than entertainment because they serve as powerful developmental tools under the guise of fun. Children gain significant advantages in physical skills and social abilities together with cognitive growth and emotional regulation when they play in these vibrant play areas.

The impressive growth of the UK’s indoor play industry – projected to reach $2.72 billion by 2031 – reflects what parents have discovered through experience: These environments deliver outstanding developmental benefits for children.

When your child enjoys themselves bouncing and climbing at an indoor play center, keep in mind that their playtime encompasses essential developmental activities beneath the surface. Children develop essential life skills through play as they build physical capabilities alongside social and cognitive and emotional abilities.

And the best part? Children enjoy themselves immensely during this deve

The post How Indoor Soft Play Enhances Child Development Skills appeared first on Mums in Jersey.

According to Common Sense Media, kids ages 8–12 spend an average of 5 hours and 33 minutes on screens daily, not counting schoolwork. But only a fraction of that time is spent on educational content. That gap offers an opportunity for parents to introduce screen time options that engage and teach—without the eye rolls.

Here’s a breakdown of screen time ideas that your kids will actually enjoy—and you’ll feel good about.

Turn Gaming into Learning

Educational games get a bad rap, but many are anything but boring. Today’s learning games are interactive, visually appealing, and full of clever mechanics that make kids want to keep playing. Bonus: they often build real skills while doing it.

Great categories to explore:

• Math puzzles and logic games (like Prodigy or Math Tango)
• Language and vocabulary games (like Duolingo or Wordscapes)
• Science-based simulation games (like Toca Lab or Crazy Gears)
• Geography and world-building apps (like Stack the States or Tinybop)

Look for games that reward progress, adapt to your child’s level, and encourage creative thinking rather than just repetition.

Use Videos for Curiosity and Exploration

YouTube doesn’t have to be a mindless scroll. Curated channels can spark curiosity and bring complex concepts to life through animation, humor, and storytelling.

Educational YouTube channels kids actually like:

• SciShow Kids – science explained in bite-sized, kid-friendly videos
• CrashCourse Kids – quick lessons on everything from ecosystems to engineering
• National Geographic Kids – real-life animal footage and nature facts
• Art for Kids Hub – step-by-step drawing and art tutorials
• Cosmic Kids Yoga – combines movement with storytelling and mindfulness

Set screen time boundaries by creating playlists or subscribing to specific channels, so your kids stay in the learning lane.

Add a Physical Twist to Screen Time

If your child is bouncing off the walls, try apps and videos that get them moving. These combine screen engagement with physical activity, making them great for breaking up long indoor stretches.

Ideas to combine tech and movement:

• Interactive dance games like Just Dance Now
• Fitness apps like GoNoodle or Sworkit Kids
• Yoga or martial arts videos for beginners
• Augmented reality scavenger hunts or walking games

A few minutes of physical screen time can re-energize kids and help them focus better on calmer activities afterward.

Build Skills with Typing Games

Typing might not sound thrilling, but when it’s gamified, kids actually enjoy improving their skills. And the ability to type fast and accurately is a major confidence-booster when it comes to school projects or future tech-based work.

Try typing games like TypeRoyale, which turn skill-building into competitive fun. Kids can race others by typing passages quickly and accurately, building both speed and focus. It’s the perfect mix of productive and playful.

Introduce Safe Coding and Design Tools

Tech isn’t just about consuming—it’s about creating. When kids use screens to build, code, and design, they’re developing real-world skills like logic, sequencing, and digital storytelling.

Beginner-friendly platforms for creators:

• Scratch – a visual coding language where kids can build games and animations
• Tynker – interactive coding courses for kids aged 5 and up
• Minecraft Education Edition – teaches problem-solving, collaboration, and even history or chemistry
• Canva for Education – lets kids create digital posters, slides, and more with easy design tools

These platforms are fun, but also sneakily educational—they teach structure, planning, and revision without feeling like “work.”

Make Screen Time a Family Activity

Screen time doesn’t always have to be solo. Watching, playing, or learning together creates opportunities for bonding, discussions, and even a few laughs.

Family-friendly screen time ideas:

• Watch a nature documentary and talk about your favorite parts
• Play a co-op puzzle or strategy game together
• Try a trivia app or game-show-style quiz as a team
• Explore a virtual museum tour or cultural experience online
• Take turns using an art or animation app and compare creations

When you join your child in screen time, you also stay more aware of the content they’re interacting with—and they get to share the fun.

Final Thoughts

Not all screen time is created equal. With a little curation, you can guide your kids toward digital experiences that educate, inspire, and entertain all at once. Whether it’s through typing games, interactive videos, or coding tools, these choices offer a better balance between learning and fun.

The goal isn’t to eliminate screens—it’s to make them work for your child’s development. A little creativity (and the right links) can turn screen time into something you both feel good about.

The post Fun and Educational Screen Time Ideas Kids Love appeared first on Mums in Jersey.