Games + Activities

This will take a little explaining so bear with me, but it’s worth it I promise. FIVE new games in here, plus a Christmas wish from me! So way back when I first started this blog my cousin’s wife Jen got in touch to ask me if I could think up some fun games for her son Henry. Henry is Ewan’s age (4) and started school in September. But the reason Jen actually wanted me to think up games is because Henry has cystic fibrosis, a condition that he was born with that affects his lungs (more info here) and so Henry has to do physiotherapy every day to try and clear air from his lungs - lots of blowing!

Now as you can imagine for a happy, chatty, busy four year old that kind of activity is not much fun. So Jen challenged me to think up some five minute ideas to help out, which I did (bloody love a challenge me!) and Henry really enjoyed his games, especially the water maze. You can find them all here. I loved thinking up these games and trying them out with Ewan, and to then hear that Henry and his family played them regularly and that the clever old docs down at Great Ormond Street were really pleased with his lung function, well, I blew bubbles of joy!

So recently I sent these ideas to the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, an amazing charity that work to support people like Henry, as well as funding cutting-edge research and driving up the standards of care. They really liked them, and asked me to come up with some Christmas games to support their #WhosYourReason festive campaign. So naturally I jumped at the chance because I think it’s fairly obvious who my reason is. Henry. The awesome, amazing Henry who doesn’t even realise just how incredible he is. Oh and his fabulous Mum and Dad, Jen and Ray. To any family who have a little person with this condition I salute you all.

So these new games are for Henry and any other wee people who have to do daily physio, but also for EVERYONE because first and foremost they are FUN! And of course, only five minutes to set up, easy to do, and using stuff you already have at home. But before you play I have just ONE request. SO many of you send me amazing messages saying how much you and your little people enjoy my games, well if you do and would like to show me some Christmas appreciation 😉 please Text CHRISTMAS to 70500 to donate £5 to the CF Trust. Thank you.

So here are Henry’s Christmas Games...

• Return Rudolf’s Nose! Get a bit of card. Draw a reindeer face on it. Cut out his nose. Get a red pom pom from a craft box, or scrunch up a bit of red wrapping paper the same size. Now get some straws and see if you can blow Rudolf’s nose back in! If you have two or three noses you can have a race.

• Make your own Snow Globe. Get a plastic bottle. Cut a small hole in the lid. Stab a few tiny holes into the bottle itself. Empty the contents of a hole punch into the bottle. Add a few tissue paper snowmen if you like - I sellotaped them to the side of the bottle. Now screw the bottle top back on and blow to whip up a blizzard and make the snowmen dance!

• Santa’s Snow Maze. Get a tray with sides. Draw a maze on a bit of blank paper and pop it inside a ziplock bag. Make bubble snow by putting fairy liquid inside a sports cap bottle with a bit of water and shaking hard. Then spray it out over the tray with the ziplock maze on. Get a little Santa or elf or anything- and say they need to use a straw to blow a path for Santa to get all the presents back to his sleigh.

• Snowball fight. Screw up 10 little balls of white tissue paper. Make a target or goal with a box or bucket. First one to blow all five of their snowballs into the bucket gets to throw them at the other person!

• Happy New Year! Do you have some of those curly party hooter things for NYE?(do not google “hooters”...! The link to buy some cheap ones is here to save you my error!!!) Well, line up some Christmas cards or pom poms and see if you can knock them down blowing the hooters.

So there we have it. Five new five minute games for Christmas. I hope you all have some festive fun playing them. Please donate if you can. I’m signing off the blog for Christmas now. All your lovely little people will have enough to be getting on with for the next few weeks without any five minute games. Family and new toys is all they need. If you invent some new games when you’re all spending time together feel free to share them on my page! I’ll be back in 2019 with LOTS of new exciting five minute fun but until then I wish you all a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and a flipping brilliant New Year. X