10 free activities for children during the holiday
Keeping children busy during the holidays can be so hard. So, I thought I would share a list of 10 free activities for children during the holidays, that I have loved to do with my own.
Children tend to get bored because they don’t know what is available for them to do. As an adult, how many times have you sat doing an activity with your children, they then walk away and you’re still sat there doing it? I know I do.
The following activties can be done with any age group, if they’re bored and you join in with them they will enjoy it.
1. Visit Tilgate Park
Now, anyone that knows me knows I love to visit Tilgate Park and Nature Reservebecause it has so much do. You can walk round the lake, visit the animals, play in the park, go boating on the lake, fishing, cycling, Go Ape and more. The list goes on. Parking is available but it does fill up fast in the summer. There are plenty of toilets plus a cafe in the walled garden and Smith & Western restaurant.
2. Sleep out on the trampoline
I’m not sure who loves this more me or my children. Some parents leave their children to it but this is where I used to get my best nights sleep. Fill the trampoline with blankets, putting some underneath you because it can get chilly in the middle of the night. Add some duvets, pillows and fairy lights then lay back and relax. Eventually, we turn off the fairy lights to enjoy the stars and maybe even a comet or shooting star. In the morning my children then get up and play in the garden, leaving me to sleep! (This never normally happens!)
3. Watch a sunset or star gazing
There are some fantastic places to go in West Sussex for star gazing. It can be done anywhere near your house, as long as there are no lights to stop your night vision. The perfect time is during the no moon phase, as the sky will be at its darkest. It takes about 30 minutes for your night vision to work so keep torches to a minimum but if you do need one try to use one with a red filter. A great website is Go Star Gazing as you can view on a map which local places are good for viewing the stars plus it will tell you which phase the moon is in.
4. The beach
There are so many gorgeous beaches in Sussex. I think my favourite is Goring. It has free parking, two amazing cafes right on the beach (Sea Lane Cafe and the Bluebird Cafe, the latter allows dogs) which are perfect for walking between and has beautiful sunsets.
5. Lancing Sea Front
We love to head over to Lancing in the evenings, as it’s normally quiet and is a great place to take scooters. There is plenty of parking, plus a large green for playing rounders or having a picnic. The The Perch Restaurant is lovely for food or there is a small kiosk next door. The beach itself is stony and there are also toilets nearby.
6. Pond Dipping
This is such a simple activity but one that can entertain children for ages. It doesn’t need to be a large just big enough for a child to use their to see what they can find. Don’t forget to take a tray or bucket to see what you can catch. Please be safe around the water and take care of your children.
7. Cycling along the South Downs Link Path
This is a, mostly, flat route than goes from Guildford to Shoreham. Click the link HEREto view the West Sussex guide to cycling the Path and the various cafes, car parks and local amenities.
8. Den Building
There are so many places to go Den Building. Firstly it can be done indoors or outside. My children love to build a den in the living room and then have a movie and sleepover in it. Great places for den building outside include: Box Hill, St Leonards ForestorLeechpool Woods
9. Shaving foam painting
This is such a fun activity. On a piece of paper, spread some shaving foam across it then add dollops of paint. With a tooth pick you can then draw patterns in the shaving foam and leave it to dry.
10. Fire Pit & S’Mores
What better way to end the day than with a fire pit and S’mores. If you don’t know what S’mores are let me explain. These are originally from America and are made by roasting a marshmallow over the fire then sandwiching it between two Graham Crackers and adding a piece of Hersheys chocolate. A quick way to make them in England is to use marshmallows but then put them between chocolate digestives biscuits. They are so tasty but please take lots of care around the fire.
If you like any of the ideas I have added please let me know, or even tell me if you have any of you own.
Family photography after lockdown.. sessions now available as lockdown eases in Southwater, Sussex
Family photography after lockdown is more important than ever. Having been through such a tough few weeks as a family, why not celebrate and book a photo session? We have all come to realise our families are extremely important and sadly during Covid 19 many people lost family members and wished they’d booked that last photo session.
Now that lockdown has eased slightly, I am available for outdoor family photo sessions around Horsham, West Sussex.
My studio space is not suitable for adhering to social distancing safely. So, unless you have a large enough indoor space any session will need to be done outside.
It is still possible however to use backdrop. The headshots below were all taken outside, on the same day, using various backdrops.
Outdoor session venues
There are so many beautiful areas in Sussex! I am happy to travel to your favourite area or can choose a suitable place for you.
Being outside is ideal for families because it enables your children to be free. They are able to be themselves and play during the photo sessions.
Having a long lens means I am able to stay further back from your family. Keeping you safe, at all times. Also allowing you to interact with your children without me getting in the way.
If you would like to know more about a family session please clickHEREto be taken to my family photo page. If you would like to know more about head shots and personal branding please email me at clairewildersphotography@gmail.com
Can I book for later in the year?
Yes, I am taking bookings for later in the year, including Christmas and Autumn sessions. I believe Claire Wilders Photography will get extremely busy as families update their photos, so it is important to book sessions as soon as possible. If you are pregnant and wish to book your newborn session, we can discuss the options, so please do get in touch. You will find more information on my newborn photography page HERE
How do we keep safe and are you following guidelines?
I will take all the necessary precautions when taking bookings and during sessions. At the moment only 6 people from different families are allowed to meet so I will adhere to these rules too. You as clients are extremely important to me and I intend to keep you safe. As the numbers ease and we can meet in larger groups, I too will work to this.
HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN DIY CANVAS PHOTOGRAPHY BACKDROP
Being on lockdown and having watched many photography training videos I decided to attempt to paint my own DIY canvas photography backdrop.
WHY?
Photography requires lots of equipment to keep photos current but none of this equipment is cheap. However, there are lots of ways that props can be made on a budget so I thought I would have a go at one. A new backdrop.
EQUIPMENT REQUIRED:
Paint of your choice – being on lockdown I couldn’t get to the shops and because I wanted it beige or brown I used some old fence paint. I used Ronseal One Coat in dark oak matt because that is all I had. I also used some old white matt emulsion.
A 12ft x9ft canvas backdrop. Click HERE to visit Amazon where I bought the backdrop
A fluffy roller. Click HERE to see which roller I bought.
Old trampoline cover to lay on the floor to stop it staining the grass. Tarpaulin or plastic sheets could also be used.
The Method
Being impatient when it comes to DIY I decided to just wing it! I laid the canvas on an old trampoline cover, so that the paint didn’t wreck the grass. I had heard of people priming the canvas or buying a primed one but I didn’t do either. Others had also pinned their canvas to the ground but I didn’t do this either. I wanted to use the texture and bumpiness of the grass to help me when adding texture to the canvas.
The start of the canvas
With the paint, I didn’t have a plan because again I wanted it to be random. Using a roller was easier because you could add a decent amount of paint to the canvas and then spread it around at random.
Mixing The Paint
To start off I added white emulsion to the paint tray and then added a small amount of fence paint so that its wasn’t too dark, as I wanted the centre to be lighter than the outsides. I also added a small amount of water to thin the paint down a bit. A few people have added fabric softer to the paint, so that the canvas is more supple at the end. I forgot to do this but the crustier feel doesn’t bother me. To paint the canvas I started in the middle but just slapped the paint on and continued all over the place until I emptied the tray.
Each time I filled the tray, the mixture got darker plus the paint wasn’t always mix it properly. Meaning there was bits of dark and light paint all over the canvas, to add to the texture. As it dried I did make certain areas a bit darker, as the white came through as it dried. Although this is better than the canvas coming out too dark. This day was also really warm so the canvas did dry quickly.
The Finished Product
As a first attempt I was really pleased with this canvas, especially as it only cost me the price of a backdrop. Which was £21. I did cut the backdrop down a bit as it was rather large for my space but the length is brilliant. There is a seem in the middle but with a wide aperture you can’t see it. Plus if you cut it down to make smaller backdrops, this won’t be an issue. TOP TIP… make sure you have the seam underneath.. you’ll notice mine is on the backdrop side! Something I didn’t think about in my haste to start painting.
THE VERDICT
I’m really pleased with the finished product. It cost me a day out of my time and was pretty easy to do. Both emulsion and fence paint seemed to work okay and I really like the texture it gives in both colour and black and white. Neither of these photos were taken with studio lights, the canvas was hung up and I took a quick photo of my son looking out of the window. Am I going to paint more? YES! Watch this space!!
If you’d like to see this backdrop in use during your photo session please visit my Families session to view details.
I love Autumn and today was feeling too lazy to tidy the house. My springer was looking at me longingly so I decided to head out with my camera and take a break. The Wey and Arun canal is beautiful and the colours are really starting to come out.
I parked at The Onslow Arms Pub http://onslowarmsloxwood.com/ car park in Loxwood because I could head straight out onto the tow path and when I came back I could pop in a grab a quick drink. It also does great food but today I just enjoyed their beer garden after my walk.The colours didn’t disappoint and the oranges were really starting to come out.
The recently renovated locks are looking great and you can tell that the canal is really looked after. I didn’t walk far today but you can walk all the way to Guildford which is also very beautiful.
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