1 |Baking

Kids love watching mummy or daddy cook, so cease this as an opportunity to introduce your child to cooking. Baking cupcakes and cookies is something children really enjoy. A word of warning – it may get messy, but that is all part of the fun. Baking is great for parent/child bonding time, so get your child involved and get creative.

2 | Cinema Nights

So your cookies and cupcakes are cooling down, what better way to eat them than watching a good film. Put a night aside where all the family can get together and watch a movie. Make a real night of it, choose a film from a draw, create pretend tickets, fluff up the cushions and spend some quality time together, (indulging in cakes), perfect.

3 | Sleepovers

Similar to cinema nights, sleepovers are an easy and cheap way to entertain the kids. Get your child’s friends over, prepare some nibbles and grab some child friendly DVDs and they will be entertained for hours. To make sure they get a good night’s sleep, give them a curfew and let them know when lights are out!

4 | Story time

During the school holidays, when money is tight it can be hard to find activities that will entertain your child for less money. Story-telling is a pocket-friendly way to keep your child’s mind stimulated. There are hundreds of children’s books in your local library or charity store. Put the kettle on, cuddle up on the sofa and read to your little ones. Be enthusiastic, act out the characters, create accents and voices to engage the child.

5 | Put on a play

Children love dressing up so why not ask them to create a play for you to watch? Children will entertain themselves for hours, rehearsing and picking out their costumes.

6 | Treasure Hunts

Particulalrly fun for spring and summer, create treasure hunts. Hide little treats in the garden and challenge your children and their friends to find them. Perhaps put on a small picnic too and make a real afternoon of it.

7 | Arts and Crafts

Ideal for rainy days, art and craft sets get your child thinking creatively.  Whether its drawing, colouring- in or creating little figures or making perfumes, these indoor activities will provide endless hours of entertainment.

8 | Make a den

Kids love having their own private den for them and their friends to hang out. You can easily create a private den by draping blankets across some chairs and attaching them together with pegs. Fill the den up with cushions and pillows, creating a comfortable space. To make the kids feel that extra bit ‘cool’ provide them with little torches so they can pretend they are camping in the ‘wild.’

9 | Cycling

Whether you go to the local shops or down the local park, children will want to ride on their bikes. Toddlers can join in on the fun too by riding a balance bike. These are pedal-less, perfect for toddlers who want to learn to ride without stabilisers.

10 | Trampolines

The sun is out and the grass is green and your children are running riot around the house! Trampolines are a great outdoor toy that will provide endless hours of fun. Remember to be observant and make sure the trampoline is safe by attaching an enclosure around the trampoline and have a ladder for easy access. Parents can get involved too and create games for the children to play, such as Simon Says.

Choose the perfect balance bike and trampoline this spring, ideal for outdoor fun.

Black and white photography allows you to play with more dimensions including tone, shade, texture, contrast and lighting.

Black and white photos can also create a romantic and sentimental atmosphere or capture the harshness of a landscape.

When taking your next photo use these following tips to perfect that ultimate black and white photo:

5 | Lighting

You need to use your lighting to its full advantage to enhance contrast and shadow. Different strengths of lighting will give your picture different moods and effects.

4 | Use Line and Shapes

If you take a photo and it has lines and unusual shapes in it then it may look better in a black and white photo.

3 | Texture

Texture is emphasised in black and white photos so use it to your full advantage.

2 | Contrast

High contrast will make everything in your photo stand out, whilst low contrast softens everything in the photo. Depending on what mood you want to create in your photo, using contrast is a great way to draw attention to something or remove it.

1 | Remove Colour

Ask yourself before you take the photo whether it would look better in Black and White. Ask yourself what you want to say with the photo.

Find out the what is the top selling camera at the moment.

Many people assume that Golf if a ‘rich man’s hobby,’ yet that does not explain why more and more people are getting involved in the activity each year. As we are approaching Spring, it is the perfect time to start perfecting your swing and going to your local crazy golf for a few practice sessions!

So why golf?

Golf has many health benefits that will improve your performance in everyday life. Golf has been known to improve visualisation skills. By imagining your swing, putt, or overall form you are exercising your right brain which is responsible for your creativity.

The hobby improves coordination skills as you need to be precise with your movements in order to get the ball in the hole. Whether its hand-eye, repeated precision strokes or balance you are still exercising your coordination skills.

Golf allows one to sharpen their focus. By concentrating on the ball and imagining your swing, you are training your brain to focus. It becomes easier to control your attention and thought processing.

Golf is often associated as an elderly sport as it improves skills that often reduce during old age, such as visualisation and focus, however it is an activity that can be enjoyed by anyone, at any age.

Especially in young children, golf is about self-improvement. It is excellent exercise and provides children with skills that they need in life, for example, spatial awareness and coordination. Golf also helps children understand leadership, responsibility and courage. The activity also improves social skills as players often play against one another or on teams. Children can spend quality time building relationships through the sport.

Mini golf or crazy golf are generally enjoyed by young children and teenagers. These provide a great taster about what the activity involves.

Tips for Beginners

The key is to keep your eye on the ball and aim for hole

Keep a track of your score (and be honest!)

Make sure you use an object, for instance a coin to mark the ground where the ball lands so you know where to play from on your next turn

Most importantly, you need some decent clubs so you achieve a great performance.

If you want to try this activity in Spring 2012, get practicing and get prepared! Begin your new hobby now and find out the bestsellers in golf.

Reading is considered as one of the best pastimes. Enjoyed by people of all ages, reading is a brilliant way to acquire knowledge, increase communication skills and use your imagination. Reading is becoming increasingly important, especially for children as more and more are leaving school without the ability to read. People need to be educated and reading has great benefits that will stay with you for a lifetime.

Here is a list of some of the best books out there at the moment:

Susan Hill – The Woman in Black

Currently on the big screen, the adaption of Susan Hill’s ‘The Woman in Black’ is haunting viewers with its suspense and tragic plot. Deeply intense and scary, the sinister novel really delves into the fears of its readers. The story is about a lawyer who travels to a remote village where he discovers a vengeful ghost who is terrorizing the locals, as she herself holds a dark secret.

Robert Louis Stevenson – Treasure Island

This adventure story is best known for its atmosphere, character, action and ambiguity of morality. This novel influenced the perceptions of pirates enormously. It played a huge role in changing childrens’ adventure books and is one of the most loved novels around the world. Centring on the young boy Jim Hawkins, readers are invited to accompany him on his adventure to unlock the mystery of treasure-island.

Jane Austen – Pride and prejudice

To date, this novel has sold over 20 million copies worldwide. The narrative opens with Mr Bingley, a wealthy young bachelor, moving into Netherfield house in the neighbourhood of the Bennet family. Mr Bingley is soon well received, while his friend Mr Darcy makes a less favorable first impression by appearing proud and condescending. Mr Bingley singles out Elizabeth’s elder sister, Jane, for particular attention, and it soon becomes apparent that they have formed an attachment to each other.

Want more ideas? Below is the list of the top 100 books you should read before you die. http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/bigread/top100.shtml

Find out what is currently the best selling book.

Learning to ride a bicycle is one of life’s milestones, an introduction to independence and self-confidence. For small children, learning to ride can be a both challenging and exciting process. For the best experience, you need to make sure they have the best vehicle to practice on.

The key to a successful rider however is not just about the bike. There is an easy way for children to learn how to cycle, and believe it or not, it involves no special tricks or teaching whatsoever. Children can teach themselves.

The perfect bike to allow children to perfect their own technique is the balance bike.

The balance bike does not have any pedals or stabilisers. The child is completely in control. It has been researched that children learn quicker and easier with balance bikes, as children learn how to balance and control their own movements simply by trial and error without any help.

Most children will learn how to teach themselves, often in a short amount of time. The key is to not rush your child, simply let them explore on their own. As they begin developing more techniques, they will increasingly become more confident and independent. Witnessing your child learning to cycle themselves can be a very rewarding experience for parents. It’s a sign of growth and intelligence.

The safest place for a child to learn is in a large open flat area. This will maximise their freedom and space to explore and challenge themselves. Avoid taking your child to a location that has a lot of obstacles. Allow them to practice on soft surfaces – no tarmac as it would hurt your child considerably if they fell off.

It is important that your child is fully protected when learning to cycle. A child must always wear a helmet. Helmets should fit snuggly on a childs’ head and the straps must always be fastened securely to prevent it falling off.  Gloves are vital to protect your childs’ hands against cuts and grazes.

For inspirational wooden balance bikes, visit your local retailers. Kiddimoto sells award-winning balance bikes and attractive childs helmets that your children will love.

The Xbox 360 has been tipped as the best selling games console by consumer analysts.

The redesign of Microsoft’s original game console was eagerly awaited in 2010 and has not disappointed since.

There are a vast amount of games available to play on the Xbox 360, the most popular games being:

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Final Fantasy XIII-2

Batman: Arkham City

Dark Souls

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

Gears of War 3

The Xbox 360 consoles feature redesigned architecture with the Valhalla motherboard, which allows for around 30% more space than previous motherboards.

They also feature five standard USB 2.0 ports (two more than previous models) and an additional custom USB port for use with peripherals such as the Kinsect sensor.

The external hard disk drive connector has also been swapped for an internal bay for use with a proprietary hard drive. The hard drive bay is designed such that a specially formatted laptop hard drive may be loaded in. It has been noted that users can also open up the casing of the original model’s hard drive and simply load it into the drive bay instead of purchasing a hard drive branded for use with the new model.

Xbox 360 has made the country go gaming mad! So join in on the fun! At the moment it is at its lowest price! For more details on this best games console, visit http://www.theranktank.co.uk

Parents are often unsure about what is the suitable age for children to begin getting involved in activites and hobbies.

In the Hobby Spot’s opinion, the earlier the better!

Getting children involved in hobbies from an early age helps improve a childs’ coordination, teaches children to work in a team and gives them a goal to target. Hobbies can give your child the best start in life. Even if the activity is not competitive, the child is still learning the basics of something.

Below are some fun hobbies children will love:

Swimming – Swimming encourages fun and learning and helps your child to develop self-confidence and a positive self-image. Research has shown that early swimmers perform better on tests measuring social, academic, motor and personality developments. The benefits of swimming are endless and the confidence they will develop within the water could help them in the future if a difficult situation did occur in the future. Swimming also strengthens the bond between parent and child.

Musical Instruments – Learning an to play an instrument has many advantages for growing the brain. Research has shown that playing instruments improve childrens’ language skills. Playing an instrument can significantly enhance the brain’s sensitivity to speech sounds.

Art – Drawing and colouring can improve a child’s concentration and association skills. This hobby will also enhance their creativity. Teach them about colour, neatness and accuracy. This is something they can do for hours  and will help them improve their efforts in school.

Cooking – Cooking is one of the most loved hobbies. Cooking can significantly improve a child’s maths, planning, thinking and time management ability. This hobby can really improve your child’s creativity. Most importantly, cooking encourages healthy eating. Talk your child through the cooking process, cook with fresh ingredients, introduce them to foods, talk about where they come from, and allow them to feel the texture. The more they know about a product, the more likely they are to try it.

Balanceability - The benefits of this learning programme are endless and can really direct children into making happier and healthier lifestyle choices in the future. Not only are balance bikes a great vehicle for balance, coordination and spatial awareness, but they also help to improve a childs’ confidence, independence and social skills.

The main purpose of these programmes is to allow children to learn to ride without ever needing stabalisers. Balanceability aims to build childrens’ confidence and self-esteem as well as providing social, psychological and physical benefits.

If you want to find the perfect balance bike for your child, visit your local toy store.

Got a lot of spare time and you fancy being creative? Why not try some of these creative hobbies. You never know, you may discover a new talent!

Glass Blowing

Did you know that glass making is one of the oldest trades. Utilising glass has been round for more than 3,500 years, but it was not until 1903 when the glass bottle automatron was invented.

Artistic glass and fine tableware are produced the same way as ordinary glass.

Glass blowers usually work in groups of 6. One will collect the correct amount of molton glass onto his blowing iron. Person two will begin to shape the glass by rolling it on a ‘marver.’ By blowing through the pipe, the glass is formed in a preliminary shape. Various blowers will use their skills to shape the glass by rotating the blow pipe constantly to keep the soft material going out of shape.

If you do not have the skill, go and see those that can! Craftmen usually have open workshops and displays so you can explore the wonder that is glass blowing.

Go Oriental!

Origami, is the Japanese word for the art of paper folding.

Origami paper is thin, strong and hold creases very well. The paper is usually white on one side and coloured on the other. Origami artists have been known to fold sheet metal, cardboard and even sheets of pasta into interesting models.

The basic technique of origami is folding, and many complex folds have been developed. The simplest fold is the valley fold, where a flat piece of paper is folded towards the paperfolder. When this fold is unfolded, the crease line forms a valley shape.

Artists and craftspeople use origami as a way to express themselves creatively. Scientists, architects, and mathematicians explore the geometry of origami for its own beauty and for practical applications.

Hobbies help children build their own character and personality. Hobbies are a vital part of a child’s development, so choosing the perfect hobby needs careful consideration.

Below are some benefits of hobbies: 

• Hobbies help to improve learning skills
• Outdoor hobbies such as swimming, ballet, football and cycling help improve fitness and strength.
• Hobbies fortify a child’s behaviour with culture and discipline
• Hobbies can highlight a child’s special talent - without trying different hobbies you will not know what your child is good at
• Activities improve self-confidence

To find out what activities interest your child, simply observe the childs’ interest. Often children are forced into hobbies they do not enjoy and will eventually resent it. Try experimenting different hobbies and see which ones they prefer.

Don’t feel like you have to break the bank to find a good hobby for your child.

Balance bikes are ideal for toddlers as young as three. A balance bike does not have pedals or stabilisers, so children learn to balance and steer very quickly. Soon they’ll be balancing, learning and playing all at once. All the time, they are developing their motor skills and coordination, while having terrific fun.

Hobbies such as cycling is more cost effective as once you have purchased a bike it can be used over and over without costing more money.

To find out more about balance bikes and bike helmets for kids, see http://www.kiddimoto.co.uk

It may not be summer yet, but if you are like me you want ice cream all year round.

Have you ever wondered how it tastes so good? Are you always spoilt for choice at the ice cream stand? Always go for vanilla but secretly want to try something new?

Well, ice cream making is a skill. And it is definately a skill you want to learn.

With your very own ice cream maker you can add ingredients that you really love, experiment and create lots of weird and wonderful flavours that you would never normally try.

Homemade ice cream is a real party piece. Ice cream is a perfect dessert for families after a Sunday dinner, and a great way for you to introduce your new skill that everyone can enjoy - (providing you’re good!).

Treat your girlfriends (and guy friends) to an ice cream feast while having a quiet movie night.

Here are some tempting recipies:

Chocolate Chip

Ingredients:
1/2 (250ml) pint milk
1/2 pint (250ml) double/heavy cream
3oz (75g) sugar
5oz (125g) plain chocolate (grated)

Place the milk and sugar into a saucepan and heat gently, dissolving the sugar. Place the milk to one side to cool and when cold, stir in the cream.

Transfer the complete mixture into an ice cream maker following the manufacturer’s instructions BUT remember to add the grated chocolate as the ice cream begins to thicken.

Butter Pecan

Ingredients:                                                               

1/2 pint (500ml) single/light cream
1/2 pint (500ml) heavy/double cream
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup of pecan nuts (chopped)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (or according to taste)

Place the single cream, sugar and butter into a saucepan and mix together over a low heat. Stir until the mixture starts to bubble around the edges. Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow to cool.

When the mixture is cold transfer it into an ice cream maker and stir in the double cream and vanilla extract. Freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions but remember to add the pecan nuts 5-10 minutes from the end of the freezing cycle.

HB