Here are some great low cost activities to try together from the Childcare Team in Springboard Family Resource Project. These are included in the second booklet in the series “Parenting through Covid 19 – handy hints to keep home life happy” which was produced by staff in Finn Valley Family Resource Centre and Springboard Family Support Project.
Butterfly
Materials/Resources needed 
• Toilet roll holder
• Paper
• Scissors
• Glue /prit stick
• Markers /crayons/colouring pencils
• Pencil/pen
Preparation and instructions
Some children may need an adult to help.
Trace the child’s hand on the paper using the pen/pencil do this twice. Help child cut out their hands that they traced using scissors. Let the child colour in his/her hands that they traced using crayons, colour in toilet roll holder, when the child is finished colouring in help them to stick their hands onto the back of the toilet roll holder, turn around and add or colour on eyes mouth and nose.
Objects and Nature Painting
Materials/resources you will need for this activity.
• Paints
• Paint brushes
• Tubs
• Water
• Paper/card
• Potatoes / leaves / stones/ apples
• Preparations and instructions
Preparation and Instructions
• Children will need to go outside and gather different shaped leaves and pebbles or anything they choose to paint with. This is a fun filled activity and should keep children amused for some time in the home.
• Put all materials on table and fill tubs with water so you can wash the paintbrushes after use. Use different coloured paints if you choose. Cut potatoes or apples in half and paint, see the different designs left on paper.
• Leave and let them dry.
• Remember to encourage children to help tidy up when your painting activity is finished and wash all paintbrushes and then dry so you can reuse them the next time you want to paint.
Milk Carton Birdhouse
Materials/ resources needed:
• Plastic 2 litre milk carton
• Paint or markers
• Scissors
• String
• Sticky tape
• Bird seed or breadcrumbs
• Loose bark or grass
• Stickers if you want to personalise
Preparation & Instructions
• Wash milk carton thoroughly and put upside down to dry out
• Cut out a square underneath the handle, start in the middle and work your way up to make doors ( make sure to have an adult present for this step)
• Press along the door line to fold door flaps out
• Remove lid and tape string to top using sticky tape and now add the lid to secure
in place
• Time to decorate your bird feeders using paints or markers and design, you can even personalise it.
• Leave to dry out.
Add loose bark or grass inside the bird feeder. Now it s time to hang your bird feeder in your garden, add breadcrumbs and watch for birds.
Enjoy.
DIY Salt Dough – Name or Initial Ornaments
Materials /Resources Required:
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup salt
• 3/4 – 1 cup of water – add water slowly
as you may need less
• Paint
• Paintbrush
• Cookie cutters or plastic knife
• Ribbon or string
• Parchment paper/ cooking tray
Recipe/Instructions
• Mix flour, salt and water in a bowl
(if dough is too dry add more water, if it’s too wet add more flour)
• Roll out dough on a flat surface
• Cut out your name or Initials using cutters or a plastic knife
• Place on a tray using parchment paper 
• Poke a small hole in the corner of letters
• Bake at 250 degrees for approximately 2-3 hours
• Leave to cool
• Paint and decorate and then leave to dry
• Add ribbon and hang your new decoration wherever you like
Our thanks to Mairead Connolly. Childcare Team Leader Springboard
Carole McBrearty. Childcare worker, Springboard and Anita Dolan. Childcare Worker, Springboard for these great ideas.
You can read “Parenting through Covid 19 – handy hints to keep home life happy” here
https://www.cypsc.ie/_fileupload/Documents/Resources/Donegal/FVFRC%20-%20Parenting%20through%20Covid%2019%20Booklet%202.pdf