Leisure time articles

Halloween is an exciting holiday for many children, but for parents and carers it can be a smidge stressful. Try keeping it simple this year with our editor's pick of Halloween costumes that are timeless (which means they could also be reused). Sometimes, going back to the basics can save you time, money and stress!

Summer camps are becoming bigger and better, with a huge selection of offerings in the UK. But many primary-school parents are unaware or unsure of what summer camps are, how they’re run, and what the benefits are for their children.

That’s why we asked Christopher Green MBE from Summer Camps Trust to answer some of the burning questions parents have about summer camps in the UK.

Silly dads, mums, grandads, carers, step parents, teachers – we all know at least one silly family member (if not several!). Find a fun gift for a special occasion that compliments their wacky personality. It's time to celebrate that silly someone who brightens up your day.

Halloween is an exciting time for children but many parents worry about the cost of costumes, decorations, treats and parties. With the cost-of-living crisis putting the pressure on, how can we make it a memorable holiday for our kids with minimum damage to our bank accounts? We’ve come up with some ideas that might help…

In the past children were often discouraged from reading graphic novels because they weren’t seen as ‘real’ books but, in fact, the vocabulary, storylines and humour are highly sophisticated and offer reluctant readers a brilliant introduction to the world of books. Children’s book expert and founder of children’s book review platform Toppsta, Georgina Atwell, picks 10 of the best to capture children’s imagination.

Is your child a future eco-foodie? Learn to cook healthy sweet or savoury crêpes, veg-peel crisps and apple and ginger flapjacks with an extract from Green Kids Cook, a sustainable cooking and living guide for kids from cookery writer and teacher Jenny Chandler.

With plots to uncover, mysteries to solve and codes to break you'll need to work hard to join the best junior detectives and super-smart sleuths in children's literature. Puzzle your way through our pick of the best detective stories for KS2 kids.

Take the whinging out of walking with these great ideas for helping your child enjoy getting out and about.

Feeling the pinch? These brilliant ideas will banish boredom without testing your bank balance.

Even if you have never lit a firework in your life, you might be thinking about putting on your own back-garden display for your family. The Child Accident Prevention Trust offer advice to help you make an informed decision and avoid buying seriously dangerous fireworks, as well as suggesting plenty of ideas for firework-free fun.

Help your child develop their artistic skills with three hands-on sculpture projects in our extract from Wonder Art Workshop by Sally Haughey.

Develop your child's creativity – and yours! – by telling and sharing stories. Performance storyteller John Kirk offers a few expert tips to help you make an ordinary retelling of a traditional tale memorable and magical.

In school and out, play is an important part of every child’s life. We asked child psychotherapists and play experts to explain how imaginative and structured play helps your child learn, develop and grow and offer tips to help support playful learning at home.

If you’re looking for new ways to keep your kids entertained and educated at home (without eyes on screens!) then look no further. Podcasts are this generation’s radio, except even better because you can be much more specific about what you want to listen to and when.

In this day and age, we may be spending more time indoors but thanks to our laptops and devices we can let the world come to us instead – take a trip round Frida Kahlo’s kitchen, share some chocolate cake with Michael Rosen and journey to the International Space Station with our pick of 50 of the best virtual trips and educational experiences. By Hetty Walton

World-renowned, big columns, ancient artefacts, absolutely enormous – what else comes to mind when thinking about a visit to the British Museum? Our family testers found the wealth of resources on hand for children, and share their top tips for a grand day out.

From donating outgrown shoes to planting trees, there are lots of ways for your child to support charities, help the environment and take care of their community. Here are few of our favourites.

Help your child navigate the gaming world safely with our practical, tip-packed guide for modern parents.

Every parent worries about the amount of time their kids spend gaming and it can be difficult to know what restrictions to put in place. There is no 'one size fits all' when it comes to parenting a gamer, but here are some tips to help you get the best out of their gaming time.