You know the days,  you’ve heard ‘Mummy!’ (or ‘Daddy!’) for the gazillionth time, and you fear the next utterance from your dear little one will either result in you sliding uncontrollably into snivelling, weeping mess on the floor, or your face turning a very unflattering shade of puce as you struggle to contain the bubbling pot within that is cruelly spitting and spluttering at your ‘cool mum’ persona…. Why not take a time out with a  low tech option?

When irritation niggles, and your kids are pestering you to be entertained, it’s all to easy to fall into the trap of over-thinking the problem – and if you’re watching the pennies this can often result in a visit or adventure that puts further strain on your purse.

I’ve learnt though that sometimes my children just want to spend some time with me.  So, at these times you could sit down and watch a film or TV show with your children, although if you’re like me the socks – it’s nearly always socks – that come dancing out of the laundry pile while you’re sitting down, can be very distracting…

Reading a book or two with the kids is a nice idea, but I’ve recently discovered an activity with a miraculous (and somewhat unexpected) benefit – Colouring!

After half an hour or so of colouring, all our stress just melted away – and I was transported back to a  time, as a child, of simple pleasures.

We admired each other’s artistic skills, discussed various colour options, selected which bits we would choose to express our creative talents and generally had a rather lovely time.

I genuinely enjoyed the time spent colouring – I know! – and would heartily recommend it as a short, calm, inexpensive activity.  If like me, you would like something a bit more ‘grown-up’ and challenging than your average children’s colouring book then I have a look at Johanna Basford’s Secret Garden: An Inky Treasure Hunt and Colouring Book

The intricate whimsical designs will afford you a ‘grown up’ platform for your pencil crayon masterpieces, and the treasure hunt will revive the interest of small children, when the magic of colouring starts to wane.

Alternatively, for a truly retro vibe, why not invest in a geometric design colouring book – do you remember the Altair design colouring books of decades past…??

Remember, the world seems better after a spot of colouring – who knew?

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Tagged: altair, colouring, johanna basford, Lulu, Mook, pencil crayons, rainy day activities, secret garden an inky treasure hunt and colouring book, summer fun with the kids