We visited Corfe Castle in Dorset at the weekend,
My eldest three children are all currently enjoying The Famous Five books and the castle was apparently Enid Blyton’s inspiration for Kirrin Island, scene of many of The Five’s adventures. It was an easy choice for a day trip.
The drive was over three hours long so the children packed bags with various random pieces of junk toys, chosen mostly because they happened to be near the door when we were leaving.
But No. 2 Son had other ideas.
In true Famous Five fashion, he filled his pocket with good things.
A sand timer, a marble and a die.
My hero.
He kept the others entertained all day.
Can you imagine the games they played on the castle rocks? Think of the different ways you could combine these three simple objects.
You could:
- Time races
- Play games of chance
- Roll the die to determine how many attempts you get to flick the marble at the target
- Time how long it takes you to get to the top of the hill and back
- Pretend the marble is the hidden treasure
- Try to roll a six before the timer runs out.
- Try to roll a ‘4’ and a ‘2’ consecutively. That’s the code for the secret door.
Not a toy in sight but enough fun for all four children, all day long.
What combination of objects could you offer your child today? Three simple things that go together in interesting ways?
- A wooden spoon, some twine and a cork
- A ball, a sock and a ladle
- Paper clips, a tape measure and a coat hanger
- Some fabric, a hat and a bulldog clip
Anything will do. Odd combinations spark novel ideas. See what you can come up with.
