Swap your ski jacket for waterskis with a stay at Beachcomber’s Shandrani Resort & Spa in Mauritius. Winner of the Junior Design Award 2011 for Best International Hotel, it’s an ideal option for active families because of its huge range of land

45 Days Of FunOpen Now–August 14There will be no excuse to stay indoors this summer with The Gyle, Edinburgh organising 45 days of free summer activities from 1st July. Children of all ages can get involved with activities ranging from free pop

for traidcraft stalls with gifts and cards, mince pies and seasonal nibbles, children's activities, storytime and a Christmas Quiz.Time: 10.30am–12.30pm. Cobbett Road Library, Cobbett Road Southampton SO18 1HL.Plymouth Christmas CarnivalDecember 5See

1. Body painting  Buy a selection of bathtime body paints, then hop in the tub to paint designs on each body part, naming the body parts and the things you are drawing as you go... bees on their knees, a sweet on their feet and so on. 2. Put on a puppet show  If you don’t have pu...

Alongside all those fabulous shows there will also be some great Kids Week activities, free to ticket-holders for that day’s performance. Here’s a flavour of what’s going on:ROOM ON THE BROOM TALK BACK, August 19Join the cast of Room On The Broom

Slip and slideSo easy to do and guaranteed many laughs. Go to your local hardware store and get a heavy-duty plastic tarpaulin that folds out lengthwise. Find a small grassy hill and stake the tarpaulin down on both corners at both ends. Pour on some water from a bucket, ready fo...

Plant a sunflowerIf you want a row or two of towering sunflowers in your garden come the end of summer, you have to plan in advance. Fill a flowerpot with compost soil and sow two or three seeds about 1cm deep. Keep the pots in a sunny spot on a windowsill and water regularly. Wh...

Nature Adventures by Mick Manning and Brita Granström (£7.99, Frances Lincoln)A finely detailed guide to the natural life that can be found in various habitats from town to country. The evocative illustrations and comprehensive listings of various flora and fauna make this an abs...

1. Children can bring the beauty of a winter snow flurry indoors minus the slushy carpets by making a pretty homemade snowglobe. Take an old, cleaned jam jar and remove the top, then trim a piece of cork to the width of a pound coin and superglue it to the underside of the lid. F...

1. Throw an afternoon tea party  A tiny table, a pot of lukewarm ‘tea’, cups, saucers, serviettes and spoons and your toddler will be acting like the perfect lady of the house... Encourage her to ‘pour the tea’ and ‘add the sugar’. Offer plenty of pleases and thank-yous.2. ‘Paint...