1. Do a circus routine  Encourage your child to practise being a clown (for costumes, use ping-pong balls for a big red nose, colourful oversize clothing, some funny glasses and a big hat), an acrobat (who does cartwheels, somersaults and handstands

each year, this fair is a showcase for many new artists. There are also plenty of hands-on, family-friendly activities, all of which are free. So spend an hour or two finding some original works your child likes, then talk with the experts at the show

, Usborne Publishing, £6.99.Cooking With Kids by Linda Collister, Ryland Peters & Small, £10.49.Crafting With Kids by Catherine Woram,  Ryland Peters & Small, £14.99. Creative Child by Dorothy Einon, Hamlyn, £14.99.Creepy Creatures by Julie Sharp,  GMC Books

to settle down to eat your dinner is checking whether your child's food is cut into small enough portions, so prepare and serve their meals first. 

1. JUNE 4-6 Wychwood, Gloucestershire Nominated best family festival (every year!), the line up here includes the Levellers, The South and King Creosote. There will also be over 100 events and workshops including circus skills, puppet shows and yoga for chlidren. Visit w...

. Using colourful magazine pages, have your child cut out lots of little shapes from the different shades of colours they want to include (ask them to name the shapes as they go, and the shapes don’t have to be perfect to work for their mosaic). Keep

1. Chalk drawings  Draw a large ‘frame’ on the driveway, give your child some coloured chalk and set them the task of making a mural. Suggest a few objects they can use as ‘stencil shapes’ – boards, plastic containers – for their Cubist masterpiece

each child pack a bag – tell them not to tell you, but to choose a specific destination (the snow, the beach, a safari etc), then they can pack their bags with all the appropriate gear. When all the bags are packed, arrive at ‘the airport’ (aka your

characters from your child’s favourite storybooks? Then tell gingerbread man stories.3.  Animal restaurants  Ever heard of the Fresh Fly Café? You would if you were a frog. How about the Thoroughly Scared Mouse Brasserie? It would be your eatery of choice

1. DJ and disco Give your child the run of the CDs for the day and have her put together a playlist for a disco. Ask her to make decorations and name the event, then set a time when she will play DJ (with Dad’s help) while you take to the dance