This is such a fun and simple activity for kids of all ages and we love the bright ribbons that we used from our stash.  Don’t the colours look beautiful against the blue sky and the way that they blow in the wind is a great indicator of both the strength of the wind and the direction.

How to make a rainbow windsock

This was a craft we made for flora!

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Materials:

• Paper Cups
• Hole Punch
• Coloured Ribbon
• Twine
• Cotton Wool
• PVA Glue

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I am a huge fan of being creative with kids and this activity is perfect for the occasional rainy spring day and then once the sun is out you can get outside with your windsock and make the most of the weather. Spring is a fab time to get outside with the kids and make the most of the lighter nights and warmer days.

Start by making two holes in your paper cut to tie the twine through. You could staple it, but punching the holes is great fun.

Cut the bottom out of the cup, so that the wind flows through it.

Glue different coloued ribbons to the bottom of the cup, these are to represent the rainbows that come with storms.

Then cover the outside of the cup with cotton wool balls to make it look like a cloud.

Keep going until all of the cup is covered.

Disclosure: I was commissioned to create this craft for the Flora website and to share it with you here

Know your home

If you aren’t already fully clued up about your home there’s no time like the present to change that. This means finding out how to turn off your water by locating your stop valve. In the event of a pipe bursting or leaking this can put a stop to the flow and reduce the likelihood of it causing serious damage to your property. It’s also worth being aware of how to knock off your electricity at the mains. Take a little time out to ensure your house has the appropriate level of protection too. This might mean reading through the terms and conditions of your boiler cover, home insurance and contents insurance or taking them out if you don’t have them already.

Make preparations for bad weather

No one likes to think adverse weather conditions will hit them, but Britain’s climate is often unpredictable so it’s wise to be ready for anything! Make sure you’re able to clear your paths and driveways in snowy weather by having a shovel (or even better a snow shovel) available, as well as an adequate supply of salt and grit.

It makes sense to look at having roof repairs done before the harsh winter as no roofer will go up in windy or bad conditions. If you do have an emergency repair and can not get anyone out then it might be worth considering Commercial Roofing Contractors to see if they have any availability between large jobs.

It’s also worth insulating your pipes as this will keep heat in and reduce the chances of them freezing in a cold snap. You could also add an insulation jacket to your boiler, these are inexpensive and can help to save you money on your heating bills.

If you have a little extra cash to spare why not also look into double-glazing your property? This may be fairly costly initially but will keep your home warmer and more secure throughout the year, so it’s sure to pay for itself fairly quickly. You might also like to look into insulating your roof and walls or draught-proofing your home.

You might be surprised at just how much hot air is escaping through a little gap under your custom shaped windows and doors. Of course, easy improvements can be made by keeping windows and doors closed, using a draught excluder, taking advantage of brighter spells to let light heat a room naturally and drawing curtains once the sun goes down.

Keep yourself warm

Energy bills can rocket in winter but it’s important to make sure you stay warm enough. There are ways to achieve this without needing to leave the central heating on all day.

Make sure you wear layers of clothing around the house and in really chilly conditions cover up with a blanket or your duvet. It’s also important to stay healthy so give yourself enough exercise and make sure you eat a hot meal each day. If you’re out of the house during the day consider turning down the thermostat by a couple of degrees.

This should keep things ticking over nicely and you can always turn it up again once you get home. The same applies to your bedroom as if you’d rather not fork out for heating the whole property all day long then simply make sure it’s warm enough for when you’re ready to get your head down for the night.

The annual residents association “carols on the green” has had to be moved to the village church instead of our estate green tonight due to the amount of snow.

So world, please can we have a thaw and get rid of the masses of snow, pretty please.

I am likely to be AWOL a little this week, as the snow pretty much has us penned in.  No school, no way the cars on the drive are moving and no buses.  So me and the boys are making the most of if.  MadDad didn’t even get in to work today, which is a first!

I am so glad that my mum has some fantasitc neighbours and friends as I can not get to her to help with shopping or anything.

Also my brother, sister in law and neice are flying back from Florida tomorrow, I hope that they can make it back from the airport safely.