Stuck for something to do with your child these holidays?
Below are 10 ideas to keep your child creatively entertained from our friends at the Sydney Story Factory, an amazing organisation that works with young marginalised young people in Redfern.
1. Go to a cafe or people watching place and help your child write reviews – of the food, the people, the conversations etc. The reviews can include drawings. menus, receipts etc. Kids can create their own mini magazine of reviews.
2. Make your own bookmarks by cutting up old cereal boxes into rectangles of the same size. Draw pictures of your child’s favourite characters on two of the strips and glue them together. Sandwich in tassles made from bits of wool to make them even more special.
3. Watch a favourite movie then talk about what the characters might get up to after it ends. Help your child write the script and get together siblings or friends to perform it for the family.
4. Encourage your child to become your street’s local historian. They can interview family members to find out about their lives; if you have friendly neighbours, they can interview them too. Encourage your child to write up their stories in an exercise book and present it to the interviewees as a Christmas or New Year gift.
5. Start writing kid’s fan fiction. Take your favourite characters and put them in a new place – eg. (How does Count Olaf deal with his new life running the school canteen).
6. Create a wacky writerly non de plume. Tell us all about the writer you have created. Bonus points: take on the personality of the non de plume and write a story, play or poem.
7. Go to the art gallery and pick an interesting painting. Talk with your friends or parents about the possible stories. Now, create a collaborative story, each participant writes a sentence and passes it on to the next person.
8. Give your children blank journals or notebooks and have them personalize the cover. Set aside fifteen minutes each day as journaling time and have them write about their day. Encourage them to collect tickets, trinkets, and other memorabilia from their summer outings and paste them in their journal.
9. Talk to your children about newspapers and magazines and show them examples. Ask older children to create their own family newspaper featuring stories, advertisements, family news, cartoons, and more.
10. Bring them into the Martian Embassy and Gift Shop, 176 Redfern Street, Redfern, to write a postcard to the Martians. The Martians will write back! Check out their amazing store www.martianembassy.com.au
This is a guest post by the fab guys at the Sydney Story Factory.
The Sydney Story Factory is a not-for-profit creative writing centre for young people. Trained volunteer tutors offer free help to write stories of all kinds. Programs target marginalised young people, and those from Indigenous and non-English speaking backgrounds, but are open to everyone.
Competition now closed winner announced soon.
Winner: Teena Lewis
Thanks to the Sydney Story Factory and the Martian Embassy and Gift Shop I have an Intergalactic Space Travel Kit to giveaway!
To enter get creative and give me a little poem about Mars, Martians or anything intergalactic. Most creative (as chosen by mwhaa wins). Competition closes 5 Jan 2015.
Good Luck
Belinda Ban
January 5, 2015 at 3:51 pmAliens from Mars visited our planet..
”What’s with all the pollution, wars and racism..dammit!”
If Earthlings don’t change, like Mars your world will be quite empty.
for all us Martians wish for is a land of plenty!
Teena Lewis
January 5, 2015 at 10:11 amI once knew a man who went to space
He came back with a bright green face
When I asked him where he had been
He said “Mars visiting my queen”!
I asked him what he did there
He said, “sang and danced in my underwear”
I asked him why he returned
He replied “to show you all I have learned”
I queried what could he teach me
He turned around and showed me a key
He put it in a hole in his neck
Turned and showed me a little speck
What is that I asked
“Why Mars of course” and set to task
He pushed a button and threw it in the air
Out came his green queen in her underwear!
Laura Scriven
January 5, 2015 at 7:22 amSpace, the final frontier,
It’s where I minds steer!
Wondering about the other beings alive,
Or whether anything can survive.
The big wide universe to explore,
It’s natural to want to know more!
A favourite with adults and children as well,
Always ringing that intrigue bell.
Belinda
January 4, 2015 at 6:13 pmI once knew a man called Lars
he told me he came from some place called Mars
he was all green and big eyed
then one day he said bye bye and started to fly
Oh how I miss my friend Lars from Mars
Sally
January 4, 2015 at 4:52 pmSpace is ace for the Galactic race.
Aliens fly around with such grace.
No cars on Mars but plenty of pretty stars.
Certainly a wonderful view from afar.
The suns so hot,
but fear not….
for soon the man on the moon will ease the doom.
Sharyn W
January 3, 2015 at 8:15 pmThere was a martian named Martin
Who couldnt stop himself fartin’
Planet Mars really stunk
But lucky he was a hunk
And instead got the martian girls laughin’
Lesley Needham
January 3, 2015 at 11:37 amMars! Mars! Mars!
Stay an empty red rock.
If you let us Earthlings in
you’ll get Maccas on every block.
Debb
January 1, 2015 at 9:19 pmThere once was a martian from mars
He loved to eat planets and stars
His mum said it was rotten
But then all was forgotten
And now he prefers to eat cars
Tamara Lamb
January 1, 2015 at 4:38 pmMercury ~ Your core is hotter than the sun
Venus ~ your acid rain is not much fun
Earth ~ our planet in which we dwell
Mars ~ your seven moons are oh so swell
Jupiter ~ largest planet in mass
Saturn ~ has rings made of rock, crystal and gas
Uranus ~ planet of wind and cold
Neptune ~ oh so very old!
Becky Downey
December 31, 2014 at 9:47 pmIs there space in space for me?
Oh yes, it’s a stellar place.
You’ll get a star reception.
It’s really out of this world.
It’s light years ahead of here.
You’ll be over the moon for sure.
There are a galaxy of stars waiting.
You’ll love it to or-bits!
A constellation prize it is.
A marsellous display that shines.
You’ll have a blast certainly.
But for now, be down to earth!
Scott Crumlin
December 31, 2014 at 6:50 pmI landed on the Red Planet with scissors and tape,
Little did I know they’d catch on quick and the Martians wouldn’t let me escape!
All sorts of paper hats and decorations became the thing to do,
The Martians just went silly, no more Mars TV, spending all day crafting became the very latest ‘new’,
The Martian King summoned me and when I showed him glue and glitter,
His head spun around 22 times and he leapt on Martian Twitter!,
Cutting, crafting, sticking together, making all your green feeler friends presents and who knew,
Turns out the Martian Elephants got wind of it in the ZOO!
Now the Red Planet looks alot more fun, and they’ve really showed panache.
I’m happy that I helped them, now to print myself some Martian cash . . .! 😛
Sue Bell
December 31, 2014 at 6:42 pmI wanted to visit Uncle Martin but nowhere could I see
That funny Martian Man so special he is to me.
Channel after channel I searched but he left no trail,
I even tried the NASA feed, all to no avail
My Favourite Martian has gone but I hope one day will return,
To share his life with Tim and Lorelei and talk of Mars his home.
Adrienne Harries
December 31, 2014 at 6:31 pmWhen I sail through space
I have a smile on my face
Jupiter Saturn and Mars
I love space travel more than cars
christina
December 31, 2014 at 3:15 pmI have a friend from marz
Her name is zarz
I call her zarz from marz
she loves to eat marz
she loves to speak marz
shed love to live on marz
Kell
December 31, 2014 at 2:12 pmI want to go to Saturn
I want to go to Mars
I’d like to take a Travel kit
while flying through the stars.
sam
December 31, 2014 at 1:59 pmThis chocoholic thinks of Mars & thinks of Mars Bars;
For the Milky Way, I think of white chocolate bars;
For the Sun, Old Gold Chocolate comes to mind;
Why can’t I get these delicacies out of my mind?
nicole larsen
December 31, 2014 at 12:45 pmMars is cool, Mars in fun, Mars is a place to have some fun
Val Helen
December 31, 2014 at 11:05 am“Go to sleep!” my parents once said,
But bedtime made me think instead
Of exploring Mars, Pluto and Saturn too
My secret power of flying helping me through.
I’d pass by stars and comets before landing on Mars
And visit my Martian friends playing cards
With interesting features my friends were bizarre
But I vowed I’d be accepting of differences near or far.
I may not dream of my space adventures anymore
No one tells me to sleep; if anything I need more!
The acceptance of differences has stayed with me though
Passed on to my kids with bedtime space stories to go.
Sharon Markwell
December 31, 2014 at 10:54 amThis chocoholic thinks of Mars & thinks of Mars Bars;
For the Milky Way, I think of white chocolate bars;
For the Sun, Old Gold Chocolate comes to mind;
Why can’t I get these delicacies out of my mind?
Jenny England
December 31, 2014 at 9:25 amA New Year!
So I thought I’d take a trip, so I jumped online
To find the best spaceship.
I Googled high, I Googles low
Because I could decide just where to go
Then suddenly it occurred to me
That Mars was definitely the place to see
So through Paypal I duely booked my flight
And I’m heading off, this very night!I
Chris King
December 31, 2014 at 8:42 amLittle Red Planet, I do see.
Any Martians out there, waiting for me?
I fire my rocket engines.
To the sky I now soar.
Thrusters thrusting fiercely,
G-Forces hit my jaw.
Little Red Planet,
I’m coming now. Just me.
A little Earthling man,
For Martians all to see.
Will you welcome me with open arms?
Greet me with music and charm?
Fire at me, and do harm?
My hand pauses at the Alarm.
Turn around,
Or wait and see?
Little Red Planet,
What’s in store for me?
Retrorockets firing now.
Landing gear is coming down.
Rocket ship on alien ground.
Hatchway opening –
What’s this I’ve found?
A little Martian man,
Smiling up at me.
Not three feet tall,
And green as green can be.
We greet and smile,
Handshakes all round.
Little Martian points to a mound.
I travel there,
Inside his home,
Have tea and scones,
Then handed the phone.
I call my Mum.
Long Distance, you see.
Reversing the charges.
I’m not silly, not me.
‘I’ll be back’, I say
‘Dinnertime then the sack.
Earth is not far away,
Just a rocket flight for Jack.’
‘Don’t be late’, Mum says.
‘Dinner’s nearly ready.
Make sure you wash your hands,
Before eating my spaghetti.’
I fly away, to blue, blue Earth.
Looking back at Mars.
I wonder if I’ll again see
My green, green friend,
With his cups of tea…
Annette Clarke
December 30, 2014 at 9:02 pmThere was a planet of which we spoke
One which was the butt of our joke
Not very famous
was our dear Uranus
Its name brings a smile to us naughty folk
Jules
December 30, 2014 at 3:58 pmThere was a little Martian from Mars
Who had a peculiar fetish for bras
He crept down from space
With a bra on his face
And quickly ended up behind bars.
Jonathon Turkich
December 30, 2014 at 3:19 pmThe middle of a long hot summer
Made easier with things from Mummahh
On one crystal clear starry night
I do get a fright
a martian says “g’day”
“i’m from far away”
“i’ve studied from Mars”
“how great are your cars”
“Can I have your commodore V8”
Kerryanne B
December 30, 2014 at 3:04 pmZippo zappo zoom
a martian is in the room
zipping here zapping there
he’s off to Mars but unaware
little green man here you go
ill swing you up off my yo-yo
Ebony Carr
December 30, 2014 at 2:59 pmMartians
Are
Really
Superior
Nancee Biviano
December 30, 2014 at 2:02 pmMars Bars
Are the Sheep on Mars
That go Baas
(as dictated by my 7 year old)
Kirsten W
December 30, 2014 at 2:02 pmRoses are red,
Violets are blue,
Martians are green,
And on New Year’s Day I will be too!
Narelle Rock
December 30, 2014 at 12:39 pmwhere outer space and stars aline,
there are aliens and beings divine,
they roam the planet, look kinda cool,
they’re not like us, I’m no fool!
would love to meet one, I will one day,
but I have no idea what I will say!
hope they are friendly and don’t scare me at all,
and from their planet I hope I don’t fall!
Amanda Mallory
December 29, 2014 at 2:53 pmMy little martian friend
Flies through the skies
Always observing
Never deserting
Us little human guys
On him I can depend
Rachel K
December 24, 2014 at 11:58 amWith a whizz and a bang and a pop pop pop
Our kitchen appliances sing, dance and bop
The house is mad, possessed without doubt
“I’m losing my mind” I hear myself shout
Never in my days has the toaster flown
Hovers through the air, emits a rainbow glow
The kettle does whizz, the microwaves hops
The dogs are in hiding under the mop
But creeping to the cupboard, true and brave
I see a little creature who gives a wave
After cautious introductions and stories relayed
A little Martian has adopted us, he’s here to stay