We’ve all had those days where the weather has forced us to stay inside. For most people this also usually means a day spent on a tablet, smartphone, or computer, but this wasn’t always the case. For decades, parents and children enjoyed the thrill of board games; not only do they provide tons of fun, but can assist in educational development as well as being a bonding experience.

Most people today would roll their eyes at the suggestion of a board game – especially when they can just as easily load up a YouTube video to watch. But sometimes it’s a good idea to take a break from all the technology. The big screens, flashing lights, and overwhelming amounts of media like online pokies NZ that can often do more harm than good, especially for the younger children out there.

A big misconception among many concerning board games is that they’re often boring, and don’t provide the same stimulation as what you’d find on a computer. This couldn’t be further from the truth, and there are, in fact, plenty of modern games to choose from that can provide endless hours of entertainment.

5. Game of Thrones

This massively popular TV series has seen a huge variety of offshoots that extend into various other types of media. One of these is board games, and the Game of Thrones game in particular is definitely worth checking out.

Far from being a cheap knock-off, this is a game that brings to life the books and the series, and while not suitable for many children as the series is geared toward adults, it’s a good way to spend an evening with some friends.

4. Trajan

This game gives players the chance to learn about the Ancient Romans, while also providing some interesting gameplay.

The aim of the game is to try and gain power the same way the Romans did: through military, politics, and trading. Using these methods, players need to try and rise above their opponents.

3. Amerigo

Using some interesting props that add lots of variety to the game, Amerigo succeeds as an experience in exploration, where the players need to sail around the ocean to discover to lands and more.

2. Ticket To Ride

One of the older games on the list, Ticket To Ride should be part of any board game collection, and is suitable for the entire family. The goal here is to try and use your train to get around the cities on the map while also attempting to block other players from doing the same thing.

The competitive nature of the game means that players will soon start doing what they can to undermine their opponents. This is an easy game to learn and provides tons of replay value.

1. Euphoria

This is definitely one for adults and older kids and teenagers, but it’s also one of the most thought provoking, and requires a fair amount of strategy.

Every player has a set amount of workers, which they use to try and claim cities and artefacts while also impeding the progress of the other workers.

Most families, when school holidays are approaching, break out into a sweat at the thought of trying to keep their kids’ busy for weeks at a time.

If you have unlimited financial resources, you probably don’t experience the same anxiety as a big family holiday could easily be arranged, but for average families the idea of entertaining kids can be a daunting prospect.

While we don’t have a solution for the entire vacation, we can give you a few recipes which can be made with your kids, therefore keeping you both busy for at least a few hours.

Cooking with your kids is both rewarding and enjoyable. Have fun!

French Bread Pizzas

Ingredients

• 4 small baguettes, hotdog rolls or crusty sandwich rolls
• Jar of readymade tomato pasta sauce
• Grated mozzarella cheese
• Toppings of your choosing such as caramelised onions, ham, pepperoni, cooked mushrooms, bacon, pineapple, bell peppers, olives etc.

Method

• Cut the rolls in half and lay each half, crust side down, on a baking tray
• Top each half with the readymade tomato pasta sauce
• Top with grated mozzarella cheese
• Allow kids to add the toppings of their choice to their own rolls
• Bake at 190°C on the lowest oven rack for 8-10 minutes
• Move to the top rack and grill for 2-3 minutes until the bread is crisp and the cheese is melted
• Cut into slices so it will cool quicker so the little ones don’t burn their mouths

Pappardelle with Corn and Leeks

Ingredients

This recipe is so quick and easy that you could even enjoy online betting NZ at the same time!

• 350g fresh pappardelle
• 2 small leeks
• 1 ½ cups corn
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
• Olive oil
• ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup cream cheese
• Salt and pepper

Method

• Slice the leeks and ask your child to separate the rings with their fingers
• Ask your child to peel the garlic for you before you chop it
• Start boiling water for the pasta and add salt to taste
• Sautee the leeks, corn, and garlic in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat
• Your child can help stir the vegetables with supervision
• Cook for 7-8 minutes so that the leeks wilt and start caramelising
• Add salt and pepper to taste
• Add ¼ cup of water to the pan to de-glaze it and stir until all the moisture has evaporated
• Cook the pasta according to the instructions and drain
• Place the cooked pasta and vegetables in a large bowl
• Add the cream cheese and ask your child to mix it all up
• Add parmesan and ask your child to stir it in
• Serve immediately

No-Bake Oreo Bars

Ingredients

• 470 grams Oreo cookies
• ¼ cup butter
• 4 cups marshmallows

Method

• Place Oreos in a food processor and allow your child to push the button for blitz until ground
• Melt the butter and the marshmallows in a large microwave safe bowl until puffed – if child is old enough allow them to do this step with supervision
• Working quickly, add the ground Oreos to the marshmallow and butter mixture
• Ask your child to stir rapidly until everything is well incorporated
• Transfer mixture to a 20x20cm baking tin, level, and allow to set for 10 minutes
• Cut into squares and serve immediately.

Let’s take a look at some hidden gems from yesteryear that many people may not have ever played. While these games are from consoles from a previous generation, they are still excellent games in their own right that still stand up today.

Shadowrun Megadrive

Before Skyrim redefined what an open world game can be, we had Shadowrun on the Mega drive from the legendary Blue Sky Software. This game, based on the tabletop RPG game of the same name drops players smack dab in the middle of a dystopian future with nothing to your name expect a gun and your quest to find your missing brother.

Including elements like magic, gun play, hacking and body augmentation, this was a game well ahead of its time and that is yet to be replicated in the modern era. Not even online slots real money Canada can give you the sense of freedom present here.

Landstalker Mega Drive

With awards for Innovation of the Year, Game of the Year and RPG of the Year, Landstalker may not seem a candidate for hidden gem classification, but the fact remains despite critical acclaim, most players outside of Japan missed out on this excellent title.

With its eye popping sound and graphics and extremely engaging plot, Landstalker remains a milestone in the history of Sega’s Mega Drive console. It recently saw a modern release in the form of its inclusion in the Nintendo Virtual Console digital store.

It also received a number of changes to its story, text and in game assets when the game was localised for western audiences. The original contained a lot of content of a sexual nature and naturally Sega of America preferred to keep the game more child friendly.

Terranigma Super Nintendo

This is a game that only received limited release outside of Japan. Not only that but it was released near the end of the Super Nintendo’s life so many gamers missed out on this gem as they had already moved onto the Sony Playstation and the Sega Saturn which were both releases just before Terranigma found its way to these shores.

With incredible graphics and a truly epic story, Terranigma capped the RPG crown that the Super Nintendo has held since the release of Legend of Zelda. Today this cartridge’s value has shot up dramatically as collectors clamour for the game due to its limited release run.

Super Fire Pro Wrestling Premium

The Fire Pro series of wrestling games is legendary. It is a franchise based on the Japanese professional wrestling franchise. The catch here is that the company who developed these games, Human Interactive, never received a licence for their game so their characters were not based on the real line-up of the NJPW at the time. The characters used in these games are instead lookalikes based on real wrestlers.

The roster of characters also includes American wrestlers like Hulk Hogan and the Undertaker but of course under pseudonyms. What really made this series stand out is the realistic wrestling action that has inspired the play mechanics of wrestling games to this day.

Super Fire Pro Wrestling was never released in the west but fans have created fan translated ROMs which not only help translate the game’s menus into English, but many fans have actually changed the names and features of the in-game characters to more resemble their real life counterparts.

Being stuck indoors with your kids for hours on end is enough to drive even the most level-headed and patient parent a little batty, but don’t worry – we’ve come to your rescue!

These 10 top-rated kids’ movies of all time are sure to entertain both you and your little ones and could even provide you with some much-need downtime.

1. The Lion King (1994)

The Lion King doles out equal measures of heart-breaking and heart-warming moments as it tells the story of a young lion, Simba, who need to stand up to his nefarious uncle, Scar, in order to save his pride, with the help and guidance of his friends Timon and Pumbaa.

2. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001)

The first in the Harry Potter series, we are introduced to Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Snape, to name just a few.

Harry discovers his powers and leaves his awful family behind in order to attend a school for wizards called Hogwarts.

3. The Goonies (1985)

What happens when you take a group of childhood friends, add a treasure map, and a giant named Sloth? It’s a recipe for the perfect adventure movie, of course!

This 80’s classic has everything you would expect from a YA drama and is filled with heroic courage.

4. Mary Poppins (1964)

Finding the right nanny can be a real challenge, one that a banker and his kids know to be true in this classic.

Fortunately for them, the perfect nanny – Mary Poppins – shows up just in time to help them explore the magic of their everyday world.

5. Mrs. Doubtfire (1990)

Set your kids down with Mrs. Doubtfire to gain some much needed time to research NRL betting tips.

Sticking with the theme of the perfect nanny, we meet Daniel Hillard – played by Robin Williams – who is left without custody of his kids after a divorce.

Desperate to spend time with them, he quickly devises the perfect plan: pose as their nanny!

6. Frozen (2013)

When Elsa’s chilling powers almost take the life of her sister Anna accidently, she is confined to a castle only to emerge on the day of her queenly coronation.

Once the day arrives things naturally go very wrong and the sisters must work together to save the kingdom from eternal winter.

7. Finding Nemo (2003)

This heart-warming tale tells the story of a neurotic clownfish searching for his lost son across the lengths and breadths of the ocean and has many valuable lessons to impart on audiences.

You’ll also meet plenty of unforgettable characters along the way.

8. Beauty and the Beast (1991)

Meet Belle – labelled an outcast in her small village – who finds comfort from her widowed father.

When her father goes missing Belle sets off in search of him and discovers he has been imprisoned by a Beast.

However, Belle quickly discovers that all is not what it seems.

9. The Little Mermaid (1989)

Ariel, growing bored of life under the sea, makes a deal with the wicked sea-witch, Ursula, to trade her voice for a pair of legs and a chance to capture Prince Eric’s heart.

With only three days to achieve her goal or face a life as Ursula’s slave, Ariel must overcome many obstacles in order to have the life she’s always wanted.

10. Toy Story (1995)

This timeless film has an important message to impart: always lookout for your friends!

Told through the eyes of toys that come to life, Woody and Buzz Lightyear will discover the true meaning of friendship.

Long winter days can get all of us down in the dumps. Especially of you have a family around your feet who ae bored stupid. A great way to not only keep them entertained but fed as well is to whip up one of these old favourites in the kitchen.

Get your significant other or kids involved, get dirty, and make something yummy. Once the day is done you can serve these up as a dinner.

Get your kids to set the table with something nice, create a centre piece and put out all the best cutlery. After all, what’s the point in keeping things if you never use them?

Cook Yourself Happy – Favourite Recipes For Winter Days

Brandy Snap Cakes

These are easy to make and don’t require many ingredients. Sit afterwards with your family and scoff these delicious sweet treats in front of the TV, after a great dinner, or even as a sneaky treat at night while you are checking on your Australian sports betting.

You will need:

• 1½cups of Cream
• 3 TBSP icing sugar, for the cream and extra to dust over the finished cake
• 1½tsp Vanilla essence
• 18 Brandy snaps
• 75g Dark chocolate, melted
• 8 Strawberries, hulled and halved
  A small handful of Mint, to garnish.

Instructions:

1. Whip the cream, icing sugar and vanilla essence, until you get a thick consistency.
2. Pipe the cream into the middle of the brandy snaps. Put a little cream on the centre of a serving plate to stop the brandy snaps from skating around.
3. Top each layer with another layer of 6 brandy snaps interchanging the broader and thinner ends to keep them as flat as possible
4. Keep layering until you run out of brandy snaps and you have formed a tower. Trickle with the cooled but still runny chocolate. Put the strawberries on top and dust with the extra icing sugar. You can now garnish with the mint.
5. Keep in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.

Golden Kumara And Bacon Fritters

A bit more complicated but nonetheless fun to make. These are healthy too!

You will need:

• 2 large kumara, peeled and cubed
• Oil for cooking
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 bacon rashers, chopped
• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup flour
• ½ cup grated cheese
• 1 cup silver beet, shredded
• ¼ cup chopped coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• Salt
• Pepper
• Half head of lettuce, shredded
• 1 carrot, grated
• 100g feta, crumbled
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• Frozen fries

Instructions:

1. Place the kumara into a pot of salted water. Cook for at least 10 minutes or until softened. Drain the kumara and mash roughly.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and bacon and cook both of these together 5 minutes until cooked and slightly browned. Once these are cooked and fragrant then add to the kumara. Stir well and add eggs, flour, cheese, silver beet, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper. Make sure that everything is well combined, this is a great task for the kids!
3. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat. Spoon large tablespoons of mixture into the frying pan, cooking 3-4 minutes each side until golden. Don’t worry if not totally cooked through they will carry on cooking while you keep them warm and whip up the next batch. Remove and keep warm while you cook the remainder.
4. Combine lettuce, carrot and feta.
5. Serve the fritters with salad, fries and a sauce on the side such as ketchup or sweet chilli.

As parents, we all dread those long, winter days where the kids can’t go outdoors. Especially during school holidays where it feels like they are always underfoot and begging to be entertained “Moooommmm, I booooorrreeeed…..” becomes a phrase that we hear all too often.

Keeping your child active is not important for your sanity, but their growth and progress as well. There are, in fact, a number of activities that can be done indoors with limited space which will engross and amuse for hours on end, leaving you free to do a quick chore or even put your feet up.

Make An Indoor Blizzard

Disclaimer: this activity does require quite a lot of tidying up, which can be worked into the process as a reward system as well.

Playing in the snow is always fun, but not necessarily viable. Create your own indoor snow fun with pretty snowflake patterns. Fold a piece of paper in half, and cut out various patterns that will be mirrored on both sides.

Be sure to supervise any time spend with the scissors, however. Once you have a lot of snowflakes, have fun making snow angels, or build a fort and have a snowball fight.

Cleaning up the small bits of paper can be annoying, but if you turn it into a game all of its own and reward for every piece of paper picked up, it can be both entertaining and fruitful.

Build A Fort

As mentioned in our previous exercise, you can have loads of fun with your little one building a fort. I have many fond memories of couch cushions piled together to create interesting crevasses to throw things from. Forts can be built from a wide range of things. One of the best are couch cushions and chairs, but cardboard boxes work just as well.

Obstacle Courses

This can only really be done if you have enough space, but is incredibly fun and will be sure to tucker out your little one in no time, leaving you plenty of time to play some of the online pokies NZ has to offer!

Everyone loves obstacle courses, to such an extent that adult ones are now the rage all over the planet. Building an obstacle course in your house that leads from room to room is fun from start to finish.

Involve your child in the actual building of the course, which will increase excitement. When the course is built, get them to do it either against each other or if alone against you. You can also time them to see if they can get faster and faster.

Roaming Hide And Seek

This is known in many different countries under many guises, but the premise is the same. Instead of hiding in one place waiting to be discovered, the participants can change their hiding places as often as possible.

You can even add in a home base or flag which they have to get to without being seen. This builds imagination as well as stealth skills and counts toward exercise.

Pen And Pencil Games

Active minds are created early, and one of the things which we simply do not do enough these days is pen and pencil games. Battleship, noughts and crosses and bingo can all be played with two or more players, and templates can be found online with minimal effort.

There is something wonderfully old world about paper models, and not just because they’ve been around in Asia for thousands of years and in Europe since the 1600s. They hearken back to more simple times, where some paper, scissors, and glue were all that were needed to create castles stately homes, villages, and even cityscapes.

The Internet has made paper model patterns more accessible than ever, and this gives us the perfect chance to get crafty and start playing with paper. It is time to let modern tech shine a new light on an old pastime, and rediscover how much fun making paper models can be.

An Old Hobby

The earliest commercial paper models appeared in France in 1800, a little bit before granny and grandpa came along to start building their own. Paper modelling became especially popular during the Second World War, as paper production and use was not regulated too heavily.

In 1941, a brand called Micromodels appeared in England. The brand published 100 different models of aircraft, ships, and buildings. However, as plastic became used more commonly, old-time paper models began to fall from grace as plastic models grew in prominence.

What It’s All About

You can draw patterns for paper models at home yourself, if you have the skills. If not, you can purchase commercial models, or download them for free online. That’s one of the wonderful things about the Internet – you can do stuff for free, such as play online casino no deposit games.

Patterns can be drawn or printed on heavy paper, card stock, paperboard, or even foam. The materials required depend on the complexity and style of the model you want to build.

Origami, for example, uses a single sheet of paper that gets folded, rather than glued or cut. Card modelling involves cutting model parts out of cardstock sheets using scissors or a craft knife, and then folding and gluing the pieces together as per the directions.

The sheer range of paper model patterns available is astounding. There is a model for just about every interest, no matter what the age of the builder. You can choose from cottages with patterns simple enough to fit on a single sheet of cardstock, a fantasy building that requires hundreds of pages in a dedicated book or folio, or anything in between.

Essential Equipment for Paper Models

Before you rush off and start printing off hundreds of paper model patters, make sure you have all the equipment and tools you need. Much of the initial outlay will not need to be spend again, so you can be sure of many hours of enjoyment at what is ultimately a small expense.

Paper modelling essentials:

• Cutting mat
• Craft knife
• Sharp paper or craft scissors
• Safety pin to help score folds
• Point-tip tweezers
• Ruler
• Acid-free, pH neutral PVA glue

Once you have these basics, all you need to do is find a pattern you like and print it out. Take a good look at the numbering of the folds and flaps, as well as what the final product needs to look like, and then get started.

Fun Things to do Indoors

If you’re stuck in your home bored, instead of deep cleaning the bathroom with your ex’s toothbrush, why not try one of my top five favourite fun things to do indoors.

Number five:

One of my favourite things to do when the boredom strikes (and the wifi is down) is to turn my flat into a Rube Goldberg machine. Think Dominos but using house hold objects to create the chain reaction.

The Rube Goldberg can keep you occupied FOREVER, as you try figure out what will make the most complicated and totally unnecessary mechanism work to perform a single simple task.

Number four:

Make something, make anything. When I recently moved into my new flat I may have gone a bit crazy with the contact paper. Pinterest challenged me to a dual of DIY and I very nearly won  (I lie, I was actually very far away from winning, I wasn’t even in the race).

But my formerly plain white kitchen wall looks fantastic covered in little grey triangles, very pin worthy. And my bathroom countertop is now “marble”, looks good.

My next project is the 70’s purple check linoleum floors – I want to rip it out and burn it in the fires of hell! But my landlord might get upset.

Number Three

Have a themed dinner party – Maybe pick a movie or a book and all the dinner guests show dressed up in character and must stay in character.

Picking the theme can be a group choice, maybe it’s the current book in your book club or maybe it’s the cheesiest romance novel you could find. You may even be inspired by real money slots as there are so many different themes and genres out there!

Or what about a Movie vs book theme? Each side has to show up with details only found in their genre.

Number Two

Grow something – I grew up on a farm and yet a green thumb I do not have. After moving to the city and killing about 15 different plants, I had given up on the green stuff.

But moving into my own little place recently, I tried again but smarter – succulents! I have slowly filled my entire kitchen and bathroom window sills with succulents! These little suckers almost thrive on my constant neglect and forgetfulness.

Now and then when washing dishes or brushing my teeth I remember that they should have some water in them, but otherwise they are super low maintenance and look just fabulous.

The fun is the time I spend arranging the little guys and maybe putting them on insta, think Zen garden but less forced calmness and more visual eye candy.

Number one:

My favourite thing to do is to hide my money from myself…no really. After enjoying a random dinner party or night out I spend the rest of the tipsiness hiding my money (in my home, not in the taxi on the way home).

And yes this was originally from being very much not sober and keeping my money “safe”, but now it’s for fun.

Imagine finding some money a month down the road in the pocket of your third favourite jeans? Or finding a tenner at the back of your underwear drawer? Bonus! At least you’re not spending on take away or tequila right?

Hot tip: do not hide money in the chimney #justsaying

In a country like New Zealand, we have a plethora of outdoor activities perfect for sunny days, and we have many of those, too. Even so, which Kiwi doesn’t know the experience of longing for a much-needed day off, and waking up in the morning to find that the extended weather forecast checked a few days ago was nothing but a bald-faced lie?

Nothing issues an entertainment challenge quite like a rainy day, whether you were expecting it or not. Here are a few of my favourite indoor recreational activities for rainy days.

Take a look, and hopefully you will be inspired the next time it rains and pours and old men snore.

Rediscover Indoor Activities Favourite Games

Not all that long ago, a Saturday afternoon of rain left me twiddling my thumbs. There was only so much watching raindrops slide down the windowpanes I could do, so I went rummaging through a few forgotten boxes at the back of the storeroom – and there it was, the chess set I received as a gift when I learned to play 20-something years ago.

I invited a friend who plays to join me, and spent a fantastic few hours rediscovering a game for which I suddenly had a whole new appreciation.

If you have a board game you haven’t played in years, consider digging it out and getting family members or friends to join you for some good old-fashioned gaming. If that’s not possible, you could consider finding games such as online pokies NZ to play on computer or mobile.

Go 10 Pin Bowling – In the Hallway

A fun way to beat the blues of a rainy day is to go 10 Pin bowling in the comfort of your own home. When I realised our hallway makes the perfect alley, all I needed was a ball and pins.

Not being an avid bowler, I don’t have the requisite paraphernalia stashed at the back of my wardrobe (or anywhere else). Would getting it be a problem? Not when there were a few empty plastic bottles in a kitchen cupboard.

I weighted them down with uncooked rice, packed them in a V-shape at the far end of the hallway, found a tennis ball, and called the kids. Goodbye rainy day boredom!

Get Crafty on Rainy Days

I’m a keen gardener, and love spending hours in the veggie patch on a sunny day. When a friend showed off her holiday scrapbook, I wondered if that wasn’t a way for me to bring my love of gardening indoors when the weather puts an end to plans of a few hours in the patch.

I visited a craft shop and found a few odds and ends that could work in a scrapbook, in preparation for the next rainy day.

I didn’t have to wait too long, and got to work on what I now call the Patch on Paper. Let’s just say that the notes I’ve been making are much more colourful and fun than ever before.

Have Fun in the Kitchen

Few Kiwis can resist freshly-baked cake or biscuits, and there is no reason you need to wait for a special occasion to indulge. A rainy day is occasion enough.

Have a flick through your favourite recipe book, ring up your granny and ask her for the recipe of those biscuits you loved as a child, or trawl the internet for quick and easy recipes. Have fun in the kitchen – it’s the closest you could get to having your cake and eating it.