Three for Thursday from The Parent’s Play Book
Avoiding a flop, drawing inspiration, and how to conker parenting
Quick win
The paper aeroplane every parent should know
~10 mins
At some point, your child will ask you to make them a paper airplane. When the moment comes, it’s much more fun to have a tried-and-tested design ready, than to rely on a poorly improvised one which repeatedly flops to the floor like a tired pigeon.
The Harrier is a simple, go-to design that flies straight, glides far, and might even make your children love you a little bit more. While it’s unlikely to trouble the current world record (88.318m), it delivers very satisfying results for most families’ paper-based air shows or competitions.
After school activity
Learn how to draw like a pro, together
~20-30 mins
Drawing (and colouring) can offer a rare moment of calm for both children and parents – at least for a few minutes. The trick is having something simple to follow because inspiration rarely strikes the brain of a tired parent.
Step-by-step drawing videos are great for this. They dust off the art skills most of us left behind in our own childhood, while giving you both something satisfying to draw.
As a bonus, children often stay focused for longer when they see us enjoying the activity alongside them.
How to try it:
- Go to @DrawWithRob on YouTube.
- Let your child choose one of the illustrations for you to draw together.
- Sit side by side, each creating your own version of the drawing.
(Warning: moment of calm not guaranteed, and shit could still hit the fan at any point).
Weekend project
An old-school autumn classic
~1-2 hrs
The original playground craze that returns every autumn – even though most schools have now banned it. Collecting and playing with shiny, swinging conkers is a fun way to spend an afternoon – even if it comes with the occasional sibling scuffle.
How to try it:
- Hunt for the biggest, shiniest conkers under a local horse chestnut tree.
- Sort your collection and pick a few favourites.
- Parent step: drill a hole through the middle of each chosen conker.
- Thread a strong string or shoelace through the hole and knot it securely.
Reminder of the rules:
- Decide who goes first.
- One player dangles their conker still while the other swings to try and break it.
- Alternate turns after each swing.
- Keep going until one breaks – the winner is the one that survives.
Beware: favourites will break, and this can be emotional (for both parents and children), so have a few back-ups ready.
Three for Thursday
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