Three for Thursday from The Parent’s Play Book
Invisible ink, create the next Pokémon, and a rubbish idea
Quick win
Invisible Ink
~10 mins (+ drying time)
Lemon juice doubles as invisible ink, making it perfect for a quick bit of science fun at home.
How to try it:
Write a secret message or picture using lemon juice on a piece of paper.
Leave it to dry completely — around 20 minutes should do.
Parent step: carefully run a hot iron over the paper to reveal the secret message. Other heat sources, such as a hair dryer, can be used but an iron works best.
Perfect for budding spies and secret agents — or for hiding secret clues in treasure maps, spell books and other mysterious creations.
After school activity
Create the next Pokémon
~20-30 mins
Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) began in Switzerland in 1997 as a fun way for artists to share their work. Each one is a tiny piece of art — just 2.5 × 3.5 inches, the same size as a playing or trading card.
They can be made by anyone, of any age or ability, in any style: drawing, painting, collage, photography, digital art… whatever you enjoy.
The only rule is they are traded, not sold.
How to try it:
Cut your own cards to size or you can buy a pack of blank ones (a pack of 100, costs about £5).
Create your mini masterpieces on the front — they can be stand-alone or part of a themed set, like different characters, creatures or scenes.
Optional: borrow a few learn-to-draw books from the library for inspiration and to pick up some new drawing skills.
On the back, write the artist’s name and the date.
Then start swapping with family and friends.
Weekend project
Make a marble run from recyclables
~1 hr
Funding our children’s addiction to novelty gets expensive. So, here’s a way to turn your recycling into their next big invention.
How to try it:
Raid the recycling bin for toilet rolls, paper towel tubes, bottles, cardboard — anything that looks promising.
Get some marbles.
If you’re sticking it to a wall or door, use decorator’s tape to avoid peeling paint.
Build and test as you go — half the fun is in the trial and error.
Your children might choose to join forces with you on one giant run, or each build their own.
Until next week,
Harvey
Share your creations with us online using #TheParentsPlayBook – we’d love to see them.
Three for Thursday
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