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*Bonus Point* Whole School - SHINE Talk on Resilience 

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*Bonus Point* Whole School - SHINE Talk on Resilience 

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Tune in to the this talk all about Mental Health practical advice!
Link will be sent to your email!

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* Bonus Points * Whole School Zumba Dance Challenge with Aisling @12:40pm

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* Bonus Points * Whole School Zumba Dance Challenge with Aisling @12:40pm

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Join Aisling and the TYs for a Zumba Dance session! You don't have turn on your cameras, just follow Aisling's Dance Moves for this fun workout!

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Neon Blue and Pink Dancing Party Instagram Post

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*Bonus Points *   Jigsaw Junior Cycle Mental Health Talk  

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*Bonus Points *   Jigsaw Junior Cycle Mental Health Talk  

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Tune in to this talk all about Mental Health practical advice!
Link will be sent to your email!

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*Bonus Points *   Jigsaw Senior Cycle Mental Health Talk  

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*Bonus Points *   Jigsaw Senior Cycle Mental Health Talk  

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Tune in to the this talk all about Mental Health practical advice at 11:20!
Link will be sent to your email!

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Let’s finish out virtual wellbeing week strong! Let’s try and Walk or Run 5km 🏃🏃‍♀️

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Try to do a handstand against a wall or solo!

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Take some time to try and keep up with the moves for this dance!

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Blinding Lights by The Weeknd · Just Dance 2021 Fanmade | Done & Danced

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Say thank you to someone in person, by text or by email! It's important to show people we appreciate them.

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Nod or Smile to a stranger you see on your walk today

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Tune in with the link at 12:40pm
Prizes for the Top Scorers!

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If anybody is missing Nandos here is a great recipe.
You can get most of the ingredients in Aldi so it doesn’t have to be expensive!

Instructions for how to in the video.

Ingredients:
Chicken breasts
Tortilla wraps
Peri Peri sauce
Spices (whatever you fancy – chilli powder/flakes, ground coriander etc.)
Lemon juice
Olive oil
Garlic
Mixed salad
Sweet potato
Potatoes
Halloumi cheese
Tinned pineapple

Follow @hayleys.world

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I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with Nando's. Sometimes it's the best thing ever, other times I'm just like "I paid £15 for a bit of chicken and some salad, and they didn't even take my order?!". Good news though, it's super easy to make at home. I'm not even sure I should have put "recipe" in the title of this post, because it's really is that easy - more just a bunch of ingredients chucked together and put inside a wrap. Anyway, I've perfected my Nando's wrap recipe and here it is for you to recreate it in the comfort of your own kitchen (sadly no supply of endless juice though).

Nando's Wrap Recipe Ingredients:

Chicken breasts

Tortilla wraps

Peri Peri sauce

Spices (whatever you fancy - chilli powder/flakes, ground coriander etc.)

Lemon juice

Olive oil

Garlic

Mixed salad

Sweet potato

Potatoes

Halloumi cheese

Tinned pineapple

How to Make a Nando's Chicken Wrap:

1. Turn the oven to 180°C. Prepare the chicken and cut it in to medium-sized pieces if necessary. Add it to a dish along with some olive oil, crushed garlic, lemon juice, peri peri sauce/marinade and whichever spices you'd like. You can buy peri peri seasoning for this, but I just like to use the Nando's sauce (which you can buy in most supermarkets now) as it's more multi-purpose. You can easily customise this to suit whichever is your favourite type of marinade - lemon and herb, mango and lime, hot or mild etc.

2. Meanwhile, peel your potatoes and cut them into chips. I like my chips small and crispy, but you could easily make them chunky wedges if you prefer. Add them to a pan of water and par-boil for around 5 minutes. Drain, and toss with a little bit of olive oil and any seasonings you'd like - I just stuck with a little bit of salt and pepper.

3. Spread out the chips on a tray and put in the oven. Check after 10 minutes, give them a shake and cook for another 10. While they're cooking, peel your sweet potatoes and add to a pan of boiling water. They should take around 15 minutes to cook.

4. Around 5 minutes before the chips and sweet potatoes are ready, add the chicken to a hot grill and grill until cooked through. Once the chicken's cooked, add the halloumi cheese and pineapple to the grill too and give them a couple of minutes to warm up.

5. Mash the sweet potatoes, adding a little bit of butter and some black pepper, and then get your salad ready - I like mixed salad leaves with chopped red peppers, red onions and cucumber and a little bit of balsamic dressing. Take the chips out of the oven, pop everything from the grill on to a plate and warm the wraps up for 30 seconds in the microwave.

6. Now it's time for assembly! Take a wrap and and spread it with mayonnaise and/or peri peri sauce. Pile on some salad, chicken, halloumi and pineapple and wrap it up. Serve it along with some extra salad, a little bowl of sweet potato mash and, of course, some chips. Done!

So tasty and pretty quick to make, perfect for a weeknight tea. The only thing you have to watch out for is getting everything ready at approximately the right time, but once you've done it once or twice it'll be much easier to know which order to do things in! The best thing about this is it's so easy to customise - you can choose whichever marinades, toppings, sides and flavours you want. Yum yum yum! P.S. do you like my new heart-shaped chopping board? I spotted it on Ebay and couldn't resist!

Will you be giving this Nando's wrap recipe a go for yourself?

Gillian x

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I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with Nando's. Sometimes it's the best thing ever, other times I'm just like "I paid £15 for a bit of chicken and some salad, and they didn't even take my order?!". Good news though, it's super easy to make at home.

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Give this scone recipe a go and send us some pictures!

Ingredients and the method can be found by hitting the link below :)

Ingredients:
Self raising flout

Baking powder

Caster sugar

Butter

Eggs

Milk
Sultanas(optional)

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Mary Berry's scones are the perfect easy tea-time treat, whether jam-and-cream-topped (in whichever order you like), plain or packed with sultanas.

Equipment: You will need a fluted 5cm/2in cutter.

Method

Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7. Lightly grease two baking trays.

Put the flour, baking powder and sugar in a large bowl. Add the butter and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Crack the eggs into a measuring jug, then add enough milk to make the total liquid 300ml/10fl oz. Stir the egg and milk into the flour - you may not need it all - and mix to a soft, sticky dough.

Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface, knead lightly and work in the sultanas, if using. Roll out to a rectangle about 2cm/¾in thick.

Cut into as many rounds as possible with a fluted 5cm/2in cutter and place them on the prepared baking trays. Brush the tops of the scones with a little extra milk, or any egg and milk left in the jug.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the scones are well risen and a pale, golden-brown colour. Lift onto a wire rack to cool. Eat as fresh as possible.

To serve, split the scones and serve with strawberry jam on the plain scones along with a good dollop of clotted cream.

Recipe Tips

Once the scones are cool, they can be frozen. To eat, defrost at room temperature and then reheat in a hot oven for 10 minutes. The scone dough should be slightly sticky to give the best results.

Don't over handle the dough or it will be tough and don't be tempted to roll it out too thinly or you won't get good deep scones. Always cut the scones straight down and up, without twisting the cutter. This way the scones should rise evenly.

For larger 5cm/2in scones, bake for 10-12 minutes.

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Mary Berry's scones are the perfect easy tea-time treat, whether jam-and-cream-topped (in whichever order you like), plain or packed with sultanas. Equipment: You will need a fluted 5cm/2in cutter. Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7. Lightly grease two baking trays. Put the flour, baking powder and sugar in a large bowl.

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A quick and easy recipe to make from scratch and impress at dinner!

Click the Link for the ingredients and method :)

Ingredients:
Vegetables
Rapeseed Oil
Garlic clove
Ginger

Soy Sauce
Sweet chilli sauce (optional)
Cooked Prawns, salmon (flaked) or chicken breast (shredded)
Egg noodles

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Finely chop or slice the vegetables into pieces roughly the same size. Slice the carrots diagonally, slice the baby corn, cut the broccoli into small florets, then slice the stem, and finely slice the peppers, cabbage or pak choi. Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok, then fry the garlic and ginger for 1 min.

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Finely chop or slice the vegetables into pieces roughly the same size. Slice the carrots diagonally, slice the baby corn, cut the broccoli into small florets, then slice the stem, and finely slice the peppers, cabbage or pak choi. Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok, then fry the garlic and ginger for 1 min.

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If you have made it this far, WELL DONE! You deserve a treat!

What better treat then a delicious Pizza.

This recipe never fails!

Hit the link below for ingredients and method :)

Ingredients:
For the Pizza Base
Baking Powder
Olive Oil
Plain Flour
Sea Salt
Wholemeal Flour
Water

For the Sauce
Cloves Garlic
Fresh Basil
Oregano
Tomato Passata
Tomato Purée

For the Toppings
Black Pepper
Chicken Breast
Chorizo Sausages
Mozzarella Cheese Balls
Mushrooms
Red Pepper
Baby Spinach
Sweetcorn

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RECIPE OVERVIEW

A fun meal for a Friday night, this easy to make pizza base can be topped with anything you like, plus kids can build their own pizza, making it a fun activity for everyone.

Preheat the oven to 220oC/gas mark 7. Lightly dust a work surface with a little spelt flour.

Mix the flour, baking powder and sea salt together in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the middle and add the olive oil. Start to mix and add in the water bit by bit until it forms a messy dough. If the dough is getting too wet and sticky, you won't need all the water. Add more flour if it's too sloppy.

Form into a ball, then remove from the bowl and knead for a few minutes on the floured work surface. Divide into two. Use a rolling pin to stretch the base out until it's about 26cm in diameter. Oil your pizza tray or place on an ungreased pizza stone. If you don't have either, use tin foil. Bake in the oven for about 8 minutes on each side, until it just starts to brown. You don't want to fully cook the base now, otherwise it will burn when you cook it with the toppings.

Meanwhile, to make the sauce, heat the passata in a saucepan set over a medium heat. Add the garlic, basil, tomato purée and oregano and mix well. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and allow to simmer and thicken for 5 minutes. Once thickened, set aside and allow to cool.

Once the pizza has browned, take it out of the oven. Spread with a thin layer of sauce and add your toppings. Put it back in the oven until it's cooked to your preference.

Tip: The great thing about a build-your-own pizza is just that- you can have whatever toppings you want and even whatever shape you want, so why not get your kids involved and let them make their own?

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RECIPE OVERVIEW A fun meal for a Friday night, this easy to make pizza base can be topped with anything you like, plus kids can build their own pizza, making it a fun activity for everyone. Preheat the oven to 220oC/gas mark 7. Lightly dust a work surface with a little spelt flour.

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Recipe of the Day: Traditional Brown Soda Bread :)

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Recipe of the Day: Traditional Brown Soda Bread :)

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Bake today and enjoy for days!

Find the ingredients and method by following the link below.

Ingredients:
plain flour
Wholemeal flour
Sour milk or buttermilk
salt
bread soda

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A great traditional brown bread recipe from one of Ireland's top food writers Máirín UíChomain.

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Start your week of well! Try out this homemade healthy chicken curry recipe :)

The link below will bring you to the ingredients and method to cook this delish curry for you and your family!

Ingredients:

Spring Onion
Garlic cloves

Vegetable Oil

Tin of chopped tomatoes

Curry powder

Ground ginger
Boneless skinless Chicken thigh
Greek-style natural yoghurt
salt and pepper

long grain rice

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This quick and easy chicken curry is creamy, full of flavour and takes less than half an hour!

Each serving provides 232 kcal, 25g protein, 6.5g carbohydrates (of which 4g sugars), 11g fat (of which 3g saturates), 3g fibre and 0.6g salt.

Method

Thinly slice the spring onions, reserving a handful of the sliced green parts for garnish. Peel and chop the garlic. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and cook the spring onions and garlic for a few minutes. Add the tomatoes, curry powder and ground ginger and cook for 3-4 minutes. If the pan gets dry add a splash of water and make sure the spices don't burn.

Add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes. Make sure all the chicken is coated and is beginning to brown on the sides.

Add 250ml/9fl oz water and bring to the boil. Reduce to a medium to low heat and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through with no sign of pink juices in the middle of the pieces.

While the chicken is cooking, prepare the rice. Pour the rice into a saucepan and rinse it under the cold tap to take away any cloudy starch. Drain the cloudy water away. Add clean water for cooking the rice. You need almost twice as much water as rice. (If you use a mug of rice, add a little less than two mugs of water). Bring to the boil then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cover with a lid and cook very gently for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to stand with the lid on for 10 minutes. This will finish cooking the rice. Keeping the lid on is important, so none of the steam escapes.

Take the curry off the heat, stir in the yoghurt then season with salt and pepper. Serve the curry with the rice and garnish with a drizzle of yoghurt.

Recipe Tips

The secret to the rice is leaving it to steam with the lid on after you take it off the heat.

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This quick and easy chicken curry is creamy, full of flavour and takes less than half an hour! Each serving provides 232 kcal, 25g protein, 6.5g carbohydrates (of which 4g sugars), 11g fat (of which 3g saturates), 3g fibre and 0.6g salt. Thinly slice the spring onions, reserving a handful of the sliced green parts for garnish.

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Finish the week of with something sweet!

Get creative, decorate your cupcakes and send us a picture!

Ingredients:
Self Raising Flour
Butter or Margarine
Golden Caster Sugar
Eggs
Vanilla Essence

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Cupcakes

Oven Time : 20 mins

www.odlums.ie /recipes/cupcakes/

What you need:

125g/4oz Odlums Self Raising Flour

125g/4oz Butter or Margarine (room temperature)

125g/4oz Shamrock Golden Caster Sugar

2 Eggs (room temperature)

Few Drops of Goodall's Vanilla Essence

To Decorate

125g/4oz Butter (room temperature)

225g/8oz Icing Sugar (sieved)

Few Drops of Goodall's Vanilla Essence

Selection of Goodall's Food Colouring

Sweets (optional)

How to:

Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. Line cupcake tin with baking cases.

Beat the butter/margarine and sugar together until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs and the vanilla essence. If mixture starts to curdle, add a little of the flour.

Gently stir in remaining flour with a spoon. Place spoonfuls of the mixture into the baking cases and bake for 15-20 minutes until firm to the touch.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire tray.

Make buttercream by beating the butter, icing sugar and vanilla essence together until smooth and creamy.

Divide the icing into separate bowls for each colour you want to use, gradually add the colouring, mixing well until required colour is achieved.

Pipe or swirl icing onto each cupcake. Top with sweet if liked!

Cupcakes

Print Recipe >

What you need:

125g/4oz Odlums Self Raising Flour

125g/4oz Butter or Margarine (room temperature)

125g/4oz Shamrock Golden Caster Sugar

2 Eggs (room temperature)

Few Drops of Goodall's Vanilla Essence

To Decorate

125g/4oz Butter (room temperature)

225g/8oz Icing Sugar (sieved)

Few Drops of Goodall's Vanilla Essence

Selection of Goodall's Food Colouring

Sweets (optional)

How to:

Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. Line cupcake tin with baking cases.

Beat the butter/margarine and sugar together until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs and the vanilla essence. If mixture starts to curdle, add a little of the flour.

Gently stir in remaining flour with a spoon. Place spoonfuls of the mixture into the baking cases and bake for 15-20 minutes until firm to the touch.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire tray.

Make buttercream by beating the butter, icing sugar and vanilla essence together until smooth and creamy.

Divide the icing into separate bowls for each colour you want to use, gradually add the colouring, mixing well until required colour is achieved.

Pipe or swirl icing onto each cupcake. Top with sweet if liked!

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Cupcakes with Buttercream Icing | Odlums

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Cupcakes Oven Time : 20 mins www.odlums.ie /recipes/cupcakes/ What you need: 125g/4oz Odlums Self Raising Flour 125g/4oz Butter or Margarine (room temperature) 125g/4oz Shamrock Golden Caster Sugar 2 Eggs (room temperature) Few Drops of Goodall's Vanilla Essence To Decorate 125g/4oz Butter (room temperature) 225g/8oz Icing Sugar (sieved) Few Drops of Goodall's Vanilla Essence Selection of Goodall's Food Colouring Sweets (optional) How to: Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4.

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There is nothing better than a hearty soup to warm you up!

Try this delicious soup and let us know what you think!

Click below for the ingredients and method :)

Ingredients:
Carrots
Celery
Garlic
Leek
Onion
Butter
Butternut Squash
Sweet Potatoes

Chicken Stock Cube
or vegetable stock

Creme Fraiche
Parsley

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It freezes exceptionally well so you can just freeze it in small containers and regenerate as required.

Begin by chopping all of the vegetables and garlic.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan and then add in the vegetables.

Sauté gently for 4-5 minutes until some of the smaller vegetables are beginning to soften.

Next add in approximately two thirds of the chicken or vegetable stock and bring the mixture to a slow boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for an additional 15-20 minutes or until all of the vegetables have softened down completely.

Using a hand blitzer, blitz the soup until it is nice and smooth. Return to the heat and bring back to a very gentle boil.

If you would like a thinner soup, now would be the best time to add some additional stock to thin it down. Correct the seasoning at this stage also.

Transfer it to your serving bowls or cups and garnish the soup with a little crème fraiche and chopped parsley.

Serve as required or alternatively allow the soup to cool down and then transfer it into suitable containers and freeze until required.

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It freezes exceptionally well so you can just freeze it in small containers and regenerate as required. Begin by chopping all of the vegetables and garlic. Melt the butter in a large saucepan and then add in the vegetables. Sauté gently for 4-5 minutes until some of the smaller vegetables are beginning to soften.

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Treat your family by cooking dinner tonight.

Todays ingredients and method can be found by hitting the link below!

Ingredients:
Tomato Paste
Carrot
Tins of Chopped Tomatoes
Fresh Basil
Fresh Rosemary
cloves of Garlic
Olive Oil
Onion
Parmesan Cheese Shavings
shaved
Steak Mince
Smoked Bacon Rashers
Spaghetti

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Ohhh So Easy Spaghetti Bolognese - SuperValu

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You can’t beat a simple Spag Bol. Spice it up with some chorizo and chillis if you want a bit more heat.

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7-11 First Responders Breathing Technique for Calmness

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7-11 First Responders Breathing Technique for Calmness

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Finish you week with a Zoom party/Houseparty with you friend!
You are all dressed up after all!
Here are some games to keep you entertained!

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Image: Bob Al-Greene / Mashable

Friendship during quarantine means putting on real human clothes to chill with your friends on Zoom. But a Netflix Party thrice a week is just not going to cut it.

Maintaining friendships online, as is true offline, requires real effort and thought. Unless you're making a deliberate effort to mix things up each time, Zoom dates will soon start to lose their luster and feel a bit routine.

So forget Netflix and Zooming, here are 10 other things you can do to keep your friendship - ahem, I mean conversation - alive. Just make sure you know how to share your screen on Zoom.

1. Take an imaginary vacation.

Image: Screenshot via Google Earth

Still bummed about that vacation you had to cancel? Go somewhere you can't afford instead ... but like, virtually. How about the International Space Center? An archeology tour of India, maybe?

Google Earth's Voyager feature offers immersive guided tours for plenty of nature sights and cities. If you want, you can even create personalized tours with your friends. Make sure you toggle between 3D mode and Street View for the whole experience.

Love a good museum? Google's Art and Culture Platform also offers more than 600 virtual museum tours.

Of course, you can always just do it the good old-fashioned way and hop on Street View wherever you'd like to go.

2. Play Where's Waldo, but with a twist.

Speaking of Google Maps, what about the WTF moments on street view? You know, like the people who got caught doing goofy, funny, or embarrassing things on camera? Here's an idea: Make it a game.

Use this funny sentence generator (whatever that means) as a prompt, and race your friends in finding the most fitting image on street view. Take turns being the judge, and pick out what sounds the funniest to you. Doesn't matter where on the map you go, just find something that fits the description. Think of it like Cards Against Humanity, but with Google Maps.

"I sang to a fork in a swimming pool because someone offered me 1,000,000 dollars" was the prompt I got from the generator - let's see what you've got for it.

3. Endure a true test of friendship.

This is a good way to see how well you know your friend - or how well you don't. Hit up Quizlet (yes, the website you used to make flashcards in school) and make a trivia game for the friend group.

Create a set of flashcards and change the edit setting so that all your friends can collaborate. Everyone will write down a little-known fact about themselves on one side of the flashcard and their name on the other; the game should last for at least a while if you have 25 to 30 facts on each person. Once everyone's accounted for, shuffle the flashcards and let the game begin.

Want a surefire way to heat things up? Make it a drinking game: Take a shot or a sip of your drink every time you guess something wrong.

4. Judge a dog show.

Your little furry friend is starting to get annoyed that you're at home all day to interrupt their daily shenanigans. My suggestion? Look at some good boys and girls on YouTube.

YouTube has all kinds of dog shows and beauty pageants. Want to see a border collie zoom off during an agility contest? You got it. A regal retriever walking around showing off their luxurious golden coat? Say no more, fam.

You and your friends can score these dogs and spend the rest of your chat debating who's best. That should give you something to do for a few hours.
Justice for Daniel!
Looking for more animal content after watching the the riveting saga that is Tiger King? Explore.org offers plenty of animal livestreams - from birds and bears to wildlife and marine life. (I saw a panda parent trying to teach their little one climb a tree the other day.)

If you're just lucky enough, you might be able to catch a baby bird peeking out of its shell for the first time.

6. Get into a totally, 100 percent serious PowerPoint debate.

Time to take the most heated debates among your friend group to the next level. Maybe you'll finally come to a consensus about the best type of pasta. Or the best kind of cheese. Or the best character from The Office. Truly, the limit does not exist.

Mandatory requirement: Include a Q&A session at the end of your presentation so your friends can offer rebuttals and form counterarguments. One of you should sit out on the presentation part and just be the judge, though - some things need to be settled.

Chopped is a competition of skills, creativity, and wit - the holy trinity for turning boring pantry items into gourmet dinners. Maybe staying at home has taught you to finesse canned food or frozen meat, maybe it hasn't. You'll have fun competing with each other anyway.

Don't worry about using the same ingredients - it's best to just use what you have considering the circumstances. All you have to do is let others come up with a challenging basket of random ingredients after they take a look at your fridge and pantry. Set a timer for 30 minutes, and off you go.

Rest assured, you'll be plenty motivated to cook your heart out. You'll be eating the final product, after all.

8. Figure out if you're smarter than a 5th grader.

Are you? Probably not. But you'll probably have fun trying to defend yourself. All you got to do is quickly search Google for some elementary school trivia questions. (Googling "Are you smarter than a 5th grader question" works well.)

Write your answers on a notepad and reveal it to each other together at the same time. Whoever gets the most questions right wins. Got a little one at home? Loop them in for some family fun.

9. Start a book club.

Need a tech break because Twitter is freaking you out? Go read a book, and get a few friends who love to read to do the same. ( Oh, and buy from independent bookstores!)

Make sure you come to a consensus in advance on what books you want to read. You can vote, or you can take turn reading each other's recommendations. Come together to talk about it over Zoom afterwards. It's one way to satisfy your curiosity and fulfill your needs for rewarding conversations in these times of isolation.

10. Make a podcast, or try to.

Do you share a common passion with your friends? Are your conversations always dynamic and stimulating? Maybe it's time to transform those little chit chats into a podcast, even if it's just for fun.

Zoom lets you record audio directly on the platform. You can even record everyone's audio in separate files for easy editing later. Want to edit the podcast together? You can download free software like Audacity and play around with it via screen share if you'd like.

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10 games and activities to keep you and your friends entertained on Zoom

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Friendship during quarantine means putting on real human clothes to chill with your friends on Zoom. But a Netflix Party thrice a week is just not going to cut it. Maintaining friendships online, as is true offline, requires real effort and thought.

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Learn some modern calligraphy! Markers will work for this.

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This post and the photos within it may contain affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link, I may receive a commission at no extra charge to you. Welcome back for another tutorial!
This is a beginner's guide for those looking to learn more about modern calligraphy.

Here is a brief sum-up of what you are going to learn in this tutorial -

What is modern calligraphy, and how does it differ from traditional calligraphy?

What tools do you need for modern calligraphy - recommendations.

How to start with modern calligraphy? Basic strokes

A few fundamental rules about modern calligraphy to keep in mind.

FREE downloadable practice sheets.

Popular modern calligraphy techniques - 3 different styles in order to get you started!

BONUS - How to effectively practice modern calligraphy.

Without any further delays, let's begin!

How does modern calligraphy differ from traditional calligraphy?
You see,
Traditional calligraphic scripts (such as the ones mentioned above) are governed by specific, structured, individual strokes that form different letters.

Let's have a look at some examples.

This is an example of the Copperplate script-

Here is another example of the Spencerian script -

Finally here is another example of a broad-edged script - the Italic hand.

Traditional scripts are done with specific tools and with precise measures of heights and angles.

On the other hand, modern calligraphy has more freedom in its performance.

Don't get me wrong, you can't just scribble whatever you want on a piece of paper and call it calligraphy.
There are some basic ground rules that should be applied in order to maintain visual harmony.
These rules may seem complicated and overwhelming, especially for beginners. However, I strongly urge you to stick to them and learn how to practice calligraphy properly from the very beginning.

I will do my best and try to stick to the very essentials in order to make an easier learning experience for you.

Before we jump to these rules, let's have a quick overview of the tools that we need!

What tools do I need for modern calligraphy?

Now that we know the basic difference between traditional calligraphy and modern calligraphy, it's time to review some of the essential calligraphy tools that we will need.

Modern calligraphy can be practiced with a whole variety of different tools, such as -

However, if you are a total calligraphy beginner, I would advise you to start practicing calligraphy with either a pencil brush pen simply because it is much easier to learn how to work with compared to the traditional dip pen.

Don't worry,

I am also going to recommend specific products so you don't have to waste time looking around for them.

Here is a list of some of the most popular tools for modern calligraphy

1. Brush pens!

As i just mentioned, the brush pens are the easiest tool to start off with.

The reason is that the brush pen has a flexible (felt) nib which allows you to create nice thick and thin lines with ease.

This is essential for calligraphy, and we are going to come to that part right after the tool recommendations.

Here is a recommendation for brush pens -

If you want to find out more about the different kinds of brush pens, you can check out this review post.
In this article, I reviewed the different characteristics of some of the best brush pens on the market.
2. Traditional dip pens

Traditional dip pens consist of two parts -

The holder can either be a straight holder or an oblique holder (check the image below)

Working with dip pens takes a bit longer to learn, and here is why -

When you work with a dip pen you need to hold it on a specific angle in order for the tines of the nib to open up equally, thus creating a thicker stroke (aka shade).

On top of that, you need to hold it to a certain angle in order to avoid your tip getting stuck in the paper when you create hairlines (thin upstrokes).

We also have a dedicated tutorial on how to get started with dip pen calligraphy if you want to find out more about it.

Essentially you can buy the parts separately but since I constantly see many beginners struggling with this, i would recommend you to take this calligraphy set by Manuscript.

As you can see in the picture above, this set comes with an oblique holder, nibs (with great flexibility), and a bottle of ink.

This is a great set for beginners that gives you everything you need to get started.

Keep in mind that with this tool, you will need to dip your pen in the ink constantly, it will require more maintenance with the nibs, etc.

Taking that into consideration, once again, I would recommend starting off with a brush pen (like the above-mentioned)

3. The Pencil

This tool is such an essential part of ANY lettering/calligraphy toolbox.

In modern calligraphy, we are mainly using the pencil to sketch out rough concepts and create guidelines.

However, the pencil is also a great tool for practicing calligraphy since it can create thick and thin lines based on the amount of pressure you add as you write.

I create a whole separate tutorial on how to do calligraphy using a pencil.

When it comes to the pencil, I would recommend a simpleor a mechanical pencil like the Staedtler Mars 780 Technical Mechanical Pencil

Just remember not to underestimate the value of the pencil!

Aside from the pencil, you will also need a ruler in order to create your calligraphy guidelines.

The best ruler for calligraphers is the rolling ruler.

The rolling ruler allows you to quickly draw parallel lines as well as other shapes with ease

Check out this quick video about the rolling ruler and all the different things it can do -

4. Various markers and ballpoint pens

Mostly used for creating Faux Calligraphy and other styles of modern calligraphy, these markers can indeed be a great addition to your lettering.

Adding effects, patterns, colors, and pretty much anything that comes to your mind, is one of the benefits when working with modern calligraphy.

5. Calligraphy paper

When it comes to paper, the choice can become overwhelming quite quickly.

These are the three brands of paper that I always recommend to beginners -

To learn more about paper, check out my calligraphy paper guide.

How to start with modern calligraphy - b asic strokes

How to hold a brush pen?

First things first let's just quickly cover this part because I often see beginners struggling with how to hold a brush correctly.

Different people like to hold the pen in different ways but the most important thing is the angle at which you hold it.

Check out the reference image below -

Holding the pen too upright will not give you the desired effect (thick and thin contrast) and it will also damage the tip of your pen.

That being said, the next important part is to know where to apply thin strokes and where to apply the thick strokes. (if you already know this feel free to skip to the next section)

The general rule is that your strokes going up are thin while the ones going down are thick.

The thick down strokes are created by applying pressure, while the upstrokes are done with the tip of the pen - without applying any pressure.

Check this image reference -

If you are a complete beginner, it is essential that you first get familiar with the brush pen and how to use it.

Before even thinking to start writing letters and words, try to get comfortable creating thin lines when going up and thick lines when going down.

This will help you to get to know the tool, and you will start developing a feeling for it in your hand -

something that is also known as muscle memory.

Stick to the end of this article to find out more about what muscle memory is.

The basic calligraphy strokes

Once you feel comfortable enough using the brush pen, we can move forward and start learning the basic calligraphy strokes.

In case you haven't noticed, a lot of letters contain similar shapes.

There are 7 basic strokes, and by combing these basic strokes, we can create nearly any letter of the lowercase alphabet.
Easy right?
Here are the basic shapes I would like you to practice before you jump straight into the letters.

And here is a quick example of combining the different basic strokes in order to create letters and even words.

I created a whole separate tutorial that will teach you everything you need to know about the basic calligraphy strokes and how to use them.

In the video below, I demonstrate how you can use these basic strokes to create the whole lowercase alphabet.

I use different colors for each separate stroke so you can clearly see the distinction.

Once you understand the basic calligraphy strokes, you can also check out this tutorial, where I teach you how to write the whole lowercase alphabet step by step.

A few fundamental rules about modern calligraphy to keep in mind

I know that from a beginner's perspective, this might already seem overwhelming, but there are just a couple more things that i must mention before we proceed (for your own good!)

There are a lot of things to talk about and explain, but it would be really hard to fit everything in a single tutorial.

Also, I promised at the beginning of the tutorial that I would try to keep things simple.

So the two basic and fundamental rules I want you to start implementing in your practice are Consistency and Spacing.

Let's dive in!

1. Consistency

Keeping our letters consistent helps to increase the overall visual harmony. (something pleasing to the eye)

In order to keep your letters consistent, you MUST use calligraphy guidelines.

I see way too often beginners discrediting guidelines and simply trying to eyeball the heights, angles, etc.

When I talk about consistency in modern calligraphy, I don't mean that you have to aim for perfection and mathematical precision.

As you can see in the example below, it has plenty of imperfections. However, the letters do follow the same height and angle.

All you need to achieve more consistency in your letters is a pencil and a ruler.

Using the ruler and the pencil, create the baseline and the mean line (to create the x-height).

Add the ascender line, the descender line, and the slant lines that will determine the angle of your letters.

I often get the question -
What sizes should I use?
Considering we are talking about modern calligraphy here - you are free to determine the height, size, and angles of your letters.

Check out this example below -

I cover all of this and more in my how to create calligraphy guidelines tutorial.

Avoid doing this -

Here is an example of what you should avoid doing.

This is what happens when you don't use guidelines.

I've added the lines later in Photoshop to show you how inconsistent this actually is.

2. Spacing

Good spacing between the letters helps you to keep a high level of legibility.

If the letters are too squished together, that could have a negative impact on your calligraphy - of course, we want to avoid that.

In order to maintain good and consistent spacing, you need to go slower, lift your pen between each stroke, and also keep an eye on the space of the previous letter pair.

Again, this is something that will just improve with time and practice.

FREE worksheets - basic strokes + lowercase alphabet

As I mentioned previously, you probably managed to notice that some letters are similar to others, and the good news is that we can use this to our advantage!

To improve your practice efficiency, I've divided the letters into separate groups based on their similarities.

So, we have 5 different letter groups -

Straight letters - i, l, t, f,

Branching letters - n, m, h, b, p, k, r

Reverse Branching letters - u, y, a, d, g, q

Oval letters - o, c, e

Diagonal letters - s, v, w, x, z

Be sure to check out the bonus section on how to practice effectively before you start using these sheets.
You can download 2 different types of practice sheets depending on the size of the brush pen you prefer to work with.

We have practice sheets for both smaller and bigger brush pens.

Big brush pens - Tombow Dual brush pen, Lyra, Artline Stix, Sharpie, etc.

Small brush pens - Tombow Fudenosuke, Pentel Fude Touch Sign pen, Zebra brush pen, etc.

Drop your email below, follow the instructions, and you will get instant access to these worksheets as well as other worksheets currently available in the Lettering Crate.

Popular modern calligraphy techniques (step by step)

Once you feel confident with basic strokes, you can start experimenting with different styles.

In this section, I am going to guide you step-by-step on how you can create 3 different (popular) modern calligraphy styles.

1. Bounce lettering

Bounce lettering has become quite popular, and it can be seen all over the internet.

It is called bounce lettering because that's exactly how it looks like - the letters bounce up and down!

This style is a perfect example of modern calligraphy since it defies the rules of traditional calligraphy.

What tools do you need for bounce lettering?

Let's jump right into the step-by-step on how to do bounce lettering, so get your tools ready!

Step 1 -

draw some light guidelines using a ruler and a pencil.

We are going to draw the baseline, the mean line, as well as some lines for the angle of our letters (keeping up with consistency)

Feel free to determine the sizes by yourself - if you want the letters to be bigger or smaller, straight or slanted, that's completely up to you.

Step 2 -

With your pencil, gently write the base of the word.

This step will only be necessary at the very beginning; once you have practiced a lot and you have finally developed a feeling for it, you won't need to sketch out your word every time.

Here is the key to bounce lettering -

As mentioned earlier, bounce lettering is called that because the letters bounce up and down.

In order to achieve this, we are going to write every consecutive letter above and below the baseline.

Check out the image below -

Once you gain a bit more experience, you can play around and experiment with the bouncy pattern.

Step 3 -

Now that we have our word sketched out with the proper bouncy pattern, it's time to go over it with our brush pen!

Remember - our up strokes are thin, while our down strokes are thick!

That's it!
Great job, in case it didn't turn out as good as you expected -
DO NOT WORRY!
Grab your tools and repeat the process again. Calligraphy is all about repetition and building muscle memory -
The more you do it, the better you become at it!
2. Distant lettering

Not really sure if there is a different name for this technique (if there is, be sure to drop a comment below)

I named it distant lettering since its main characteristic is that the letters have a large space between each other.

What do you need for distant lettering?

The process of this technique is fairly similar to the bounce lettering that we just did.

Step 1 -

This style has more of a "flowy" feel to it. Therefore instead of drawing a straight grid, im just going to keep a hand-drawn underline, and with the ruler, I'll make some straight-angle lines (keeping the slant consistent).

Step 2 -

Using your pencil start writing a rough sketch of your letters, only this time extending the ending strokes of the letters.

Like this -

Step 3 -

Try to keep a consistent amount of spacing between each letter - it doesn't need to be perfect, just don't make it too obvious!

Once you are done writing with your pencil, it's time to grab your brush pen and go over the pencil sketch.

Once again, if you are not satisfied with the result, simply start over and then do it again and again and again... you get the point 😀

3. Faux calligraphy

Faux or fake calligraphy is awesome because it can be done with any kind of writing tool!

On top of that, it's very easy to learn.

Due to its popularity, I decided to create a separate tutorial for faux calligraphy where I dive into this topic more in-depth.

We also included some free practice sheets, and if you want to learn more about faux calligraphy, I highly recommend you check out this tutorial.

(BONUS) 4. Creating your own unique style

One of the best parts about modern calligraphy is that you can deviate and create something unique.

Try to create something that you like simply by following your own intuition.

Just keep in mind the rules that we talked about (consistency, balance, and spacing), and keep exploring your creativity.
A golden tip! -
First, you need to relax! if you are angry, frustrated, or even hungry, you will struggle with your creative flow. The second thing that will really spark your creativity is to listen to some good music! (the one that you like, obviously) - I know that this may sound weird, but it really helps with creativity!

You can also find inspiration from other artists and create your own variations of a certain style.

Who knows, maybe YOU will create a new style that will become a new trend in the online calligraphy community 🙂

BONUS - How to effectively practice modern calligraphy

Before you print the practice sheets or you just start practicing, I wanted to share a couple of tips that could help you with your practice routine.
Practice is the defining element for progress, but the way you practice makes all the difference.
With deliberate practice, you can achieve more in less time, and let's be honest - who wouldn't want that?

What happens after a lot of practice?

You will quickly notice that the more your practice the more confident you feel with your strokes.

As I mentioned earlier, you start to build something called muscle memory.

For those who are not familiar with the term, here is a quick definition -

Muscle memory is a form of procedural memory that involves consolidating a specific motor task into memory through repetition, which has been used synonymously with motor learning. When a movement is repeated over time, a long-term muscle memory is created for that task, eventually allowing it to be performed without conscious effort. This process decreases the need for attention and creates maximum efficiency within the motor and memory systems.

If you are interested in learning more about muscle memory, I HIGHLY recommend watching this short video below.

It's one of my favorite videos on YouTube and it comprehensively explains what muscle memory is and how it works.

Imagine building a house.

This is an analogy that I often use to describe what the learning process should look like.

When building a house, you will start by laying down your foundation.

Once you have that, you can start building your walls and your roof.

Then you can make your windows and the doors, and finally, you can paint them and decorate them.

With calligraphy (or pretty much any other skill), the process is fairly similar.

It makes no sense to learn and practice flourishing if you still don't have the basics down.

Working with multiple words and layouts will be quite difficult if you are still struggling with single words.

What I'm trying to say here is - take it slow and build your skills gradually!

I understand that when you scroll on Instagram and you see all that amazing work, you just want to create something like that.

I also understand that doing the basic stuff seems pretty boring.

However, believe me, by gradually building up your skills, you will see more progress in less time!

Here are a couple of actionable tips on how to practice more effectively -

Practice daily! - I know that many of you have tight schedules and struggle to find time for practice. However, it's much better to practice daily for even 15-20 minutes than twice a week for two hours (consistency over intensity).

Warm-up drills - before you jump straight to writing your words, warm up your hand muscles by filling in a sheet of the basic drills, for example (included in the freebie). It will take you only a few minutes and make a difference!

Proper posture and placement of the tools - you practice calligraphy by sitting at a desk, period! I've seen people practicing while sitting on the couch, lying in their beds, etc. If you plan to practice like that, don't expect much progress. Check out these YouTube videos from Paul, where he explains it further in-depth.

Use guidelines! - as mentioned earlier, guidelines will help keep your letters consistent.

Stick to the basics - avoid multiple words (layouts) and any excessive effects. For the first weeks, focus on the basic strokes and incorporate them properly to create single words. Focus on keeping your letters consistent - build your foundation first!

Final thoughts on modern calligraphy

I know that this is a lot of new information if you are just getting started, but honestly, the best thing to do is - just start!

Firsthand experience will teach you more than anything else.

Are you looking to get some constructive feedback on your work?

Do you have a specific question, and you struggle to find an answer online?

Maybe you just want to nerd out with fellow calligraphers.

If so, check out and join our official Facebook group!

The official Lettering Daily Facebook group is a place where you can -

Share your work

Get constructive feedback

Network with fellow lettering & calligraphy artists

Ask specific questions about lettering & calligraphy

Much more!

Oh, and as a final note, in case you would like to learn more about other calligraphy styles, be sure to check out my article on the 10 calligraphy styles for beginners.

Thank you for joining for another tutorial, and until the next time -
Stay AWESOME!! Pin me!

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How To Do Modern Calligraphy (+FREE Worksheets)

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Welcome back for another tutorial! This is a beginner's guide for those looking to learn more about modern calligraphy. Here is a brief sum-up of what you are going to learn in this tutorial -

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Scrub up! Ditch the sweatpants and pjs for one day!
Wear your favourite clothes, put on a suit, your unused Halloween costume, a dress, maybe do your make-up! Go wild! Don’t forget the selfie/pic and share to the group page!

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Copy of Grey Coat Father's Day Instagram Post

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Give someone at home a hug! Sometimes the smallest things make the biggest difference!

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3-6-7 Circle Breathing for Relaxation

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4-7-8 Breathing Exercise for Sleeping (Extended 5 Min Version)

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4-7-8 Breathing Exercise for Sleeping (Extended 5 Min Version)

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Triangle Breathing Exercise

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Affectionate Breathing Meditation | Louise Shanagher

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Look up a fun fact or a world record! Share the most interesting one you find with someone!

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Do a crossword or a sudoku!

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We also supply Sudoku puzzles for newspapers, books, magazines, websites and more.

Web Sudoku © 2024. Protected by Copyscape plagiarism checker. By Gideon Greenspan and Rachel Lee.

Please play on our new server.

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Web Sudoku - Billions of Free Sudoku Puzzles to Play Online

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Play unlimited sudoku puzzles online. Four levels from Easy to Evil. Compatible with all browsers, tablets and phones including iPhone, iPad and Android.

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Make a video on TikTok (or other)! Be creative!
Share it to your tutor group and give everyone a good laugh today!

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Copy of Make a creative Video on TikTok (or other)

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Try to learn the lyrics of a song can be old or new! Could be rap, pop or anything!

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Share your favourite feel good movie and tell people why they should watch it!

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Ask someone at home to tell you a story about what it was like growing up when they were your age!

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While you are on your walk try to pick up some litter!
Let's keep our environment clean!

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Tap to Tidy!
Clean out a messy cupboard or your wardrobe!
Share a before and after picture!

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Copy of Grey Fashion Photo Fall Promotional Instagram Post

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Call your grandparents or other relatives!

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Make an obstacle course in your garden and get everyone at home involved!

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Write a letter to your future self and get someone to give it to you either after lockdown or when you leave school!

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Learn a card trick! Some suggestions in the link.

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Learning new card tricks, especially ones that are easy but still cool, isn't something that comes naturally to everyone. I'll admit it: I'm not good at any magic tricks. I mean, I can learn things but I am no Neil Patrick Harris. I still feel residual shame from the one time in fifth grade when our teacher made us each learn a card trick that we would perform in front of the class for a grade, and when I screwed mine up in front of the whole class, I sat in a corner and very quietly and melodramatically cried. I tell you this because now that you know how completely inept I am at magic, you will know that when I tell you that this list of card tricks I compiled is super easy, I mean that even a moron could do it (and that moron just happens to be me).

You might be wondering why card tricks are a valuable life skill for you to learn at this point in the game, so gather round, fellow people of the internet, and I'll tell you: You can learn magic to make friends at parties, to get out of speeding tickets, or if you're feeling particularly ambitious, keep mastering the craft until you become the next David Blaine, make bank, and meet a ton of celebrities.

1. "The Power Of Four"

Wow your party guests by letting them shuffle the deck and split it in half. By looking at the fourth card down in one half of the deck, you always ~magically~ know the exact fourth card in the other half of the deck, too.

2. "Make A Prediction"

This one is the same magician as the first one, but a little more complicated. You pull out a "prediction" card at the beginning and split the deck three ways, and your audience will be boggled that the second card in every deck is always the same number/royal figure as the prediction card you pulled aside.

3. "Screw Up Proof"

Literally all you need to be able to do is count out loud. If you watched Sesame Street as a kid, you will be able to perform this trick.

4. "Pick A Card, Any Card"

Nothing like some good old-fashioned audience participation to get the magic party started. They pick a card, shuffle it back into the deck, and then wave their hand to get a little magic started. Then you show them the top card - but it's a red herring. It's not their card. Then you reveal by fanning out the deck that all the cards are facing up, except for the very one they put in the deck themselves.

5. "Give Me A Number Between One And Ten"

Here's a quick one if you're trying to get your flirt on in 30 seconds or less. They pick a number between 1-10, shuffle the deck, and then pull however many cards depending on the number they chose. If they chose 7, they look at the seventh card, memorize it, and shuffle it back into the deck. Not that it matters because you already know which card they chose.

6. "The Mind Reader"

OK, so technically this is a card trick "for kids," but it's also the quickest of all the card tricks to learn because it requires zero prep and the actual teaching part of it takes 40 whole seconds. So useful! What was I even doing in college, anyway?

7. "WTF Just Happened"

I'm warning you right now that this one will mess you up a little bit the first time you watch it, because there is some slight of hand involved. But the next few minutes of tutorial are totally worth the mind-boggling reaction you're going to get from the first unsuspecting victim you use this on.

8. "The Spelling Bee"

You don't even have to touch the cards on this one. No excuses. You do have to rely on your audience member's ability to be able to spell out numbers, so maybe wait before you debut this one at the local daycare.

9. "The Introvert's Dream"

This guy specifically made this video for people who were afraid of performing in public so that they could learn a card game. Props to him and his baller accent. This is another classic "find your card in a shuffled deck" trick, and comes with the added charm of being "fail-proof."

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9 Easy Card Tricks That Will Make You Look Like Basically a Wizard - VIDEO

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Learning new card tricks, especially ones that are easy but still cool, isn't something that comes naturally to everyone. I'll admit it: I'm not good at any magic tricks. I mean, I can learn things but I am no Neil Patrick Harris.

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Write a Bucketlist of all the places you want to go when Lockdown is lifted!

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Write and draw a comic strip!

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CHALLENGE DAY 6 with our own Anne-Marie! 

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CHALLENGE DAY 6 with our own Anne-Marie! 

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Prove you completed Anne-Marie's workout by filling out the following questionnaire! Double points for a post work out picture!
Hope you were listening as well has exercising!

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Virtual Wellbeing Series - Day 6 Challenge with Anne-Marie

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Watch a movie with family or guardians!

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Start the day right😍

For ingredients and method  just hit the link!

Ingredients:
Flour
Butter
Egg
Baking powder
Sugar
Salt
Milk

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Want to know how to make a stack of light, fluffy pancakes with ingredients already in your pantry? This quick pancake recipe is what you need! They are made with simple ingredients that you already have. The result is a batch of the softest, fluffiest homemade pancakes that your family will flip over. Don't forget the warm maple syrup on top.
PIN IT FOR LATER!
We love our breakfast around here, especially homemade pancakes, and it seems you do too! I've been on a breakfast run lately! In case you missed the latest breakfast recipes they were Homemade Waffles, Pumpkin Pancakes Recipe, and The BEST Blueberry Pancakes, just to name a few!

I've been holding out on this easy pancake recipe. I've been making this for a few years and I just never got around to posting it. I apologize. It's the greatest shame because these homemade pancakes are amazing. Sinfully good is how I would describe them! Make a batch of the Best Scrambled Eggs for an amazing breakfast!

Ingredients Needed

This is it!! I bet your have all these ingredients already!

How to Make Easy Pancakes

Here are a few step by step photos on how to make pancakes!

Mix Dry Ingredients - Combine and sift all dry ingredients in a bowl. (Image 1 Above)

Mix Wet Ingredients - In a different bowl beat egg until light and fluffy. Add 1 c. milk and melted butter to bowl. Stir to combine. (Image 2 Above)

Combine Ingredients - Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just a few small lumps are left. The lumps will break up a bit if you let the batter sit as you heat the griddle. If you feel the batter is to thick add remaining milk to batter and stir to combine. Do not over mix! (Image 1 Above)

Cook - Heat griddle or skillet over medium to low heat. Melt butter and ladle about 1/4 c. batter into skillet. When bubbles form on top of pancake flip and brown the other side. Keep the heat low and cook them slow to get them perfect. (Image 2 Above)

Optional Add-ins

Mini Chocolate Chips

Chopped Strawberries

Cocoa Powder

Raspberry

White Chocolate Chips

Cooked Bacon

Brown Sugar and Cinnamon

Lemon Zest

Mashed banana

Sprinkles

Blueberries

Take a few add-ins and make a flavor combo! I'm personally thinking peanut butter and chocolate chips, or strawberry and banana or maybe blueberry and lemon?! Wait, wait maybe I'll do the raspberry and white chocolate chips!

Expert Tips!

Don't over mix your batter! You will want to stop mixing when you still have small lumps in your batter. You can even let your batter rest about 15 minutes to let the wet ingredients soak into the flour, which help any remaining lumps break up.

Another trick to making them even lighter and fluffier is to whisk the egg white. Separate the egg white from the yolk. Add the yolk right into the batter, but whisk the egg white until it's foamy. Then gently fold it into the batter right before cooking.

Remember to only flip your pancakes once! When you see little bubble on the pancake when you are cooking it, then it's time to flip it!

Use a flat surface to cook the pancakes. We prefer using a griddle.

Clean the skillet or griddle after each batch. This will save you from burned pancakes.

To keep them warm while you finish making the entire batch simply put a cooling rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet. Heat an oven to 225 degrees F and place the sheet pan with rack inside the oven. When your first batch is done the rack and oven will be warmed. Place them on the baking rack in a single layer and place the pan inside the oven. The baking rack with help air to circulate freely, which prevents the them from becoming soggy.

If you want to prepare the batter ahead of time we recommend mixing the dry ingredients ahead of time and having it in your pantry. Store in an airtight container. When ready to enjoy the pancakes simply add the wet ingredients and enjoy. The dry mix will last as long as your flour and baking powder do, so make sure to use fresh ingredients.

These pancakes freeze great so if you want to double the batch and freeze half for later it's perfect. They reheat wonderfully. We recommend a layer of parchment paper between the pancakes when you freeze them so they don't stick together. You could also flash freeze them on a sheet pan, too. Simply lay them out on a sheet pan (do not stack) and place them in the freezer until frozen. Then transfer them to an airtight container or bag and place back in the freezer.

You can warm frozen pancakes in the microwave for about 20 seconds. If you add more than one pancake add an additional 5-10 seconds for each pancake to reheating time. If you have leftovers in the fridge you'll only need about 10-15 seconds in the microwave for those. We have been known to throw ours in the toaster to if you like them a bit crispy on the outside

More delicious pancake recipes here!

WATCH THE STEP BY STEP VIDEO FOR THIS RECIPE BELOW:

Did you try the recipe? Rate it, please!!! ? Seriously though a five-star rating below will make my day! If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your amazing drinks!!

Homemade Pancakes
If you enjoy watching these videos make sure you subscribe to my YouTube Channel and click the bell icon to be notified each time a post a new video!

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Want to know how to make a stack of light, fluffy pancakes with ingredients already in your pantry? This quick pancake recipe is what you need! They are made with simple ingredients that you already have. The result is a batch of the softest, fluffiest homemade pancakes that your family will flip over.

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Trampoline Breathing - Connect With Your Breath

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Trampoline Breathing  - Connect With Your Breath

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Try out some Zen Doodling! All you need is a blank page and a pen or pencil.

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Learn a sentence in another language (Don't be bold!)
Don't forget to hit the sound button to hear the correct pronunciation.

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Google's free service instantly translates words, phrases, and web pages between English and over 100 other languages.

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Ever wanted to start yoga? Today could be the day!

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Day 1 - Invite  |  BREATH - A 30 Day Yoga Journey

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Go for a socially distanced walk with someone in your bubble!

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Cook a meal for your family! Can be breakfast, lunch, dinner or a treat!
Use one of the recipes from this week or click the link below and explore!

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Explore our huge selection of delicious recipe ideas including; easy desserts, delicious vegan and vegetarian dinner ideas, gorgeous pasta recipes, quick bakes, family-friendly meals and gluten-free recipes.

Sign up to Jamie's newsletters to receive recipe inspiration straight to your inbox, every week

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Explore this huge selection of delicious recipes that includes... easy desserts, delicious vegan and vegetarian dinner ideas, gorgeous pastas, easy bakes, and gluten-free recipes.

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Affectionate Breathing Meditation | Louise Shanagher

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Affectionate Breathing Meditation | Louise Shanagher

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Spend time with a pet if you have one!

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Make something with Origami! We've included a link to a Baby Yoda Origami and others!

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Learn how to make easy origami with these simple instructions and diagrams. Origami doesn't have to be difficult and frustrating. There are lots of figures that are easy and fun to make. Just follow the step by step guide and you'll be able to fold something in little time.

When you think of origami, you automatically think of some complex paper structure that is difficult to fold, but it doesn't have to be that way. Origamiway.com is here to save the day. Here is a list of easy origami that anyone can have fun making. Click on the diagram you want and fold away.

This is not a complete list of easy origami. We're always adding more and coming up with more creations for you to enjoy. Remember to come back for the latest easy origami!

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Use these easy origami instructions and diagrams to learn how to make really cool origami. They're so easy a caveman can do it.

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Do 10 pushups or as many as you can!

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Reach out to a friend you haven't spoken to in a while. Call them or text them or tag them in a funny post!

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List 5 things you are grateful for! Encourage family members to do the same!

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Swing Breathing - Connect With Your Breath and Ease Anxiety

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Swing Breathing -  Connect With Your Breath and Ease Anxiety

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Do 20 Jumping Jacks!

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Watch the sunset or the sunrise! Maybe capture and share a picture!

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Play Pictionary with family in person or friends over Zoom. Check out our link that give prompts for Pictionary!

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If you love Pictionary or Pictionary Air, you've come to the right place. This is especially true if you're looking for random Pictionary words so you can play the game. The Random Pictionary Word generator is helpful if you don't have a gameboard and cards around, but you'd still like to play the game with your friends. Our free online Pictionary word generator does exactly that by letting you and your friends play the game even if you don't have the game cards handy. If you're looking for more fun games, please also check out our Never Have I Ever questions and our Would You Rather questions.

How Do You Play Pictionary?

The joy of playing Pictionary and Pictionary Air is that the rules of the game are simple, but executing them is a challenge and inevitably produces a lot of fun and laughter. Basically, the goal of the game is for one person to draw a picture without using any letters, numbers, words, gestures, verbal cues or nonverbal cues, and their partner has to guess what word corresponds to the picture being drawn. In order for it to be fair for both teams, generating random Pictionary game words is a great way to keep the playing field even.

How Many People Can Play Pictionary?

While there really isn't a limit on how many people can play, the ideal number is four people (which is also the fewest number of people you need to play the game). This allows for two teams of two to compete against one another. If you happen to have more than four people, it's possible to create more teams or have a larger number of people on each team so that nobody is left out of the fun. For example, if you have eight friends that want to play, you can make four teams of two players or two teams of four players.

What are the Rules of Pictionary?

The rules of the game are pretty simple. One person on your team is designated to be the first person to draw a picture of whatever random Pictionary word is generated. Once they see the word, they have 5 seconds to think before they begin to draw. Once they begin drawing, they have 1 minute to try to get their partner to guess the random word. If the partner succeeds in guessing the correct word being drawn, the team gets a point, but they get zero points if they don't. Team two does the same thing, then the person drawing is switched for round two. After a designated number of rounds, the team with the most points wins.

Random Catchphrase Generator

We didn't stop there! You can also play the game Catchphrase by turning the tool into a random catchphrase word generator. Go to the games drop-down menu and choose "Catchphrase" as the option. This will change the random words to a random Catchphrase word list allowing you to play Catchphrase as much as you like. If you're a Catchphrase game fan, utilizing the random Catchphrase generator option will bring you hours of fun.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you make sounds while playing Pictionary?

What is the difference between Pictionary and charades?

How much time do you get in Pictionary?

Can you play Pictionary without the game?

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The Pictionary word generator can be used to play Pictionary or Pictionary Air anywhere. It also has a charades word generator and catchphrase word generator options to play charades and catchphrase.

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Create Art: draw a picture of your choice or take inspiration from the link below! You can draw your favourite car or character. Whatever you want!
Share on Teams and gain points for your team!

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Love drawing but run out of cool ideas to draw when you are bored? Sometimes, I forget how much I love drawing and I've started looking for new ideas to try out during those breaks in class when I don't have or even want my phone. Learn how to draw these cool and simple easy things to draw with step by step tutorials that show you exactly how. From game characters to buildings to flowers and mandalas, you can practice your drawing skills and add these to your creative repertoire.

1. Draw a City Skyline

The city comes alive at night - this is an easy way to let your drawings reflect the kinetic energy of an urban setting in the evening. This method is the simplest way to make a city skyline visual. You can take or leave steps as you see fit, so the skyline has your desired level of detail.

2. Draw a Mandala

A mandala is a complex abstract design that is usually circular in form. In fact, "mandala" is a Sanskrit word that means "circle". This tutorial might seem intimidating but it really is not. Once you know the steps, it is fairly easy to replicate.
Try these drawing ideas with step by step tutorials

3. How to Draw Roses

I love this easy DIY for drawing roses! I have been playing around with drawing roses, trying to come up with an easy way to do it for anyone that might like to. I wound up with this tutorial. Give it a try. It is so simple and easy to make and the end result is super duper beautiful.

4. Draw a Dandelion
artprojectsforkids
Let's learn how to draw a dandelion flower. Follow along with the easy drawing of dandelion step by step and I am sure you can draw them on your own in no time. This dandelion doodle is perfect for art journals, bullet journals and more.

5. Draw Cute Chibi Kawaii Pokemon Characters
drawinghowtodraw
This drawing tutorial will teach you how to draw Cute, Chibi, Kawaii, and Baby Pokemon Characters. This is an easy step by step drawing lesson that I am sure you won't have a hard time following along with. It even has a video tutorial which you will enjoy if you are into the world of anime and cartoons.

6. How to Draw a Female Face
sketchbook
This beginners' step by step tutorial. l is for a basic female face. If you love anime & manga then, of course, you'd wanna draw it. If you follow along with this simple tutorial from Sketch Book, you'll end up with a perfectly constructed female face. So go ahead and try it!

7. Learn to Draw The Cat in the Hat
drawinghowtodraw
I am a huge fan of The Cat In The Hat and Dr. Seuss! So I am pretty excited to stumble upon this drawing tutorial. Learn how to draw the Cat in the hat with the simple step-by-step instructions from Drawing How to Draw.

8. Drawing Smokey Sexy Eyes

Create amazing and fun artwork as easily as possible. With no stress and no hard to follow rules. I particularly enjoyed this tutorial of Smokey Sexy Eyes from Don Corgi. To make such cute and fun eyes, you will need to draw some Rectangular eyes first.

9. Way to Draw a Basset Hound Dog
feltmagnet
If you have a desire to draw, follow along with this tutorial from Felt Magnet while he draws a Bassett Hound. If you're ready to do this with him, grab a pencil and some paper - there is drawing to be done! You can learn how to draw a dog realistically without too much difficulty.

10. Drawing A Robot
how-to-draw-funny-cartoons
I just love this tutorial! There's a simple video, to begin with. First, you can start working on your character using the simple step-by-step video lesson found on the site. Once you are done, you can learn more about this character by following all the steps described in the tutorial. Why not learn how to draw a robot today?

11. How to Draw A Car
dueysdrawings
When I first started drawing as a beginner, I really wanted to learn how to draw a car but was nowhere nearly as skilled as I wanted to be with my art. Turns out, there are some techniques, tips and tricks that can help with car drawing tutorials. This is my favorite one. Check it out for yourself.

12. How to Draw Winnie The Pooh

I think everyone should learn how to draw cartoons, as they always seem to be fun and enjoyable, plus ones like this adorable Winnie the Pooh make a nice gift.

13. Draw a Cute Niffler from Fantastic Beasts
drawinghowtodraw
For fun drawing ideas for kids, how cute is this tutorial that shows you how to draw Niffler from Fantastic Beasts? I love learning how to draw animals, especially imaginary ones like this cute little guy.

14. How to Draw A Dragon
artprojectsforkids
Learn dragon drawing basics with this tutorial that even beginners can succeed with. I think pretty much everyone should learn how to draw a dragon, and this simple tutorial shows you how to make an easy dragon, a perfect lesson for a budding artist.

15. Draw a Spaceship

For easy things to draw when bored, this cool spaceship drawing tutorial is a perfect place to start. Even beginners and kids should be able to do this one.

16. Draw A Cow
momjunction
Learn how to draw a cow with this simple drawing tutorial with step by step instructions.

17. Draw Realistic Eyes
stars-portraits
18. Draw A Cartoon Penguin
how2drawanimals
19. Create A Snail Drawing
how-to-draw-funny-cartoons
20. Draw BB-8
easydrawingtutorials
21. Easy Sunflower Drawing Tutorial
feltmagnet
22. Draw a Ninja
drawinghub
23. Draw Bart Simpson
easydrawingtutorials
24. Draw with Pastels
dueysdrawings
25. Draw A 3D Sphere
mydrawingtutorials
26. Draw A Pseudo-Sugar Skull

27. Draw Butterflies
design.tutsplus
28. Draw Hair
thedrawingsource
29. Draw Tangerines with Colored Pencils
feltmagnet
30. Draw Still Life
dueysdrawings
31. Draw A Spider
easypeasyandfun
32. Draw A Tulip
supercoloring
33. Draw With Charcoal
mybluprint
34. Draw Simple Faces
little-drawing-tips
35. Draw Feathers
impact-books
36. Draw A Panda
kidsarthub
37. Draw A 3D Hole Optical Illusion
mydrawingtutorials
38. Draw A Whale
drawyourworld
39. Leaf Drawing Tutorial
smilingcolors
40. Draw the Human Body
improveyourdrawings
41. Draw a Cute Cartoon Cat
facedrawer
42. Draw a Smile
artistsnetwork
43. Draw Shiny Honey
expensivebrowniez
44. Sketch With a Soft Pencil

45. Draw a Knight
improveyourdrawings
46. Draw a Minion

47. Draw Big Round Ears

48. Gesture Drawing Tutorial
drawpaintacademy
49. Draw An Anemone Flower
littlecoffeefox
50. Draw a Waterfall
drawingtutorials101
51. Draw the Queen
theguardian

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Easy Things to Draw When You Are Bored -Free Drawing Lessons

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Love drawing but run out of cool ideas to draw when you are bored? Sometimes, I forget how much I love drawing and I've started looking for new ideas to try out during those breaks in class when I don't have or even want my phone.

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Write a postcard or letter to some you are missing! Sometimes it's nice to step away from technology and go old school!

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Make a photo collage for a friend or family member of your best memories together. Share it and make them smile!

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Listening Meditation

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Make your own playdough and have a little fun! A fun activity if you have. younger siblings or just nostalgic fun!

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This super-easy playdough recipe is the perfect way to spend a rainy afternoon inside. It's quick enough to hold a young child's attention and you only need a few storecupboard ingredients.

Little hands can play with the results straightaway, so there's immediate gratification for all involved!

For more hands-on crafts, see how to make slime, salt dough, oobleck and moon sand with affordable ingredients and easy steps.

Keep the little ones entertained at home with our summer activities for kids, sensory play ideas, fun yoga for kids and birthday ideas for kids at home.

See our new Kid's Kitchen series for essential cookery skills, plus easy recipes kids can make and kids summer baking projects.
Browse our family & kids hub for plenty of inspiration.
How to make playdough

Makes 1 coloured ball
Prep 10 minutes
You will need

8 tbsp plain flour

2 tbsp table salt

60ml warm water

food colouring

1 tbsp vegetable oil

Method
1. Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl mix together the water, a few drops of food colouring and the oil.

2. Pour the coloured water into the flour mix and bring together with a spoon.

3. Dust a work surface with a little flour and turn out the dough. Knead together for a few minutes to form a smooth, pliable dough. If you want a more intense colour you can work in a few extra drops of food colouring.

4. Store in a plastic sandwich bag (squeeze out the air) in the fridge to keep it fresh. You can make a batch of colours and give away as kids' party bag favours or hold a playdough party for your child's next birthday.
Watch our step-by-step video to see how simple this recipe is:
For inspiration, visit our friends at 5 Minute Fun and discover 5 easy models to make from playdough.

Like this? Try more activities for kids...
Indoor activities for kids
How to make a herb garden
Easy rock painting for kids
How to make a fairy door
How to make a stick photo frame
How to make a bee flowerpot
How to make garden wind chimes
5 easy garden crafts for kids
Fruit & veg for kids to grow How to make salt dough
How to make paper mache
How to make a bath bomb
How to make bubbles
How to make slime without borax
Top 10 easy bakes for children
How to make a pom-pom
Keep little gardeners busy with more fun crafts...

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This super-easy playdough recipe is the perfect way to spend a rainy afternoon inside. It's quick enough to hold a young child's attention and you only need a few storecupboard ingredients. Little hands can play with the results straightaway, so there's immediate gratification for all involved!

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Make a group call with friends!

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Make a Good Mood playlist of 5 songs to inspire you and other to feel happy!
Share on Teams and gain points for your team!

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Mini Mindfulness Moment - Hot Chocolate Breathing

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Hot Chocolate Breathing | Mini Mindfulness - Louise Shanagher

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Why don't you take a picture of nature while you're outside?
Share it to Teams to get points!

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Copy of Brown Photo Nature Quote Great Outdoors Month Instagram Post

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Make someone a cup of tea!

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Make a list of 5 things that make you happy!

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Play a boardgame or card game with your family. We've included a link to a favourite card game Spoons!
Take a snap and share on Teams and gain points for you team!

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The Pack

A standard deck of 52 cards is used plus a number of spoons using one fewer spoon than the number of players playing in the game

Object of the Game

Players take turns trying to collect a four-of-a-kind. Once someone does, everyone tries to grab a spoon. Without a spoon, you get a letter. If a player spells "S-P-O-O-N", they're out! The last player standing wins!

The Deal

Arrange the spoons in a small circle in the center of the table and deal four cards to each player.

The Play

Each player tries to make four of a kind. The dealer takes a card off the top of the deck to have five cards in their hand, removes one and passes it face down to the left. Each player discards to the person on their left.

The last player places their discard into a trash pile. Cards are picked up and passed quickly around the table until someone gets four of a kind and takes a spoon from the center. Once the player with four of a kind takes a spoon, anyone can take a spoon. The player left without a spoon gets a letter. If at any time the draw cards run out, pause to reshuffle the trash pile and keep going.

How to Keep Score

The winner is the last player remaining. Players move closer to elimination each time they don't get a spoon and take the next letter in the word S-P-O-O-N. Spell it and you're out.

@OfficialBicycleCards on Instagram

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The Pack A standard deck of 52 cards is used plus a number of spoons using one fewer spoon than the number of players playing in the game Object of the Game Players take turns trying to collect a four-of-a-kind. Once someone does, everyone tries to grab a spoon.

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Throw, kick or solo with a ball for 10 minutes!

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Introductory Video about Virtual Wellbeing Weekend. 

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Introductory Video about Virtual Wellbeing Weekend. 

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Today's Challenge is to complete 10,000 Steps! Post a picture/screenshot of your step log to your Tutor Group on Microsoft Teams and you will gain points for your class and points towards a Virtual Badge! Get Walking!!!

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Pink Minimalist Kindness Quote Instagram Post (1)

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This will include a guided meditation that you can follow.
Intro to Mindfulness

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This activity will focus on Creativity.

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This activity will focus on Random Acts of Kindness.

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This activity will focus on Mindfulness

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This activity will focus on physical exercise.

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This activity will focus on being social.

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Alaska Northern Lights Plain Collage Instagram Post (1)

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Colourful, Happy Brush strokes Quote Instagram Post

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There will be a Daily Challenge that will allow you to gain points for your class group! The team with the most points will get a full day of activities and treats! There will be 4 Bonus Challenges that will be worth extra points to attend! Mental Health talk with SHINE and JIGSAW. Zumba with Aisling and a Whole School Kahoot! Quiz! Log on to the Teams Meeting and Complete a short questionnaire afterwards to prove you were listening.