There are many, many upsides to parenting. But one of our favourites is that being a mum or dad is the perfect excuse to let our own inner children loose with the glue and paper.
The great thing about making things with kids is that it doesn't have to be perfect – in fact there are lots of reasons why crafting badly is probably really good for your children. At least, that's our excuse and we're sticking to it.
One of the best places to source ideas for achievable, fun projects to do with your pre-schoolers are parent blogs – and the finalists in this year's MAD (Mum and Dad) Blog Awards, sponsored by Parentdish, have some amazing projects for you to try.
Why not start with this fab Monster tea party,created by Science Sparks? It would go perfectly with this spider paper plate craft from My Little 3 and Me!
Got a special occasion coming up? Our finalists have it covered – we love The Mummy Adventure's Very Hungry Caterpillar's first birthday ideas, and we're in raptures over the vintage décor ideas for a birthday party over on Oh So Amelia.
Capture by Lucy opted for a medic theme for her son's second birthday party. And how about a Hairy Mclary themed lunch, as imagined by Eats Amazing?
If you have a space fan in the family, why not turn any day into an adventure with this collection of space-themed games and activities, from Jennifer's Little World?
It's not just about toddlers, of course. We think older children will love making their own soap, and there's a fab tutorial over on Tiger Lilly Quinn, while Along Came Cherry has some fab tips on making your own felt head bands.
If you fancy getting creative yourself, why not have a go at making these adorable bunny dresses, using the simple-to-follow tutorial from Little Button Diaries. They're cute as can be!
If paper and scissors really aren't your thing, why not try some family-friendly recipes with your kids? Gourmet Mum has a recipe for chocolate brownies that are sure to be a hit with younger tasters, while The Crazy Kitchen's giant chocolate cupcake would be perfect for a child's party or special occasion.
Our finalists also have some fab ideas for family-friendly main courses too – one of our favourites has to be A Mummy Too's smokey halloumi pasta bake.
