This time of year is always so tough on mom and dad to keep the kids entertained and your whole family cabin fever free! With the holiday hooplah long gone these long winter days sometime lack excitement and the words “I’m bored” are more frequently used. Here is a great indoor craft and activity in one. created by the Craft Studio, to keep the kids entertained and parents and caregivers sane!

DIY Restaurant

This is a great way to have the whole family involved in a craft and activity project. Kids of all ages love pretending to “play restaurant” and help in the kitchen. Designing your own family restaurant from the ground up is a great way to engage your entire clan and start a new family tradition! Perfect for a day off of school longer activity or a cozy weekend day in.

Supplies Needed:

Old white tablecloth (or craft paper, disposable paper table cloth, or butcher paper from the grocery store), markers (washable will work great on any of the table cloth options and lessen the mess), gems, buttons, feathers, yarn, (or any random craft embellishments you have around to add pizzaz to your table cloth and menu), washable school glue, poster board (or construction paper for menu), scissors (for grown-up use or big kids), a fun photo for menu.

Steps:

1.

First decide what are easy options to put on a menu and pick a restaurant theme (Mexican if it is taco night, Italian if it is pizza, etc)!  Even though we are working with washable materials…we still say protect surfaces with newspaper or work on an art approved surface and throw an old t shirt over your kids super cute clothes.

2.

When ready to rock lay out your table cloth to begin. Using markers write your family’s last name and restaurant, (ex. Peers Family Restaurant). If you are a bubble letter pro you can do bubble letters or plain old handwriting in cute little kid (or grown-up) chicken scratch! You can add cute sayings like, “It’s a Family Affair!” or “Where Family Always Comes First!”.

3.

For the menu… fold your poster board or construction paper (cut into a menu sized sheet)  in half. Grown-ups cut out the photo and help glue it onto the front. Write the name of your family restaurant on the top and then decorate the outside with washable markers, glue and any craft embellishments you may have.

You can get fancy by making a yarn tassel for the menu. Bunch pieces of yarn about an inch and a half long. Secure the bunch with loose piece of yarn. Then cut a large piece of yarn and tie it around the entire fold of the menu. Tie at bottom edge and attach the tassel to the knot.

On the inside of the menu, write what your family will feast on that day. Break it into courses for extra fun from drinks to desserts. Add a choice wherever you can (ex/pasta with butter, cheese sauce, or marinara) for excitement and giggles.

4.

All that is left to do is to sit back, assign jobs (waiter, chef, host, guest) and let the good times flow! Bon appetite!

 *For grown up kids added fun use an old vase (from a flower delivery) glue on bright colored pom poms and feathers to match your theme and fill with fresh flowers for the table!

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