5. BUILD AN OBSTACLE COURSE

An obstacle course is an ideal activity for toddlers, according to Lovevery, whose products support stage based development for children aged 0-3yrs with their Play Kits subscription programme.

They say: “Consider starting small — just two or three elements, so they can feel successful before you add more.”

Try to give your child:

■■Something to jump to (spots on ground), over (a rope or a line), and into (hoops).

■■Something to crawl through or under (a play tunnel, a table, or a chair).

■■ Something to walk on carefully (a board laid flat on the ground) or climb over (bean bag chairs, or large stuffed animals).

6. MAKE YOUR OWN FORT

Building your own den or fort could help shake the habit of being glued to the TV, according to experts at retailer Millets.

They say: “Embrace your space and make the most of your house by pretending each room is a different zone.

“Place a few chairs of differing heights around the living room and make sure that their backs are facing the inside of the den.

“Add some finishing touches to your den by stringing up lights or making a sign for it.

“Why not think about camping out together as a family in the back garden?”

7. DECORATE WITH BUNTING

The magical spell to spruce up your tent, den or fort is a splash of colour.

Millets say: “Gather around five different patterned fabrics and/or brightly coloured pieces of scrapbook paper.

“Start to draw the shape and size of your first flag out on the paper.

“Cut out the flag. Use this as your template to cut out the rest of the triangles.

“Punch three to four holes at the top of each flag and simply thread a piece of string, ribbon or twine through them.”