Paint the Garden
You’ll need a brush (the bigger the better) and a bucket of water.  Send them outside to paint the fence, wooden garden furniture or even the patio, in fact anything that changes colour with water.  Great for visually orientated children.  For more adventurous families, teach them how to make patterns by flicking the brush, or have competitions to see whose water drop will roll down the slide the fastest.

Playdoh – Make Your Own
Just 2 cups of flour, 1 cup of salt, 1 cup of water (put a drop of food colouring in the water before mixing it if required) and a splash of oil makes fabulous soft playdoh.  It is easy for children to make themselves, and I find it is softer than the shop-bought variety so it is easy for little fingers to manipulate.  Keep it in the fridge in an air-tight container to make it last longer.  Get them to add lentils, grains of rice or seeds to vary the texture.  You can even put in drops of lavender oil or something similar to vary the sensory experience.