This month I'm loving... eco-friendly toys from Creative Charlie. I hope to spend some of April in Paris (great Eurostar offers, even if you only stay for the day) but I expect to spend most of this month here in London, complete with kids on school hols and dare I predict, the odd spot of rain.

 

Cheer up a drizzly, dull day with a Rainy Day Box from Creative Charlie (and earn yourself a few minutes' peace without resorting to the telly). It's better for the kids (bye-bye mummy guilt) and better for the planet (so long green guilt).

 

 

Creative Charlie is the brainchild of Kerri Sellens, an artist and mum of two. She and her team assemble the kits in the UK, with recycled and recyclable materials. The 'Make Masks' kit includes four recycled cardboard mask templates, feathers, washable glue, biodegradable water-based paints, recycled sugar paper, pom-poms and a recycled pencil for decorating. (One of the templates is a bunny mask: perfect for Easter!) There's even a kit for painting your own T-shirt (organic cotton, natch), and I love the jewellery kit with colourful beads made from recycled paper (below).

Creative Charlie will encourage you to hang onto potential art supplies in your own house, from wallpaper samples to scraps of gift wrap. In the Creative Recycling section you'll find 'recipes' for crafting a sock puppet, money box, even a guitar, all from items others might just throw away.

 

Creative Charlie also has a page of tips for fun and free activities for you and your children. Take a closer look: I second the recommendation of Coram's Fields, a delightfully peaceful spot in the centre of London's hustle and bustle (if the weather cheers up I may be spending a large part of April there, too).

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