Freightdog wrote: ↑Tue Jul 25, 2023 12:50 pm Sod the Kinder eggs. With the whole* world focusing on single use plastics, small toy bits worthy of choking should be high on the list of ‘let’s just stop this’.

The local markets are full of garbage $1 toys and bits, all of which get trashed quickly.

Here’s a suggestion or two- Interact, find ways around the language barrier. Forget trinkets.
I sometimes drag a friend and his kids along on our visits to family in the province, largely so that I can stay sane, or at least spread the insanity.

Recently, I took a bag of marshmallows, and got the remnant heat of the BBQ going, and we skewered Marshmallows, toasted them, and dipped them in chocolate. Not necessarily the Norte americano ‘marshmallows over a camp fire’ but it entertained 9+ kids of varying ages, along with a few adults for half an hour.

Cook something that they don’t recognise. I’ve cooked up big bowls of pasta, and improvised some sauce with a jar of ready made, augmented with extra bits. The kids generally tuck in, get carried along with the experience. The adults, women especially, turn their noses up a little but are amused by the kids different interaction.



*small exaggeration.