If you’ve been out on the road over the school holidays, you may have a few takeaway coffee cups, why not turn them into something creative with the kids. Great for rainy day activities or for something creative to do at home.

Best of all the first step is visiting a Columbus Coffee so you can enjoy a coffee! A perfect excuse to grab lunch, coffees, hot chocolates and smoothies for the kids or head to the park or beach for a picnic. Then bring your packaging home and let the kids get creative. Here are our top 5 ideas:

1. Play telephones – get the kids to paint or decorate their coffee cups and then add some string between the two. The cups and string must be stretched out tight for the sound to travel.

2. Maracas - decorate two coffee cups each and fill with pasta or rice or seeds (whatever you have spare in the pantry) to make a maraca then tape together. You could also make a drum by using one cup and covering the top with paper or a balloon and elastic bands.

3. Make animal puppets – grab some felt and supplies from your local $2 shop and make your own animal farm or zoo. You can even make a dragon by taping together multiple cups and adding them together with string.

4. Cup and ball game – get the kids to decorate their cups, make a small hole through the cup and attach some string and a small bead or ball! You can then have a prize for who can catch the most.

5. Speakers - If your kids have a music list on your phone, you can make a great speaker with old takeaway coffee cups and an old kitchen roll holder. First get the kids to paint or decorate the cups and cut a small hole for your phone with two holes feeding into each cup. Then let the dance off commence!