I just got this in the mail with my barnados invoice. There is some neat things on it! - put flowers in their rooms,Make pikelets with their name on, go through their plunket books with them, Ask to borrow something of theirs,celebrate half birthdays,write them a poem,learn sign language for "I love you" and use it with them in company,have a lucky dip, turn the lights off and have a candlelight evening,write a message on their back with your finger.
Take turns at making each child king/queen for a
day.Talk about your kids to their favourite toy (when the child is listening), Put a surprise under their pillow, make them breakfast in bed, Take them tothe beach to watch the sunrise/set..
slip message bookmarks into the library books they
are reading,leave messages on toothbrushes,make welcome home signs after a few days away,read to them often, send them a bunch of flowers from your garden (get a neighbour or friend todeliver them 'officially'...
Toast marshmellows or make toast by an open fire
, put happy faces/messages on the back of the toilet door, give them a massage (I totally reccomend this one- ive done research on it as part of a course im studying and baby/infant/child massage is beneficial for both parent and child, whisper to them when they are asleep,cluck over baby photos together, chalk positive messages on outside paths...
Have a "favourite colour' day for each child-with
clothes, food etc of their fave colour, watch their favourite tv programme with them, decorate individual eggs when its not easter, introduce your child to someone new as 'my very special person', give each child their own piece of garden (plus seeds,cuttings etc), play a duet with them, wake them up for a midnight feast, write erasable messages on their mirrors..

having a 12 and 10yo, a lot of those are for much smaller kids... i listen to them, no matter how bored i am of hearing what darwolf did on warcraft... or i hug them(have to literally surprise the oldest for this)...

take em to mcdonalds for a happy meal and let them play in the playground with other kids

Babu the troll

Thanks for the suggestion babu I plan on doing that this weekend but without the happy meal. Have you tried making nuggets out of your chickens?

Thank you for posting this Emma.
I am just in a process of reducing my working hours to be more with my son and wife.
It is better.