The most important thing is engagement from adults (till about age 9). Assuming they are this age or less I suggest<p>- pirate treasure hunting. Start by everyone decorating their own eyepatch, then have someone stagger in with a large map, a bullet wound and a story of buried treasure if they can decipher the clues. Which of course are located I the garden / nearby woods. Depending on age use written of visual clues, plant caches in nearby woods to make a suitable round trip, extend for older kids into a picnic.<p>- Dragon egg hunts are similar in vein<p>- build a shelter and make a fire (older kids)<p>- build a raft (!)<p>- British Bulldog<p>- or, just run around and tell them follow me (works better for sugared up Pre schoolers) and make up any variation on screaming then quiet (creep up on the castle, then attack or run away)<p>I know none really answer the specific question, but i suspect there is a question behind the question - really Cool has become hijacked by TV cartoons and movies.<p>As has your expectation level. Yesterday I looked after my two - I made breakfast, dinner and we made lunch together, we we t blackberry picking, scooting, swings and slides, ran through the woods, two puzzles, a telescope and a dragons head, trampolining and various sitting on Daddy. And guess what - I felt I spent most of the day shoving them in front of a DVD just to catch time to clean things up or calm things down.<p>Just lower your expectations of the day - it's going to be a party, jelly and Ice cream, games to play and friends to get excited with. Everything else is feeding off our fantasises of what a perfect kids day is - and then trying to make everyday like that<p>Give yourself a break - your kids deserve it.<p>If all else fails jelly and ice cream will go a long way. As will making up a story that involves running around and tiptoeing.