Carving / whittling a wand is good fun. It’s easy and cheap and all you need is a stick and a pen knife. However, it’s not really all that kid-friendly (although they like playing with them after they’re made). So, to make things a bit more inclusive, I broke out the Sharpies and we got to work.

I love a Sharpie but they are pretty expensive. However, every now and again they are on sale. I got a 30-pack from Tesco for £6. Yes, that’s right, £6. It was such a good deal that I bought two packs. Normally they cost £20 per pack.

Anyway, it was good fun and occupied and otherwise empty hour.

Time – Less than an hour

Equipment – Stick, coloured pens or paints, penknife

Cost – £

Difficulty – easy

Partner Annoyance Factor – nil (she when running while we were doing this. Bonus husband points!)

Family – completely inclusive

Rewards – A kick-ass want that would put the Elder Wand to shame.