Wondering how to keep your kids busy during the school holidays? No need to search for ideas – we’ve taken all our best ideas and put them together in one article for you to access with ease.
If you’re planning on getting out and about during the holidays, try these 7 Kid-Friendly Places to Visit in the Holidays.
If you prefer to stay home with the kids, or if you (like me) are struggling to work at home while the kids play, here are some other great ideas to try at home.
Three Outdoor Holiday Activities for Kids
While going out to places during the holidays is great fun, it can get very expensive during the long summer break. We have some great ideas for activities that kids can do outdoors, that don’t cost a cent. Some of my fondest childhood memories are of playing games and activities like these at home with friends!
Explore with an underwater viewer
Paddling in rock pools or a shallow sea is far more interesting if you can see below the surface. If you don’t have goggles and a snorkel, why not create your own underwater viewer instead?
Take an empty two-litre plastic soda bottle and remove the lid so you can squeeze it flat, then use a pair of craft scissors to cut a slit about 10cm from the bottom. Now re-inflate the bottle, replace the lid and use your scissors to cut from that slit to form a rectangular opening about 20cm up the bottle and 10cm along the top and bottom. You can rub down the edge with sandpaper to smooth it or simply put duct tape around all the edges to cover any sharp bits.
Hold the bottle sideways and submerge the bottom section in the water. You can then look through the hole to see the wonders below. As always, when you are near water, take a grown-up with you.
Have a blindfold shootout
You’ll need four people playing – two will be shooters and two guides. The two shooters are given empty water pistols (or squeezy bottles), then blindfolded and a bucket of water placed about two metres from each of them. Next, the guiders turn their shooters around five times each to make sure they are a little dizzy and don’t know where the bucket is.
The idea is for the guider to shout out instructions to their shooter to guide them to the bucket from where they will have to fill up their water pistol without removing the blindfold. The guides will then need to give the shooters instructions on which way to fire to shoot their opponent. The first one to wet their target wins, and everyone swaps over.
Use a Pooter
A pooter may be a ridiculous name, but it is very useful for collecting small insects. To make your own pooter, take a small, clear plastic food container with a lid and make sure it’s thoroughly washed. Now take the bottom section and place it on its side on top of a large lump of plasticine before pushing a ballpoint pen through the plastic to create a hole in the side. Keep pushing the pen until the hole is big enough to fit a straw. Now add another hole in the opposite side using the same method.
Cut your straw in half and then take one piece and cut off a 2cm section. Next, make a 2cm slit down one side of the rest of the straw before pushing this through one of the holes. Now place your gauze or piece of old tights over the slit end, before pushing the 2cm section of straw over both from the inside the pot. This forms part of the straw you will suck through and the gauze will stop you from swallowing any critters by accident. Push the second half of the straw into the other hole, replace the lid and you’re ready to go!
Take your pooter outside and, when you find a small creature you want to study more closely, place the collection straw close to it and then quickly suck hard on the other straw. This creates a vacuum in the container, pulling in the insect. To release it back, take off the lid and carefully tip up the pot so it can escape.
Source: 101 Things for Kids to do Outside by Dawn Isaac.
10 Holiday Activities to Beat Holiday Boredom
Here are 10 fun holiday activities to keep them occupied without leaving the comfort of home sweet home.
Hold a cupcake/cookie decorating competition
A cupcake or cookie decorating competition is the perfect way to keep the kids amused for a few hours AND sort afternoon tea.
Enjoy a movie marathon
A rainy day is the perfect time to organise a movie marathon. Perhaps choose a movie series such as Spy Kids or movies with a theme, such as space, nature or comedy.
Organise a bug hunt in the backyard
There’s no better way for kids to learn about the world around them than by getting out into it. Bug hunting encourages children to explore their own backyard in an open-ended way that will lead to adventures and imaginative play.
Let the kids loose in your wardrobe to put on a fashion parade
They’re guaranteed to think it’s hilarious and fun. Place a lamp at each end of the hallway, grab the camera and pop on some fun music – then let the kids get creative.
Turn the dining table into a fort
Help the kids create a table tent with sheets, rugs and tablecloths and it will become their own little sanctuary where they can do whatever they please.
Have a craft day
Every mum knows there’s a world of imaginative fun in the craft box, so get those creative juices flowing and see what you can make out of stuff you can find around the home.
Grow a herb garden
Herbs are fun to grow and your kids will love having their own garden to tend. They’re easy to grow from seed, requiring little patience as some herbs, like cress and rocket, should start to sprout in as little as two days!
DIY science experiments
Science experiments are fun learning games that will delight any child. Watching how the world works is much more fun when it’s something you’ve created yourself.
Hold a LEGO building contest
Put that tub of LEGO to use and challenge the kids to each build a house – with a 30-minute time limit – then judge first, second and third prize.
DIY a slip ‘n’ slide
There’s no need to shell out for an expensive slip ‘n’ slide, make your own with a roll of thick plastic. Lay it across the grass, hose it down, pour on some baby oil or dishwashing liquid to make it more slippery, then let the kids go crazy.
Source: www.kidspot.com.au.
I hope you can put these ideas to good use! if you are looking for more ideas and activities, you can find more on our website here.
Sarah Mackintosh.