School holidays seem to come around quicker and last longer every time. They can be the perfect way to bond with your children and to connect as a family. Keeping your little angels amused can be stressful though and if you are working then there’s the issue of childcare. So planning in advance will help reduce the stress and ensure holiday time for the children is a success. Why not get the kids involved with the planning too. It will help them buy into the list of ideas you have come up with and reduce the opportunity for complaint! To help you get started here is a list of activities to choose from:
1. At the top of most people’s list, having a picnic is simple but so much fun. Whether in your garden or at the park, eating outside is a treat for any adult or child but if the weather is poor then don’t despair. You can have just as much fun by having an indoor picnic instead, just clear a room and throw a blanket on the floor. You can get the kids involved preparing and packing the food. A picnic can occupy a whole day if you want it to so pack up your thermos and travel rug and step out into the great outdoors!
2. So if the outdoor bug gets you then back garden camping is great fun! One step further than the picnic, you can set your children up with snacks, drinks, books, a torch and of course plenty of bedding. If they are a little young to stay out themselves then you may have to join them for a night! Sleeping may not take place but you will all enjoy the adventure together! Why not keep the tent up for a few days, children love creating a den where they can hide, play and get creative!
3. A day at the beach is the ultimate summer fun, however if you wrap up well you can have just as much fun during the cooler months. You don’t need sunshine to paddle with your wellies on, to go crabbing in rock pools, to build sand castles and bury your parent up to their neck. Why not gather some shells and pebbles to use on a crafting day at home? Understandably taking your children out for the day, their safety will be on your mind especially if you have more than one child with you, keeping an eye on them in a crowd can be hard. You could consider using a kids GPS tracker device so if the worst happens you can see their location in real-time on your mobile. There are many tracking devices on the market that can be clipped to clothing or bags and will help give you peace of mind.
4. Keeping with the outdoor theme, get the kids moving by going on a bike ride. Even if it means going to the park or walking alongside younger ones and simply cycling around your block you will all benefit from the exercise and you will also have some more perfect bonding time.
5. A rainy day project could be cooking a meal and baking a cake. Create a little party at home by helping your children to choose the menu, prepare and cook a meal as well as baking a cake. They can then learn to be a good host by setting the table and serving dinner to their ‘guests’.
6. If the weather is fair then create a garden. Give your children their own area to plant seeds or plants to nurture. Growing vegetables can help encourage them to eat their greens! Even if you don’t have a garden you can grow veggies on your windowsill such as herbs, salad leaves or carrots!
There are lots of other activities you can do such as building an indoor den, creating a treasure hunt (this could be indoor or outdoor), an arts and craft day, a teddy and dolly tea party, a dressing up day, scrap booking and designing a comic. Before you know it the holidays will be over and you will be left with lots of wonderful memories that will last a lifetime.
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