“Mum, I’m bored!” Are you wondering what to do with kids these school holidays? While camping out and going to the beach to swim are common, you can do other cheap & fun activities too! Here are some suggestions that will surely excite the kids and make lasting memories.
Fun competitions at home
- Hold a cooking competition. Invite their friends over and make them prepare a simple meal, like pizza! Making dough from scratch is a messy and inexpensive way to have fun. You get to taste and you’ll be the judge who makes the most awesome pizza. This will be a hit because you all get to eat the results later. The best part is you don’t even have to cook dinner!
- Set up a mystery and play a detective game. Hide toys around the house or bury them in the garden. These can serve as clues for a more challenging game. Give the kids magnifying glasses, maps, and notebooks for jotting down clues. The first to solve the problem gets a price, plus this helps develop their analytical and discernment skills!
- Have a design and fashion show competition, ala Project Runway. This should have a theme and be time restricted. Let the kids roam through your wardrobe and see what design they can come up with. They can also use macaroni or beads to make bracelets, necklaces, and more. You’ll be amazed at what they can do with your hats, coats, scarves, and other recyclable materials in the house. Make them wear their creation and have them parade down the runway to judge who wins! This is great with girls, but boys can have a good time too.
Visit a local park
Go the extra mile, figuratively and literally, and visit a local park you’ve never been before. Search online for recommendations and choose one where there are climbing frame, water play, sand play, swings, and flying foxes. These can be a lot of fun for parents too!
Join them in picking up leaves around the park and do leaf rubbings. Put a leaf under a paper and rub a pencil or crayon across to make leaf imprint. Make a bunch of imprints then put it in frames or an album when you get home. You can also use these to make cards for any occasion or when you make a collage.
Later on, grab a pair of binoculars and go birdwatching. Make a list and look up information on the internet about the birds you saw. Who says holidays can’t be educational?
You and your kids can also go for a bike ride or rollerblading around the park. The family can also make their own kites and play with them. Or just let the kids run around and play while you relax under a tree.
Money-saving tip: Bring your own picnic. Ask the kids to help pack to get them excited for the trip.
A road trip involving ice cream
Turn ice cream into an adventure by going to a gourmet ice cream outlet not too close from home. Nothing excites kids more than delicious ice cream, the impressive kind you won’t get out of a supermarket tub or your local petrol station.
If it takes quite a while to get there, it will be a perfect time for talking or enjoying the car music. It will be worth the wait once you arrived at the destination because by then, the trip becomes about a lot more than the ice cream.
If you are still one of those parents trying to keep their cars reasonably clean, the kids can eat their ice creams while walking around and exploring the busy hub. Then you’ll have a group of happy and satisfied kids to drive back home. They may even fall asleep for a quick nap.
If the paycheck is still to come or you’re a stay-at-home mum, you can get loans for unemployment on the same day. It’s quick and easy and the online application is available 24/7. You can use the cash loans for the expenses for the school holiday activities.
Don’t forget to take pictures during this fun activities for scrapbooking to keep the memories alive!