School holidays are the bane of existence for parents. It’s not because they don’t want their kids at home, but because finding ways to entertain children – often of different age brackets – is an absolute pain. Once that holiday time rolls round, the stress of trying to find things to do to avert that inevitable ‘I’m bored!’ cry is huge. When you have toddlers, toys and board games are great ways to keep them busy. They love puzzles and cognitive games. Teenagers? Well, other than being glued to computer games, they need something a little more exhilarating than staying indoors on a rainy day.
When a week or two of long days stretch ahead, the only way forward as a parent is to be proactive. Start making up lists of activities and things to do and if the children are old enough, consult with them on what they’d like to do. You may get lucky and be in the very fortunate position of being able to book a break away abroad or at a local resort. In that case, finding things to do will be easy and you won’t have to worry too much on whether the kids are bored. However, if you do find you’ll be stuck close to home, then take heed with these fantastic ideas for keeping the kids busy and yourself sane!
Baking is an all-time favorite. Whether its cookies or cupcakes, kids of all age love helping bake their favorite goodies! Think outside-the-box, like never think pumpkins are just for Halloween. Sure, pumpkins are around in the Autumn more than any other time of year, but pumpkins are more than just decorative. They’re a fantastic food choice and turning your kitchen into a haven for baking is a brilliant holiday activity. Check out some easy recipes like this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrkFKvah0fw&t=4s and make some delicious treats together. Expect messiness so get some cheap aprons at the ready! Even the older kids will love this one and learning a valuable skill (making cakes, obviously) is not to be missed.
Young children may love puzzles and art, but older kids love crafts. Explore age-appropriate DIY Crafts at home. Another great option is to paint. They won’t tell you that; amid teenage grumbling it wouldn’t be cool to admit it, but all kids love to paint. So, for the younger ones, cover the entire table with paper for decorating and bring in glitter and ribbons to add to the fun. Paint by numbers are intricate enough to keep older ones busy and they’ll be learning color blending without even realizing! Crafts are quite unlimited and there’s no real barrier to how much you could buy and what you could make, which is why they’re a great activity for curbing holiday boredom. Fun and education – all wrapped up together.
The great outdoors is the last option, as even when it’s raining there’s nothing like grabbing waterproof jackets, rain-shoes and an umbrella and going for a splash. The park looks so different in the rain and as long as everyone wraps up warm, you can give the kids a nature trail to remember. Mud pies are always fun, too, so even if you only go as far as the garden, you’ll be having tons of fun!
