Do it differently and give yourself a break, too.
These days, there’s a lot of pressure on parents to make school holidays ‘out of this world’ for their kids. The ‘typical’ school holiday venues include a lot of expensive options like overseas and beach holidays, or theme parks where you spend long days lining up for rides and attractions, indulging in lots of expensive food and treats and then dealing with cranky kids who are tired and riding the ‘sugar roller-coaster’.
We’re not saying theme parks are bogus — everyone needs a thrill-ride-sugar-coated-larger-than-life-characters-fast-food-souvenir-laden-sensory-overload day out now and then!
But, maybe — just maybe — you’re looking forward to a school holiday that harks back to a simpler time. A time where parents could relax and kids could ‘make their own fun’.
Here’s a few ideas to help you make your next school holidays an oasis of calm in a sand-blasting desert maelstrom of frenetic, kid-based activities.
Set-and-forget activities for your kids.
Once upon a time, there were children who had lots of fun telling stories. It’s a skill that is being handed over to content creators and new digital platforms, so this school holiday could be the perfect time to re-introduce your kids to the magic of storytelling…
- Story Stones.
Get your kids to collect stones (river stones, and flat ones are best) and paint random objects on them — whatever they feel like. Once the stones are dry, pop them in a bag and your kids can have hours of fun by pulling out one stone at a time and creating a different story every time the stones come out in a different order.
- Libraries.
Remember them? Take your kids to the local library for a literary Treasure Hunt. You can set them tasks to find certain books or subjects, and sit back and relax while they explore. Your local library will often have book readings and other holiday activities too.
- Play Dough.
Salt, flour, cream of tartar, water, oil and food colouring. Could fun be more simple?
- Sticks, paper and boxes.
Kids used to, literally, make kites from sticks tied together with newspaper over the top. Encourage your children’s creativity with stuff you would normally throw out — cardboard boxes, egg cartons and paper (use flour and water to make paper-maché glue and they can create virtually anything).
Home-grown entertainment.
- Give your garden a boost while you keep your children entertained.
Kids of all ages fall in love with gardening after just a little help and instruction. You could get them potting plants, weeding, and even growing their own food with some potting mix, seeds or seedlings and a few plastic pots, or a bed in the garden.
- Grass-hair Dollies are always a favourite.
Simply stuff an old stocking with damp cotton wool, and sprinkle some grass seeds on top. Let the kids decorate the dolly’s face however they like – bonus points for raiding the recycling bin for arts and crafts materials. You can use paint, buttons, pasta or markers to decorate and then in no time at all – the grass seeds will sprout and your doll has a luscious head of green hair.
- Have a lawn picnic.
It can be fun to organise lunch on the back lawn and make a day out of staying at home! It’s all about the experience!
- Local events run by local communities.
Check local guides and council websites for activities and events during the school holidays. You might be surprised at how much is going on right in your own backyard.
- Make time for yourself.
Put the planning into a few simple activities that will keep your kids engaged and, after some initial help, you can sit back and let them use their boundless energy, while you kick back and chill!
Don’t do too much and don’t feel guilty.
There was no such thing as a Helicopter Parent in the 70s and 80s — and those Gen Xers turned out fine! Don’t let the pressure of social media and so-and-so’s friends get to you. It’s okay to have some quiet time. It’s also okay to look forward to school going back — life is hectic enough without jam-packing every day with hoop-la for the youngsters.
If you are doing school holidays at home, and you’re looking at upgrading around the house or even doing a room makeover, use the Gimmie calculator on our How It Works page to budget for your spending — once approved for your Gimmie plan, you’ll have 90 days to pay just the retail price, or take your time and pay over 1 or 2 years. Easy!
