Any Ideas on Cheap Things To Do With Older Children and Teenagers in the Holidays?

frogga

When they were little it was easier to keep the tadpoles happy in the summer holidays. Now they have almost gtrown into little frogs it's not quite such a breeze.

They are too old for the park and adventure play areas. Baking Buns has lost it's appeal somewhat. When we go to the beach sand castles and looking for Pretty pebbles have had their day

They are not old enough to be going off into town on their own , so they are in an inbetween stage.

We used to do the reading game in the library every year, but with both of them now on adult books that feels a bit childish too :rolleyes:

They used to love making scrap books of all the fun things we did, but when I asked if they would like to do that again this year they just laughed and said "Oh Mum you are fummy"

We have had a "brainstroming session" after school today and made a list of things they would like to do but I was wondering if any of you could add to it?

So far we have got ~

1. Bike rides to the next village shop
2. Bike rides to another village pub for an "outside" drink of coke
3. Swimming in the sea
4. Walking the hounds
5. Tie dye a t shirt for bed
6. BBQ and camping in the tent in the garden
7. Orange wednesdays at the cinema
8. Home cinema with DVD from lib (pull the curtains, make popcorn et.c)
9. Board Games
10. Pick your own fruits from local farm shop

There will be odd days out to local attractions but with things being tight at the mo they will be few and far between.

My Tadpoles are good kids and don't ask for anything. I just want them to have a memorable holiday (on the cheap) as it wont be long and they'll have hopped the pond. Finger painting just don't cut the mustard anymore

sealady

What a fantastic thread! I'm in a very similar situation and I think I will be having a brainstorming session with my kids tonight and add them to the list hopefully.

Penelope_Penguin

Hey Frogga :j May I say what a brilliant idea for a thread I'll be watching closely for more ideas. How about learning more proper cooking - baking bread, for instance, and making full dinners?

Could they take on a photography or video project?

Have fun - I can't wait until next Wednesday - long lies, no uniforms, and best of all - no pack-ups :T :j

Penny. x

sylphraven

I also think doing "proper cooking" such as a meal is a good idea (specially if they get to make pud as well).

How about letting your polliwogs have a go at altering their own clothes/shoes? After this website was suggested on here my sister & I have gone nuts over it, its so inspiring & I'm sure you can find ideas for females & males. Also if you click on home you can look at other crafts such as soap making etc they might like to try.

floss2

Are they old enough to decorate maybe their own bedroom?

Does your local swimming pool have any lessons / activities?
Play tennis in the local park?

Oldernotwiser

Whilst you've come up with some super ideas, I wouldn't feel as if you have to fill every minute of their holidays as if you're some kind of demented Redcoat! Kids need to come up with their own ideas and sometimes that's going to mean sitting round reading and just daydreaming.

Having said that, I'll add to your list by suggesting that they get some kind of entertainment organised/write and act a play/put on a concert. This could be just for the family or they could invite friends in. The main thing is that they do it for themselves, with you helping when/if necessary.

Paparika

You don't say how old they are.

Perhaps if they are about to go to the big school, you could prepare them.

give them money and ask them to buy you a paper, you stay outside the shop
a small bus trup, start with sitting away from them but they know you are there.?

frogga

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

I wouldn't feel as if you have to fill every minute of their holidays as if you're some kind of demented Redcoat!

Oh I see we've already met!

Loving the ideas :T

Pen Pen ~ Defo gonna do some "proper" meals cooking :T That's a really good idea, one could do a main and the other a pud :T Brilliant!

Sylphraven ~ that website is great thanks :T Tadpole 1 would love that and the soap making is a really good idea , I'll have to look up what you do on the web.

Floss ~ Tadpole 1 is getting consious of her womanly body and will not go swimming at the mo It's a shame but I don't want to push her and make her feel uncomfy . I thought about the room decoration thing but not sure if I would trust her to do it by herself without making a complete pigs ear of it I guess I could ask Mr Frog to do the Cutting in and let her do the rest of the donkey work

Oldernotwiser ~ You are right, they do need to "just be" and we wont have each hour planned Tadpole 1 recently won an award at school for writing a play so I'm sure she'll be doing more of that And we have a video camera so home movies are a great idea

Keep em commin.............................................

frogga

Hi Paparika,

They are 11 and 12. We live in a small village and there are no shops I'm affraid so that's out. The nearest one is 5 miles away so we will bike but I wouldn't let them go on their own.

They could catch a bus into town but there is only 1 there and 1 back later on in the afternoon so I'd not be happy for them to be in the town on their own all day. We are stuck really cause there is nothing in the village and they are too young to go further afield on their own at the mo

oystercatcher

My boys used to devise their own very complicated board games when they were left to their own devices when we were camping and no electronic games. They were based on the dungeons and dragons type games and they made all their own rules etc. kept them occupied for hours and came out again another holiday.

I can remember my friend and I making a huge ludo type game at that age, giant board our own counters etc and about 8 sets of counters in each team again it took hours to play and we devised our own rules quite happily.

I also remember making my own three sided dominoes and that was quite a task and complicated to play.

Start collecting cardboard cartons etc to make stuff to chop up and adapt into boards abd pieces.

Good luck
Oystercatcher

oystercatcher

Also , one step up from barbeques is collecting sticks and cooking bacon etc over an open fire in the woods. My boys learned this at Scouts and still love going off to cook in the woods now in late teens. Beware of fire hazards though, don't want to be starting forest fires etc.