☀☂☁ SuMmEr HoLiDaY iDeAs ☁☂☀

Cotton_wool_katie

Hi (posted here as i thought i would get a better response)

The summer holidays will soon be here, and i have just had a thought that for about 6 weeks of them i dont know what to do with the kids.

Has anyone have any ideas that are cheap / easy / enjoyable for the kids AND both indoor and outdoor.

Was thinking of different ideas not just the normal park feed ducks - this is good for a short time but not all of summer hols :rotfl:

Both my kids get board very easily so are going to drive me insane :eek::eek::eek::eek:

My ideas are:

* Local museums which are free

* Arts & crafts ( although i enjoy these more than kids)

Thats about it the brain not very creative at the mo so all ideas welcome


Thanks CWK :o

providentielle

Hi, what ages are your kids? Where do you stay? I'm in glasgow and the local council does kids cards which you get for free and then you get free or discounted activities such as swimming and sports sessions. Our one also gets kids onto the open top bus tour for free :j

Also, have you heard of geocaching? Google it if not, its a modern treasure hunt and kids love it. If you don't have gps try huntfun.co.uk instead.

Cotton_wool_katie

providentielle thanks for your reply - my kids are 7 and 2.

I live in South yorkshire.

my 7 yr old gets free swimming but he has not recieved his card which he need to do this.

I havent heard of geocaching i will check that out thianks very much.

:A

tessie_bear

i have just signed my 11 year old up for a week swimming course....hour a day..£12.50 i always take them to the libary which do a reading scheme which is free they also hire out dvds sometimes b1g1f...the museum can be fun...buy a paddling pool for the garden...do some baking....plan and cook a bbq
hth
i shall be reading this thread with interest...summer holidays get expensive dont they ?

qwiksave

Speaking of the library, they often have leaflets and information in there that tell you what activities are on in your area and our children's library section has lots of books on things you can make and do, hopefully yours has too. You could also pick up books on crafts for children (and other toys/activities) in charity shops. HTH

suejb2

Try a local airport as an alternative to train spotting. A boat trip though I make mine short as my 5 year old D.S gets bored (not a good combo boys & water!), tent in the back garden , a bus tram or train journey . I'll post more as they come to mind.

sylphraven

I started a list last year and when I see something I add it on, comes in very handy & can be repeated year after year with only a few changes to match their ages.

Read a book (eldest can read to youngest or you can read to them)
Write a story (can be done with pictures lke a comic strip)
Playdough (recipe here)
Paint playdough (when its dried out)
Bake biscuits/cake(s) & decorate
Make a sock puppet
Put on a play (maybe with sock puppets)
Collage picture out of old mags/catalogues
Decorate clothing/shoes
MAke a suncatcher from black card with tissue paper glued over the cut out holes.
Make scratch pictures - use crayons on card then paint over with acrylic/poster paint. Leave to dry then scratch in picture
Make beads from fimo/paper - thread onto string for themselves or as presents.
Finger print pictures
Make bread (can create their own shapes with it)
Paint using hands/feet (& normally the rest of them as well, good outside activity)
MAke bubble paint prints (washing up liquid in watered down paint, blow bubbles with straws then place paper on top)
Picnic
Plant some seeds
Paddling pool
Blackberry picking
Water play (washing up bowl with lots of tubs/bath toys)
Breakfast picnic (perfect way for us to get a go on the toys at the local park as no-ones around until about 10ish)
Paper mache bowl/piggy bank
Making coasters by drawing on tiles with marker pens

Shall post some more if I think of any

elysia2003

Paper mache over the rounded end of a balloon. Paint and decorate to make a mask.

Decorate an old t shirt with cheap fabric paint from ebay. You can buy pens if it's easier.

Buy glass paints and decorate glasses and vases.

Make a mosaic (can use squares of paper instead of tiles).

Make and decorate some chocolates. Pour melted choc into icecube trays and decorate with smarties or sprinkles etc.

I'm just off out, i'll think of more later.

oligeo

My two boys are 6 & 4. I love the summer holidays!

We make a big calendar at the start of the summer holidays, with a large space for each day, then we start filling it in with our plans. The kids decorate around the edges.
This task fills the first day!

My youngest has just mastered riding his bike with no stabilisers, so bike rides will feature heavily in our plans this summer.

- There are 2 free museums in our town.
- Swimming
- Country parks
- Meeting up with friends, at the park with a picnic, or at each others houses.
- The cinema does Kids club at the weekend. £1 each, old films, but cheap entertainment!
- We're also going to get a head start on making christmas cards! (star shape cookie cutter, dipped in glue, pressed on paper, sprinkle on glitter)
- Make book marks - thick card, let kids decorate, punch a hole in the end and thread some ribbon through and knot.
- Trips to the library
- Junk modeling - keep all your empty cardboard boxes - make space ships / robots / houses / anything!
- Potato printing - use brown paper, and you can make wrapping paper.
- Yellow Moon website do some great, cheap arts and crafts bits.
- Buy a roll of lining paper from a DIY store - cheap colouring paper and huge! We roll out a huge length accross the patio and the kids are kept amused for hours!
- Make your own magazine/book - cheap paper, staple together in a booklet, let the kids either draw in it or cut pictures from magazines/catalogues
- Go on a mini beast hunt
- Papermachie a balloon, leaving free a small area near the knot. Turn it into a hot air balloon, buy painting, poking a few holes and stringing on a box to be the basket.
- Make a scrap book of what you've done in the holidays, add pictures of what you've done, tickets if you've visited the cinema/ a zoo. Kids can add their own artwork.

....... if I think of anymore I'll let you know.

Sarah

elysia2003

I found this bookmarked in my favourites. There may be one or two you could try.

http://www.craftbits.com/project/21-quick-kids-crafts-ideas



HTH

Cotton_wool_katie

Thanks everyone for all of your posts - going to print the pages off nearer the time so i have all the ammunition ready for the hols.


There are some fantastic ideas!!!!

:A:A