I Love School Holidays.

keelykat

Hi, I'm going to my sister's tomorrow-where i'll be seeing my two nieces and nephew. They are probably driving her crazy already lol....I can't wait to spend the afternoon with them though.

keely.

mrcow

Christmasshopper wrote: »

Am I odd?

No, but it sounds as if you've only got one school age child (?) so it's pretty easy going and she should be good company for you.

Try taking her out for some days at least though, it will be interesting for her.

I've got one too, but also two others under two, so my holidays sound as if they are going to be a lot more manic

SUESMITH_2

well im off too for 6 glorious weeks, got up late, did loads of washing (go away on friday) had a long lazy bath then went and had my hair done. got my niece staying too (only child) who my kids introduced to the concept of chores this afternoon! actuallly cooked a lovely meal and am now sat with a glass of wine. tomorrow we're all off walking a friends dogs in the country. im not a teacher so my pay is rubbish but i do enjoy the hols

skintas_2

i like summer holidays , lay in, kids can go out and play, no rushing about and i dont have to use the car. no paying out for school meals, but then my food shop goes up , about 310 pw id say im saving. i work weekends so at least im having some quality time with the kids

rosieben

I was a single mum, working full time; I remember once when I had booked a week's holiday, my sister said she was taking time off work so she could have my kids to give me a break. I said that I was rather looking forward to spending some time with the kids actually. she said 'oh!' ... :rotfl:

I always loved to be home with them, we had such a lot of fun! precious times and too soon gone! Enjoy your summer OP! :j

Sallys_Savings

3KIDSNOMONEY wrote: »

really wish i could enjoy the hols with my kids.

we have had quite a good day today and went to the local park but as my kids are 11, 8 and 4 they don't all want to do the same things. i posted before about there being nothing to do in my area and i don't drive so i have a lot of guilt about not being able to nip my kids off somewhere for a couple of hours.

would love it all to be relaxed and everyone happy and finding things to amuse themselves, but the reality is the kids bickering and wanting to just watch tv or go on the pc/nintendo.

I had four children and had to adapt activities for different ages..it can be done with a little thought and planning. I used to sit down one evening and plan lots of ideas to do through the holidays, some i used to set days beside and others we would do on the spur of the moment but I'd have things ready to make up etc.
I was fortunate and had use of a car but that would get expensive so didnt use it all the time.
I'm sure there was a thread on here last year with activities for the school hols...but heres a few of mine:

1. Buy Cheap plain white t shirts(tescos are £1) and decorate - the youngest just drawing whatever they like, perhaps the older painting a bike wheel and rolling it over?..graffati t shirt? .. You can also do this with plain white baseball caps..sold in Tesco and woolworths at the moment or white fabric bags.

2. Welly walk....if its rained, just let them wear an old t shirt and shorts with their wellies. Give them a free range on getting as wet and muddy as they like...the 11 yr old will love it as much as the 4 yr old.

3. Bike ride.

4. Obstacle course in the garden...the oldest design it and the younger ones complete the course.

5. If you have somewhere locally or in the garden, how about making low ramps for the bikes to go over...either using wood or dirt. We used to take spades and make dirt ramps in our local wood.

6. Museums..normally free

7. Fishing for the older one and mini beast hunting for the others..nets are normally only about £1 each..the older child may enjoy that too.

8. Cooking....how about setting the older one the task of showing them how to cook a simple meal? Cooking cakes and biccies are always a great idea.

9. Find some old jeans..either their own or buy from car boots, or tesco cheapy £3 pair. Let them rip...put patches on....rub on a cheese grater (with supervision..want to mind those fingers) to give the aged look. This means the older child can do more adventurous things with his jeans.

10. Jean handy door pocket tidy - You just need an old pair of jeans (doesnt have to fit the child) and add extra pockets cut from fabric (or other jeans)...either sew, glue or staple them on. You can decorate them by painting tyres and running across, glue studs, graffati writing/drawing, stick on old cds.or stick on feathers, sew beads on etc. Once finished hang one of those coathangers that clips onto the waistband, and they've got a handy hanger.

11. Cd coasters...........find some old cds and get them to stick on small pieces of cork or felt on the bottom and use as drink coasters for their room.

12. Place mats....get them all to paint/draw/sketch etc on an A4 piece of paper and then get them laminated.

13. Make up your own treasure hunt around your village/town. Giving them the next clue everytime they guess the clue etc. and end up somewhere...I ended one at a bakery and treated them all to an ice bun the other year.

14. See if you can walk a neighbours dog if you dont have one of your own or visit an animal sanctury (they're normally free but just ask for a donation)

15. Theres still fruit to be picked around here, have you got any pick your own fruit farms locally?...blackberries will be out later so dont forget to pick lots and then have them make pies/crumbles when you return home.

16. Pair up with another family and see if one could lay clues (bread crumbs from a tesco value bread?) while the other follows and then end up having a picnic?

17. Do you have a dvd/video recorder. We have made plays up and then performed them. It doesnt have to be a play, it could be a poem, jokes, magic, gymnastics, dance, bike trick anything really. Surprise dad in the evening with a special showing of what they'd been up to. I sometimes used to plan it all, and then another time they just need the initial idea and they take it from there. Really great fun

18. Puppet theatre....really easy to do...tie a sheet across the bottom portion of the table so there is room just to see the puppets. They can make their own puppets...wooden spoons, fabric, socks, gloves, paper bags etc. and again do a performance.

19. Have them tidy their rooms and have their own stall out the front of the house one day.

20. If you have girls...you can have a pamper day...really girly hair.(even making hair slides by sticking bits on a plain clip or hairband)....face packs (look on old style i'm sure theres a receipe on there)...nail polishes etc.

21. Scrap book/diary...everyone keeps a scrap book of their holiday. Putting in postcards, photos, drawings, tickets, leaflets, writing etc.

22. Visit the library..very often they have childrens activities on in the hols.

23. How about organising a rounders match (or other game) with other children/parents one afternoon. Once you start asking a few you'll be surprised at the amount of people who would love to come.

24. Decorate plant pots..little ones paint the older ones can stick on bits of old crockery (car boot for about 10p each) to make a mosiac effect around the rim. When finished how about planting something inside.

25. How about making a start on christmas bits to give as presents at least then any spend is then being given as a gift. Theres lots of ideas on these boards and I'm sure on other sites too. It saves the rush near christmas when the children have lots of things to be doing.
One of my favourite things for christmas is to make a calendar using photos, either ones you have already or "stage" some and take pics...i.e. May Day - make a small maypole out of carpet inner (they'll give you this free) and put lots of bits or ribbon around (can be strips of fabric, florist ribbon, tissue )...Easter - Dress the little ones as bunnies/chicks?......Christmas - dig out the santa hats/rudolf ears and a few decs enough to take a photo....October - halloween fancy dress or just face painted masks....January - all dressed up with coats, hats, scarfs.....March - out in the rain with a huge umbrella and wellies....etc. etc.

26. Camping in the backgarden..even if its just doing the day. Either a "real" tent or you make them up with the washing line, clothes horses, sheets, pegs etc.

27. Secret messages...the older one can make up their own codes and write letters.

28. Good old fashioned letter writing....or perhaps a more uptodate version...email...or get the oldest one interested on writing a blog over the summer.

29. Dressing up day


oops...I think I'd better stop

The key is to plan (I even plan my meals on my holiday planner to stop me rushing out to buy food etc) plan and plan Then you'll have lots of ideas to carry you through the school hols.

Sallys_Savings

Just spotted a freebie 100 photos from photobox on the freebie board so that may come in handy ...for a calendar, scrap book or let the children take their own photos.

Christmasshopper

Sallys_Savings wrote: »

Just spotted a freebie 100 photos from photobox on the freebie board so that may come in handy ...for a calendar, scrap book or let the children take their own photos.

Thank you Sally.
We have got DD's friend staying over with us. Our village is flooded, which hasn't happened since 1998 the year DD was born. I am going to take the girls out to take photos of the flood water (from a safe distance). I think they will enjoy taking photos of the play-park with just the tops of the swings and slide showing above the water and the swans swimming around the tops of the trees. Hopefully, we will have flood defences in place soon so this will be the last time they will ever see it and they will have a photographic record.
I'll take a look at this freebie now.

Sallys_Savings

christmasshopper from another christmas fan

Hope you have a safe and lovely time this afternoon.
Hopefully your floods will not get any worse and it is the last time its seen

dee_mum_of_3

:j
I love the summer hols too!!
we have lazy days craft days shopping days etc!
although i home ed our eldest is at secondary school -in sept our middle son goes to big school too leaving just matt at home,but we do love being together our neighbour calls us the brady bunch!!
eldest son is off to cinema on thursday and was invited to a sleepover but as asked us to collect him as hed rather be with his family .....cant see it lasting much longer hes soon to be 14 so we are making the most of it whilst we can .......but yes summer hols are fab!!!