• FOOD
  • HOME
  • SELF
  • HEALTH
  • FAMILY

Natural New Age Mum

Happy. Healthy. Holistic.

  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Shop
  • About
    • Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions

Cheap and Cheerful School Holiday Fun!

September 19, 2012 · 25 Comments

Cheap and Cheerful School Holiday Fun!

 

Do you love or loathe school holidays? It can be a bit of both around here!

The secret is keeping the kids amused so they don’t start fighting! Here are some things my kids have had fun with over the years.

 

♥ Virtual painting 

Don’t panic – this is no mess ‘painting’. Get a bucket of water and a large paint brush. Take kids outside. Let the kids go nuts and paint whatever they want! You can sit back with a book. Older kids can actually do painting for you (or other household jobs). However, you may have to fork out some cash for this one.

 

♥ Head to your local library

Gosh I love the library! As well as being able to borrow books, you can also borrow CDs, DVDs, games and toys. Some libraries will offer free or low cost activities in the holidays and some have great kids chill out areas where you can read, watch movies or play games on the computers.

 

♥ Let’s Cook

We do loads of cooking every school holidays. It’s educational, it’s learning a life-skill and you get yummy treats afterwards! You can do a theme day or play restaurants. Cook dad a special lunch and meet him at the park. Here are some easy recipes for the kids to try.

 

♥ Parcel for Grandma

Get the kids to write a letter for relatives. Add a drawing, artwork or craft, parcel it up and post it off. This is a little bit educational but sssshhhhhh! don’t let on!

 

♥ Photographer for a day

Give the kids the camera or phone for the day. Suggest a theme or just let them go crazy. Upload to Be Funky to edit and have more fun. Check out this creation by my daughter – it kept her and a friend amused all day!

♥ Get your craft on

The internet has a billion and one craft ideas to explore. Also check out 10 Cool Nature Crafts for Kids.

 

♥ Scavenging

Go to the park, the beach or even the backyard, armed with a list of things to find – feathers, rocks, five different types of leaves. Make sure your scavenger hunt list age-appropriate. If you need help, check out these free printable lists.

 

♥ Go fly a kite

Such good fun for kids of all ages and it will get you all outside into the fresh air. If you are feeling really crafty, you could make your own kite first!

 

♥Abracadabra!

Go onto you-tube and learn some simple magic tricks. Dress up and put on a magic show for family, friends and neighbours. You can even charge admission and make snacks too. My kids spent a whole weekend doing this and had a ball!

 

 

And what about these ideas from Pinterest…. my kids are keen to give these a go!

 

Make a tree gargoyle! Go here for instructions.

Make mini bow and arrows! Go here for instructions.

 

I hope these ideas have given you some food for thought and keep the kids busy. Please link us up with or share any ideas you have too.

Enjoy your holidays!

 

Related

Sharing is caring!

162 shares
  • Share142
  • Tweet
   

Filed In: FAMILY / Tagged: activities, fun for kids, games, school holiday activities, school holidays

Comments

  1. Nicola says

    September 19, 2012 at 10:13 pm

    Love the water paint idea!!

    Reply
    • Natural New Age Mum says

      September 20, 2012 at 8:33 am

      My kids used to love this when they were little!!

      Reply
  2. jen @ the happy purpose says

    September 20, 2012 at 8:26 am

    hi sonia,

    just letting you know that when i click on the choc crackles pic it takes me to your tomato noodle soup recipe! lovely but not the delicious chocolately goodness i was looking for!

    have a lovely day

    jen

    Reply
    • Natural New Age Mum says

      September 20, 2012 at 8:32 am

      thanks for the heads up Jen – all fixed now!

      Reply
  3. Christie @ Fig and Cherry says

    September 20, 2012 at 11:35 am

    Great post Sonia! I am yet to experience the school holidays (bub is under 2) but have bookmarked for the future 😉

    Reply
    • Natural New Age Mum says

      September 20, 2012 at 4:07 pm

      thanks Christie… she might like to do the painting 🙂

      Reply
  4. Kristin from Mamacino says

    September 20, 2012 at 12:42 pm

    These are all awesome ideas and I plan to use them all! My kids go crazy for that ‘virtual painting’…so easy!

    Reply
    • Natural New Age Mum says

      September 20, 2012 at 4:07 pm

      Let me know how you go !!

      Reply
  5. Elisa {With Grace & Eve} says

    September 21, 2012 at 12:19 pm

    Great ideas! My kids aren’t school age but these still apply! Miss three loves posting mail so I think we will give that one a go xx

    Reply
    • Natural New Age Mum says

      September 21, 2012 at 2:10 pm

      it’s so lovely to keep in touch with family the old fashioned way!

      Reply
  6. homelifesimplified says

    September 21, 2012 at 1:57 pm

    Great post and thanks for the link love. My 7yo loves going on pic monkey and makes loads of pictures for her books or party planning or whatever is going on with her. We’ve done many of these but omg my kids would love the mini bows and arrows and you tubing to find magic tricks – thanks! deb xx

    Reply
    • Natural New Age Mum says

      September 21, 2012 at 2:07 pm

      have a great holiday Deb 🙂 pic monkey is so cool !

      Reply
  7. storybookapothecary says

    October 12, 2012 at 12:43 pm

    Awesome ideas! I’m not a mom yet, but I think my little brother would love some of these, thank you! x

    Reply
    • Natural New Age Mum says

      October 12, 2012 at 1:01 pm

      something to do with the neices and nephews?

      Reply
      • storybookapothecary says

        October 12, 2012 at 2:14 pm

        definitely thanks 🙂 x

        Reply
  8. Louise Mackie says

    December 7, 2012 at 12:59 pm

    Misty LOVES water-painting…. quite hilarious to watch too!

    Reply
  9. Zanni Arnot says

    December 18, 2012 at 7:55 pm

    I love these ideas Sonia! Thanks so much for linking to this post! My little one is a bit young yet for most of these…though we do virtual painting on something called a Buddha Board, which she loves. Mess free.

    Reply
    • Natural New Age Mum says

      December 18, 2012 at 8:18 pm

      wow… what’s a Buddha board? I am not local – my parents used to live at Yamba, so we just used to visit the CC – love it !!

      Reply
      • Zanni Arnot says

        December 18, 2012 at 8:28 pm

        CC is a beautiful place. Here’s a buddha board – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvgakwdsywQ
        They are great! So fun and clean. And all about transience, which is a bonus.

        Reply
        • Natural New Age Mum says

          December 18, 2012 at 9:11 pm

          that is SO COOL – I want one!

  10. Zanni Arnot says

    December 18, 2012 at 7:55 pm

    PS, are you local to Mullumbimby? It looks like Crystal Castle in your header image!

    Reply
  11. shannon says

    December 18, 2012 at 11:47 pm

    Greenbushes Western Australia has heaps of places and things to do for a day out there is the Greenbushes swimming pool a natrual swimming hole with a board walk, BBQ,Swings, The mine lookout, Discovery center, learn the history of the town with the amble walk, beautiful parks there are heaps of free camping grounds around. its worth the day out.

    Reply
    • Natural New Age Mum says

      December 19, 2012 at 7:55 am

      sounds great!!

      Reply
  12. Michelle@myslowlivingadventure says

    September 21, 2015 at 11:37 pm

    I used to always write letters to my Grandma in the school hols. Had forgotten about that…great idea!

    Reply
    • Natural New Age Mum says

      September 22, 2015 at 9:16 pm

      So did I! It’s a bit of a lost art these days isn’t it Michelle?

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I’M A VIRTUAL ASSISTANT

PEOPLE I RECOMMEND

 

Search

Categories

  • FAMILY
  • FOOD
  • HEALTH
  • HOME
  • SELF

PRAISE

Archives

Copyright © Natural New Age Mum | Branding + Site by Robyn Birkin