How to keep your little ones busy during school holidays
School holidays can be a stressful time when kids can misbehave because of boredom.
As the school holidays swiftly approach us, you are likely to hear, “Mom, Dad, I have nothing to do and I’m bored.” Here are a few ideas that will help keep your children entertained and won’t cost you an arm and a leg.
Productivity coach and author of Chaos to Control, a practical guide to getting things done, Ciara Conlon said, “Holidays can be a great time to bond with your children and maybe even let your own inner child come out to play. But it can also be a stressful time when kids can misbehave because of boredom.”
Conlon advises parents to engage in the following actives:
Start by planning each week in advance. If the kids know they have things to look forward to it will make for happier, more relaxed children.Also be sure to get the children involved in the planning. They will be less likely to complain about the activities chosen if they have taken part in the decision-making. Have a range of activities to select from – stuff to do at home, in the garden, outdoors.
Organise some play dates. Plan some play dates and invite friends over. While they spend time with their friends it may give you the opportunity to get some work done and perhaps even connect with other parents. Plus … the invitation may be returned some day.
Go camping. Build a tent indoors or outdoors with blankets and sheets. Once the tent is up, give them a torch and a picnic to take with them. I guarantee you won’t see them for hours.
Go on picnics. You don’t have to go far to have a picnic — my children regularly ask for a picnic out in the garden. I give them whatever I have in the fridge. You’d be amazed, once it is packed in a plastic container and eaten on a blanket on the grass, how much the atmosphere romanticises the most boring of sandwiches.
Have a treasure hunt. Make a treasure map with clues to find some treasure you have hidden somewhere in the garden. It doesn’t have to be expensive or big, any little treat will be exciting when it is found outdoors.
Painting is one of the nicest ways to express your creativity is to use paint. Get large sheets of paper and lots of paint. Go mad and use your hands and feet – it’s liberating. To avoid any stress, prepare the area well and cover with plastic or newspaper. Have some water on hand to wash when you are finished.
Get into jewellery making. Go to a bead shop and stock up on beads, wire and clasps, and get busy making your own jewellery. This activity can be done with the smallest of children, just be sure to get appropriate bead sizes for different age groups. The children will be so proud to wear the jewellery that they have made.
According to Parent24, a South African website for parents, television, videos and computer games have their place, and function well as electronic babysitters, but do not encourage much creativity or imagination and therefore have their limitations. Children should not spend more than two or three hours per day staring at a screen.
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