What are some inexpensive school holiday activities?
27 January 2010 43 Responses
A Parent asks, It’s school holidays coming up and I’m looking for some activities for primary school age kids. Money’s tight at the moment but we don’t want to stay home for the whole 2 weeks. What are some things we can do?
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CRAFTS DUH ………………..JK
BUT JUST GIVE THEM SOME CRAYONS AND PAPER !!!!!!
Go bowling. The bowling alleys around here have daytime specials all summer long. Kids love it, and it shouldn’t cost too much.
If you have some left over construction paper, for an art project, you could make scrap pictures out of the construction paper using glue and the different colours in the shape of an Easter Egg. I dunno. Sounds like a good idea to me.
Take them swimming at a gym or the local YMCA. Or, use the gym there to play some basketball. Are you near a Lifetime fitness gym? They have huge indoor pools with slides.
Laser tag is good. But I think it can be costly. Bowling is good too. Anything that tires them out is good.
We take trips to the park and go bird watching. Story time at a library can also be a lot of fun (and I think in most cases, is free).
Sometimes we like to have “theme nights” with a movie. For example, one time we watched a movie about an island, and we inflated an air mattress and all sat on our “island” with popcorn to watch the show. I’ve also heard of people making cars out of boxes and going to the “drive-in.”
Is it an option for you to camp out in the yard?
Many towns/cities have community calendars online. We have found countless activities our community offers at little or no cost using our local community calendar.
Some of the best activities don’t require travel. Go bonkers and add a fun twist to an activity your kids enjoy. Another time, we finger-painted with pudding (but used our feet instead of our hands).
Give day trips a try, too. Is there a nearby city with something worth exploring? Is there something where you live that you keep meaning to explore? Being able to go there and get home in the same day will get you out and about without the hassle of finding a place to stay or spending extra cash.
Check out your local shopping centres for free entertainment, a trip to the beach; build sandcastles, collect shells, invite a friend/s (mums too) for a play day at a local park and have a sausage sizzle, Bunnings Warehouse has always got free kids workshops, check with your local store online to book, check your local council website for free school holiday programmes.
Camping is a great inexpensive holiday or yhou could go for picnics at beach, at landmarks such as lookouts, dams etc you could even go bushwalking.
Good question! I remember as kids that we’d have to do a lot of helping out around the house before we got to do fun stuff, and it actually made it way more exciting to go and do something! We used to be obsessed with this place called ‘Plaster Fun House’ where you get to paint a little 3D plaster figure and take it home. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t too expensive. As others have mentioned, going on little day trips is always great. Depending on where you live, it could be:
* a trip to the beach
* a trip to the snow
* visiting friends / relatives
* a picnic
* a zoo or sanctuary
* a lake, river, dam, reservoir…
* rollerskating
* local library (books, CDs, DVDs, puzzles…)
* movies (some cinemas are really cheap because they show the ‘latest release’ movies slightly later than everyone else)
Plus of course there are lots of great things you can do at home, like
* craft activities
* simple baking / cooking
* spring cleaning (donate to the op shop while you’re at it!)
* games, treasure hunt with clues
* exercise, fun games, running around
* imaginative play (maybe with dress ups)
* having friends over to play or stay the night (this can involve tidying the house, making food, playing games, watching a DVD… could be a good way to spend the day and night!)
Also, check out your local library and community centre for fun ideas. http://www.thatsmelbourne.com.au is great if you live in Melbourne!
Good luck!
If the kids have access to a computer there are some free games web sites.
One of the better ones is
http://www.007gamesbond.com
Its totally free!
This website is great for ideas
http://www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetails.aspx?p=114&np=301&id=1858
Go to the library
Take a friend or the dog for a walk
Start a collection – shells, flowers (dried between kitchen paper), stamps from used envelopes etc
Organise your photos
Make something
Free activities at the shopping centre
Practice skills such as skipping, throwing, kicking…
Write a story or start a novel
Read
Watch TV
Learn to knit or sew
Use games that are on the computer
Cook something
Visit parks
Start a hobby
Dressing up
Write a diary
Painting
Clean and re-organise your room
Picnic in the garden or park
Acting, making up plays, then put them on for the family
Make up a concert
Play games you have eg card games, board games
Help mum or dad or grandparents
Plant a small garden
Visit friends.
Park, music, singing in the library, zoo, cooking, craft from house waste, reading, pretend dramas, physical fitness, yoga, streches, dancing acrobats and so on
If you live in Sydney there are tons of places to go that don’t cost too much. My kids are grown up now but some of the things we did were great and I didn’t have much money then either.
Power House museum can take up a whole day. Take your lunch and get a pass-out and play in Darling Harbour for a while.
The Australian Museum – the same only go out into Hyde Park for your lunch. Go to Manly on the Ferry, paddle at the beach. Remember to take your own picnic as I always found that the food, if eating out, was the most expensive thing .
Even the Easter Show is OK, if you can restrict the show bags to one or two, and take your lunch. My kids didn’t even think about the rides as I just told them that we couldn’t afford them.
Find a local area where you can go on a bush walk. It takes hours and you can get dirty as you like and come home exhausted and ready for bed. AND it costs nothing.
Go fishing somewhere. You don’t need rods just hand lines are good.
Art galleries are free and you can picnic in the Domain. Most of these places have kids activities as well so you can leave them and have a little rest yourself. Hope this helps you. I always loved the holidays.
If you have a park nearby, why not have a picnic and invite family and friends to join you. If you live in Queensland, either have the picnic before 10.00am or after 3.00pm (hottest time of the day out of the question). If you cannot do it until after 10.00am, make sure there is enough trees around to provide shade and cool.
If you are able to get to the beach, do the same thing, have a picnic. Or on the weekend, invite people to have a late lunch/early dinner BBQ there. Look out for BBQ’s that might be near a playground area for the kids (and adults, too) to work off their excess energy.
How far from the Library are you?? Why not go by bus, that way you will see things that you probably miss while driving. Also, some bus companies have all-day tickets that you can use (only for that day) but you might be able to do a ‘tour’ of your town and see sights that you forgot about or are new.
Ask neighbours if they would like to have a ‘free day’ where you have some children (maybe four or five) come over for the day to allow the other parents some ‘quiet’ time. Then the next day, your children go to someone else’s house and let you have some time on your own. When the children are at our house, why not have water fights with ballons, make bubbles, make cakes to take home, and other fun things.
Just some suggestions and I hope I have been of some help.
Sue
If you live in Wagga Wagga you can come ice skating at the Wagga wagga showgrounds. Open everyday you get 2 hours of skating for just $10.00 and even the under 5′s can skate on their own dedicated baby ice rink.
http://www.winter magic.biz
If you are close to a national park or large open grassed area, organize a picnic into the kids school back packs and walk to a suitable area then relax with the family at a picnic.
Contact National Parks and Wildlife to ask if they have any cheap guided tours in your area.
Poor you but just wait until your kids are teenagers. My grandson wants to do nothing except play station, x-box, computer etc.(I’m lucky if I get a look in at my own computer. He puts on a turn if we ask him to go to the dog-park. Yes he goes to sleep-overs or has sleep-overs here and what do they do? Straight onto PlayStation’s.wii, x-boxes etc.
play musical chairs outside with your childrens friends and blind fold them it’s more fun
have a fun dress up day with their favourite characters
play grabbing the apple out of a bowl of water blindfolded]
play cooking where you all get in the kitchen and make something
go fishing
go the beach and collect sea shells or just play a game at the beach like sand castle competition ]
If you have girls then do a dance competition at a park with a picnic
have a bike or scooter race
and the best is story time where they have to make up a story lasting no less then 3 minutes and you offer them a 1st 2nd & 3rd prize
if you have boys have a footy or soccer competition
really the options are endless but don’t forget the kids love the outdoors and it makes them tired so really your imagination is the limit!!! Good luck and have a very happy easter with your loved ones!!!!
Get your kids rock climbing. It works them physically, mentally and gives them a real buzz. I’m booking my 9 year old son into a rock climbing camp these easter holidays in Sydney. Really good set up with the instructors teaching the kids the ropes
iceman, the ice skating sounds good. but its a shame that the bowling alley isnt here still. there isnt alot for the kids to do but hang out at the mall.
lidsey c had a really answer.
im all for anything that gets the kids out of the mall lol
make bookings with your childs friends parents, maybe for a couple of days they can stay over or hang out at their place all day watch a movie, eat some popcorn and run around, do the same for them
Check out the National Parks & Wildlife holiday activity guide on line most area’s they have kids activities with only minimal costs.
Also the local library holds activities for kids with gold coin donations
Try these:
1. cardboard or paper, scissors and sticky tape. Markers optional. All the kids have time to make their own things and maybe choose a theme. Each child is encouraged to invent a short story to go with their items, eg frogs and princesses, Star wars, submarines, whatever. The REAL treat is that parents agree to sit and LISTEN to the stories.
2. Youtube Karaoke. Find some songs you like online, find the lyrics also. Everyone gets to sing a song they like, they can watch it first.
3. Frog theatre. This is like a Punch and Judy show except the kids make the characters. You’ll need gayart sticks (paddle pop sticks) stuck to the back of the figures. Drape a towel over a chair to make the front of the “stage”, with children holdings towels to act as curtains and as “wings” where new chracters can either come on or be passed to the actors, who lie on their backs.
4. You can do a Shadow Puppet version of the same things at night, using torches to throw the character shadows on the wall.
5. Card game. Concentration. matches cards, most pairs wins. Boost reasoning. Vary the winning level if age range varies e..g 6 pairs for 6 years, 10 for 10 years. Portable game.
6. Storytelling. This should be classed as a Special Time (ie a reward for good behaviour during the day). An adult tells a story, to candlelight if a Ghostie story. The adult object is to mesmerise the kids and keep them quiet and engaged. Probably best before dinner and not after dinner, before bed.
7. Apple bobbing. Large deep dish or pan, preferably heavy so it won’t be knocked over. Shallow but deep enough to float apples in (or apple chunks would be easier). Each child who WANTS to tries to pick up an apple piece with their mouth or teeth, they must hold their own hands behind their back. Everybody cheers on the apple bobber (which is what makes it fun and supportive, because it is very very silly). “Best Player” gets an extra easter egg or something.
OUTSIDE
1. Take the dog for a walk. Fetch the stick.
2. IN a safe place, not near traffic, go for a Trust Walk. One person leads the other, who is blindfolded. Experience a whole new world. Some adult supervision is also good. The trust leader needs to warn about steps, obstacles, low branches, etc.
3. Take a drive somewhere outside town and see the stars. Take a book and study what is what. Take an astronomer even better, or see if there are any tours or astronomy gigs over Easter.
4. Visit a club in a nearby town — like the history society, or stamp club, or motorcycle club. Find out why their hobby is so special to them.
5. Some churches will run holiday programs too.
The best time you can spend with your kids is to LISTEN to them, so many troubled kids I know have been ignored and unappreciated all their lives and no adult values them or their opinions, so they act out.
Crayon sharpening, soap eating.
GO ON A HIKE!!… wait, how old are your kids?
OR TAKE THEM TO THE BEACH ON A WARM DAY that would be fun
YOU CAN TAKE THEM TO THE PARK children love the park
MAYBE ORGANISE A PLAY DATE WITH SOME OF THEIR FRIENDS FROM SCHOOL… benefits both children
MAYBE TAKE THEM TO THE POOLS.. make sure you are watching them if they are young
READ THEM STORIES….
FIND SOME GOOD GAMES ON THE INTERNET THAT THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO PLAY WITH….nicolodean?
BUY SOME COLOURING BOOKS FOR THEM TO COLOUR IN…
GET SOME VIDEOS….
TAKE THEM TO FAMILY WHO HAVE CHILDREN THAT THEY CAN PLAY WITH…
MAYBE YOU COULD TEACH THEM SOME CRAFT..when i was little my parents taught me how to french knit> something with 4 paddle pop sticks and an empty toilet paper roll.
BOWLING IS QUITE FUN FOR CHILDREN… but its a bit expensive….
GOOD LUCK… HOPE YOU HAVE A FUN HOLIDAYS!!! byee
weeding
museums are free for kids and the melbourne museum is io 6 dollars for adults and you can spend the day there and never get bored
one idea which DOES involve staying at home one night is pretending you have had a power cut. Get the kids to turn off all the lights + tv, xbox, computer etc and light up candles around the dining table.Then get the whole family playing a game of cards or other board games and taking a torch or lantern if they need to leave the room
go to the movies and watch a movie that the whole family can enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
hope this helped
hey im a kid and what i would like to do is go bowling, and its not that pricey so you could do that or watch a movie at home and rearrange the TV room to make it look like a theater and have popcorn or something.
you could go to a park or a swimming pool with some of the kids friends or you could let them sleep over at a friends house or something, I no that’s what I would want to do.
hope this helps!!
Activities ??? You have time for activities ???
What about all the washing and cooking and cleaning you have to do ??
Slaves are not allowed to have activities.
there are some great bike tracks, pack up a picnic lunch and pedal off,it will tire everyone out and the kids will sleep like babies happy holidays.
Go to the beach with picnic lunch packed.
Go to the park- ride bikes to the park.
Catch train somewhere for the day- family day pass.
Botanical gardens
Try cheap movie days like Tuesday or get any deals- smaller local
movie theatres can be cheaper.
Make and fly kites.
Visit garden centre and buy a few cheap plants and then plant
Try local council for any kids activity
Large West field shopping centres may run activities
local kids clubs- some ran by churches but free kids activities
DVD afternoon at home -popcorn and soft drink may be
Bush walking in local national park– take water and hat sun screen
Local library might have some activities or borrow DVDs and books for free.
A variety of these- but kids can still occupy themselves in the back yard if they are told to go out there and away from computer and tv.
Give them a footy or a basketball or tennis racket as well.
You could go camping or have a party.
sleep all day every day…………………
Circus activities you could go to a circus school or you could make juggeling balls at home out of balloons that you fill with bird seed and use cans to make stilts by putting a whole on each side of the bottom of the can tie some twine in each whole and you turn them upside down and kids can walk on them. buy a peacock feather see if you can balance it in the palm of you hand
1. Bunnings Warehouse has free workshops
2. Check out local newspapers for free/inexpensive workshops,or specials such as bowling,video store hires
3. Some schools/kindys have leaflets or information about outings/fun stuff to do
4.Many cinemas have holiday specials
5. Some local churches have crafty workshops,where they dont force you/or make you attend church (if its not your sort of thing)
6.Depending where you are,we have a very inexpensive day trip at a kiddie park…bbq facilities available and many games/rides ranging from babies to 60 years of age
7. Some shopping centres have free face paintings or plaster paintings,(craft)so check with centre management
8. Check out Spotlight stores or the budget stores (such as Cunninghams) for painting/craft ideas..some are inexpensive such as candle making or mask making
Trick is to find out in newspapers,libraries,radio stations and try to book things so no one is disappointed. School/Kindy offices generally have leaflets about holiday fun
Most of all have fun with your kids and good luck
Go to the museum, it always works for children. Besides that, swimming is also a very good idea as kids like to play in water.
Any sort of do-it-yourself project should be lots of fun and inexpensive. Drawing, “pottery”, hide-and-seek etc. Reading can be both fun and informative at the same time as well!
Maybe a picnic and walk thro some local parks…or letting the children if they are old enough make their own easter eggs….chep molds can be found and compound cooking chocolate isnt expensive
Take them to the park with some sticks to play with.
Childrens cooking is fantastic and very affordable. Here are some links I found online with recipes and methods (most have images as well so you can show the kids what they will look like before you start).
http://www.childrensrecipes.com/
http://www.kidspot.com.au/baby-kids-children-family-easy-food-recipes+5+Kids-cooking.htm
http://kidshealth.org/kid/recipes/index.html
For some at home craft ideas, try printing off some templates on themed ideas – easter, christmas, pirates etc. This web site is great!
http://www.allkidsnetwork.com/
Good Luck.
Pack a couple of suitcases and ship the kids off to a relative in another state. LOL
Charity work, helping out in the community, community gardens!
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