There are still a couple of days left in the school holidays so if you're struggling to think of ideas to do with the kids, we've put together a bit of a list.
We asked you, the people of Aotearoa, what your go-to school holiday activities are…
- Make a day of it
Tania took her six-year-old grandson for a bit of a tour, starting with a trip to the carwash. I mean what kids (and some adults) don’t love a ride through the car wash?
“We then took my classic car for a cruise to Mapua for fish & chips on the wharf for lunch (including fun with the seagulls who got our leftovers), then cruised to Kaiteriteri, walked on the beach, played a round of mini golf, had an ice cream then cruised home. Him snoring on the seat beside me on the drive home was proof he had a full day”
- Get creative in the kitchen
Jo said every holiday she takes her daughter to a cupcake decorating class at Petit Fours.
Even if you can't make it to a class, there's nothing stopping you from grabbing a pack of plain muffins or cupcakes and getting creative with the icing and decorations.
- Try out the local attractions
Kathryn had a jam-packed itinerary, checking out the “awesome bounce and playgrounds last week” and then heading to Shrek the musical this week. They even managed to squeeze in a trip to the zoo too!
NZ has some pretty awesome attractions from Northland to Southland, so use the excuse and get out there and experience them.
- Build some Lego
Emma outsourced her activity, getting a friend to drop off some Lego sets that the friend hadn't had the time to put together yet.
Lego sparks creativity, you could even break apart some of your sets and have your own Lego Masters challenges!
- Haircuts!
Before we know it it's time to send them back to school, so it could pay to use the last few days to get them nice and tidy. Amanda’s goal this week is “hair cuts for the boys”.
- Hit the arcade
Kate and her daughter have a bit of a ritual of heading down to the arcade each holidays.
“Every school holidays my daughter makes a list what she would like to do and Timezone New Zealand is always on the list! She loves it!”
- Take a dip in the pool
The weather is starting to get warmer (don’t jinx it) so it could be time to head down for a paddle. Lisa, Lydia, and Tina all agree the pool is the way to go right now.
If you're looking for something cheap/free, there are heaps of options too.
- Bubbles
You can never go wrong with bubbles for young kids. Gina keeps a stack of these $0.80 bubble wands from The Warehouse, in the cupboard for whenever the kids need a little distraction. (These also work quite well when you're trying to tire out your dog, they’ll chase those bubbles for ages!)
- Get them in on the housework
Rachel says her go-to for the school holidays is getting the kids in on the housework.
“Gets them thinking creatively + stops them from saying I'm bored from the start”
Depending on the kid, this could be a hard sell but hey, we deserve the holiday too right?!
- Crack out the board games
We all have a cupboard stocked with board games that don't get used nearly enough.
Karen commented that she likes to get out the Connect Four, but maybe we should all stay away from the Monopoly these holidays… no one needs another tantrum right now.
- Get out for a walk
Make use of that spring air and get out and about like Manda has been doing…
“We've been getting in 10,000+ steps a day to help fill in the time & to get outside for a bit”
- Hide & Seek
Megan possibly has the best idea…
“Hide and Seek, so I get to hide from the kids”
And if all else fails and you’re out of ideas, you can always send them off to the grandparents as Jude suggested.
Just make sure you’ve checked the bottom of the kid's school bags before the end of the week! You don't want any nasty surprises when getting ready for the first day back.
