Are you tired of hearing “Muuuuuuummmmm, I’m bored!” and need some school holiday ideas to keep the kids entertained?
Before you pull out that boredom-busting iPad or plonk your child in front of the telly, try out some of these activities.
They all come with the added benefit of incidental physical activity, meaning your kids will barely even notice they’re exercising.
School holiday ideas to keep the kids entertained:
Bike ride
In April the weather is beautiful in Queensland so why not haul those bikes out of the shed and take off on a family bike ride? If your kids are too young to ride on the road or you’re worried about their safety, search your local council’s website for bike paths in the area. Better still, search neighbouring councils’ websites and drive the kids and their bikes to a new location; they’ll be so busy looking at the unfamiliar surrounds they won’t make a peep, at least for the first kilometre. Going for a bike ride is just one of many school holiday ideas that will not only keep your kids entertained but will keep them fit and healthy.
A day at the pool
Kids love swimming pools but just because your backyard isn’t big enough or your bank balance isn’t healthy enough to own your own, don’t discount the humble suburban swimming pool. For just a few dollars the kids can splash around to their heart’s content and you can either join them or score yourself a prime lounge chair on the lawn.
Ice skating
It may be sunny outside but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy winter sports. When was the last time you went ice skating? Scratch that, have you ever been ice skating? Believe it or not, it’s entirely possible to try this very chilly hobby in the Sunshine State with two ice rinks open to the public in Brisbane, another in Townsville and a fourth on the Gold Coast.
Backyard camping
If you don’t have enough time to go on a camping adventure these school holidays, you could always set up the tent in the backyard. Ok, so it might not be high impact exercise but they’ll be outside and moving around in the fresh air and that’s got to be a good thing. Offering to host a sleepover could also be a good way to get the kids on board.
Trampolining
Trampolining is an Olympic sport, and it’s also a whole lot of fun. Trampolining centres have sprung up across the state and you can now get your bounce on at Robina, Tingalpa, Birtinya, Meadowbrook, Toowoomba and Redbank.
Hiking
Queensland is full of some of the most spectacular national park walks in Australia but don’t fall into the habit of ignoring what’s in your own backyard. Remember people travel from across the globe to explore this beautiful patch of the world. It’s easy to find hikes that are suitable for all ages so go out and get those shoes dirty.
Mini-Olympics
This one might take a bit more organisation, but it’s completely free so it may suit those on a tight budget. Tap into children’s natural competitiveness by hosting a mini-Olympics. Whether it’s sibling rivalry or a group of friends you can use whatever you’ve got lying around at home to create a series of sporting challenges. Basketball free throws, a sprint to the end of the driveway, how many times you can bounce a tennis ball on a tennis racquet, even childhood favourites like marbles or foursquare can become part of the tournament. Think of it as a child-friendly pentathlon. A handicap system will help you even out any age differences.
Master chef
Raining outside? Not to worry. A great wet weather activity that meets the healthy living criteria is to hold a cooking class or Master Chef-style cooking competition.
Get the kids to create their own pizzas using lean meats and vegetables or challenge them to roll their own rice paper rolls using crunchy carrots, capsicum and cucumber. You could even see who can create the most interesting picture out of cut up pieces of fruit for dessert.
Build something
This is one for those handy men and women who don’t mind picking up the tools.
YouTube has a plethora of instructional videos on how to build anything from a sandpit to a billy cart or even a cubby house.
Older kids can help out with the construction but maybe enlist the younger ones to help with painting and decorating. Nothing like a little bit of elbow grease to get the muscles working.
These are just a few school holiday ideas for getting your kids out and about. When they’re ready to go back to school House Call Doctor has also produced an article on: Five back to school health tips to help your child stay healthy in 2017
