Today’s guest post comes from Anna of the blog In the Playroom. Anna is a mum to three boys, lives in London, and writes about crafts, days out, and family fun. Her blog is well worth a look, and she can also be followed on Twitter. Anna shares some ideas for holiday activities.
The school holidays are nearly here, the weather is turning cooler, and the pull to stay home and hibernate is strong – but the children still need something to keep them busy! So, to make for a worthwhile week, the ideas below cover every kind of weather and every kind of budget.
Out in the Fresh Air
For anyone willing to brave the chill and head outdoors, the South East has plenty of interesting spots. Among them:
Aldenham Country Park
Free entry, and a lovely country park not far from Watford. The spirit of nature really comes through here, and the grounds also include the 100 Aker Woods with the Winnie the Pooh house and many of his friends. There is a walk around the lake, and there is a playground for children with special needs and their brothers and sisters. Wellies and an umbrella come in handy in case of rain.
Budget – low
Bekonscot Model Railway
Open until 3 November, so the holidays are the last chance! For anyone who has not been yet, this is a toy village with working trains darting all over the place. There is a lot to see, and although it looks much as it did in Victorian times, it still leaves children spellbound! There are playgrounds here too, and a train to ride on.
Budget – medium
Legoland
Also open over the holidays, with special Brick or Treat activities featuring costumes and orange pumpkins made of 2,000 bricks! All the rides and the Lego builds in miniland remain available as usual.
Ideas for holiday activities, Legoland
Budget – high (though not so much when Tesco Clubcard vouchers come into play!)
If the chance of rain puts a damper on the options above, there are choices under cover. A change of scene is guaranteed, and the children stay occupied!
Under Cover
Children’s Cinema Screenings
A trip to the cinema is a great option: for some reason it feels more exciting than the same film at home, especially when it is in 3D or the children can be treated to popcorn. Most cinema chains run cheaper children’s morning screenings at weekends, or every day during the holidays – a perfect budget option! The schedule can be found under Vue Kids AM or Odeon Kids.
If a child is not keen on the cinema, or nothing suitable is showing, the cinema atmosphere is easy to recreate at home – making popcorn together and putting on a new film. Netflix is a great option, with quite a few films available right now!
Budget – low
Activities at the Shopping Centre
Many big shopping centres like Westfield or Intu run children’s events during the holidays, such as workshops. With the holidays falling over Halloween, the local Intu will hold themed children’s workshops, and in the past there have been excellent pizza-making sessions. Some may require booking in advance.
Budget – low (unless the shops on site prove too tempting, of course! )
Soft Play
Soft play areas are always a popular choice: somewhere for the children to burn off energy! And parents, with a bit of luck, get a chance to relax over a coffee while the children keep themselves busy. A new centre – a little further from home, or simply unfamiliar – helps make the idea more appealing. Some have tempting extras like climbing walls or go-karting, which is wonderful! With several children the cost adds up quickly, but they will certainly be happy and good and tired!
Budget – medium
If the appeal is a couple of days at home and a chance to catch a breath – which feels especially welcome after the habit of early mornings and getting out the door by 8 or 8.30 each morning for school – here are a few ideas for simple activities children can do at home.
At Home
- Lego
- Cutting and gluing collages from magazines or pictures printed from the internet
- Board games or card games
- Jigsaw puzzles
- Writing a story or making an original comic
- Designing a robot, a spaceship, or anything else
- Building a railway
- Handing over some cardboard boxes and seeing what comes of it!
- Painting pebbles or conkers
- Baking
- Drawing
- Plaster of Paris crafts
- Making up quizzes for one another
There are plenty more ideas out there, and a personal list can even be put together and pulled out when “Mum, I’m bored!” rings out. Sometimes it helps to draw up a schedule for the holiday week and fill it in together with the children, so they know what to expect. For instance, picking one activity at home and one outdoors for each day. The rest of the time the children entertain themselves, but that kind of framework gives the week a structure that some children genuinely need.
Whatever the plans for the holidays, here’s to a great week for everyone!
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