Holiday fun

Summer holidays are here so we’ve put together some ideas of great activities to do on a tight budget to keep your kids entertained.

The local museums, observatories, and

galleries are exciting places for children to discover and explore with many offering hands on experiences and guess what, the children won’t even know it is educational!

Bike, skate, and scooter paths all build muscle strength and co-ordination and allow children to get that all important fresh air and sunlight for the day. Remember the Cancer Council Sun safety message, Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek, Slide. The local libraries are always a hive of activity during school holidays with many activities across different age groups available.

Spending time by the beach, waterhole or

rivers is always fun for children. There are many opportunities near waterways where children can explore, wonder, find treasures and ask questions about the world around them. Seek out information about the natural lands from local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people or local councils often have information on the local areas. Ask children to look for particular items in the rock pool or along the beach, talking with them about their find. Remember to be always vigilant about the safety of your children near water. Cooking with children is a lot of fun and it teaches them reading skills and following instructions; maths like numbers (1 egg) fractions (1/4 cup, 1/2 cup), and science (how properties change like watching a solid dob of butter melting into liquid). Consider Googling your favourite recipe. Recycled/reusable crafts is a rewarding way to use items around the home and turn them into something you could use! Consider making storage jars out of food jars by decorating them. Use egg cartons, cereal boxes, yogurt containers and more recyclables from around the home, this allows children to imagine and create the most amazing things from robots to boats that can sail in a tub of water. Try cutting plastic milk bottles down, place soil in and grow vegetable from seedlings. This not only encourages children to learn about how living things grow but also how important it is to take care of plants and the environment.

Make a kite, collect wooden stick, use paper,

plastic bags, or fabric. Check the wind conditions for the local park and go and have some fun. Make your own games such as noughts and crosses sets from stones, or Twister using different coloured cushions or draw the game with chalk on the driveway. Inside in the rain? Try a game of musical chairs.

But most importantly, go and enjoy the summer holidays with your family!

By Suzie Wood, Head of Quality and Compliance Story House Early Learning