Planning for school holidays
March 29th, 2010
Not long ago Vanessa at Green Ness was asking how I tackled the school holidays. At the time I replied we had nothing planned this time around because the girls were misbehaving. But on further reflection I think it might be good to use this time at home to get them to bond again and enjoy being together like they used to. So I’m going to plan out some fun things for us to do together both at home and out.
I’m also going to make between 9am and 5pm screen-free time (unless there are special circumstances). This is going to apply to me as well (with possible exception of trip planning).
Here’s some of my ideas so far :
* Make friendship boxes – thanks to Ailsa for this idea
* Go on a scavenger hunt – never done one before but Annie’s kids always seem to enjoy them.
* Learn to knit class at library
* Photo session – with us taking photos of each other
* Trip to beach with dogs
* Movies (plus I plan to take both girls on their own as a special outing)
* Painting or drawing down at the lake
* Work on a jigsaw together
* Manicures & pedicures
* Play wii together (I very rarely do this)
* Family bike ride
* Get girls to plan and cook a special meal for each other
That should keep us out of trouble and hopefully help the girls realize just how wonderful it is to have a sister. If anyone has any ideas for me – esp. to help with the bonding – please let me know. Being an only child this is all new to me!
With 5 children I have a ton of resources and ideas for keeping children from killing each other (lol) – if you ever want some ideas just let me know. I know I posted a TON of them last Summer!!! We get 10 weeks holiday every June – Sept and I always plan plenty of ideas for those moments when I think they need some distraction….we live a long way out of town and not near any other children so when school is out my children only have each other most of the time….
http://escapingthecity.blogspot.com/2009/06/making-oreo-ice-cream.html This would be a fun one!! They could do it on their own and they HAVE to eat the Oreos (or whatever equivalent cookie they ahve there if no oreo’s.
Or this one: http://escapingthecity.blogspot.com/2009/04/susannahs-photography-scavenger-hunt.html the idea is a scavenger hunt but with a camera!!! You set the girls a challenge of a set of pictures they have to take TOGETHER – so they work as a team and then you upload the pictures and get to see the results!!
My friend has put little ‘mailboxes’ on each bedroom in the house – including the parents – and everyone can write letters to each other/ little notes and deliver them into the mailboxes and then people can reply!!! The girls in that family love checking their mailboxes each morning/ evening and it practices their handwriting/ drawing too!
What about volunteering somewhere locally together as a family or just you and the girls? Find something that interests you – an animal shelter? Seniors home? foodbank or homeless shelter or just bake cookies together once a week and deliver them to a different place like a fire station or police station with a letter the girls write together – or a card they make together. Let them decide together what to bake – write the ingredients together and shop together for the ingredients.
PS it gets easier….and worse….and easier…and worse….and easier (lol) I tend to switch off and leave them to it….I refuse to get involved and refuse to let it get to me. BUT thankfully mine are at an age where I can walk out of the door for a while now….there is always someone here old enough to watch the younger ones
saw this as well:
http://sweetmummy.lifewithchrist.org/permalink/31224.html
I know it’s not Spring over there but plenty of holiday ideas
HTH
Those are all great ideas…….you are going to have great memories!!
Great ideas Libby. Might have to use some of those myself.