7 Ways to Survive the School Holidays

It’s great when the school holidays come around as it allows you the chance to spend more quality time with your children. Summer holidays can be particularly awkward, as school is closed for a long time – and it’s a lot harder to keep kids entertained for 7 weeks than it is 1.

If you are looking for ways to keep your children happy and entertained when on school break from somewhere such as Stamford American International School then these strategies to help you cope might be useful. Here are 7 ways to survive the school holidays.

Organise days out with friends

Although one-to-one time with your kids is important, it will benefit all everyone if you make arrangements to see other families during the holidays. It gives the children the chance to continue their friendships out of school and gives the adults a bit of a reprieve. Catching up with other parents will give you a bit of down time and can be very relaxing.

You can always take turns with the other parents to watch the kids so you all get a bit of child-free time once in a while.

Meet up with family

If you have family nearby, the school holidays are a great time to catch up with your loved ones. It is particularly good if you have siblings with kids who are of a similar age to yours. Head to the park for a family game of football or rounders, or make a day of it and have a picnic or barbeque at home.

It can be hard to fit in regular visits to grandparents or aunts and uncles, so use this time to make fond family memories with them.   

Educational games and activities

From science experiments to arts and crafts, there are loads of games and activities for kids these days – many of which are educational. Although late nights and early mornings are enjoyable from time to time, it is a good idea to fit in activities that will stimulate their minds and get their brains working.

There are loads of ideas online that will help give you inspiration and many websites that sell products suitable for a wide range of ages.

For kids who struggle to focus at school, using a word unscrambler to help them exercise their cognitive functions when solving puzzles can have very beneficial long-term effects.

Go on holiday

What better way to spend the school holidays than getting away from it all and going on a family vacation. If you have younger children, look for hotels with a kids club and in-house entertainment. Your kids are likely to make friends and have a fabulous time.  If something a little more active is your cup of tea, why not check out your local Center Parcs resort. They typically have a timetable packed with adventures and sports for the whole family.

If you are looking for hacks to make your holiday go as smoothly as possible, read our Top 5 Holiday Hacks for some great tips and tricks.

Watch a movie

Who doesn’t love watching a movie? Whether it be an action-packed kid’s adventure or an old classic, settling down with some popcorn and a blanket is a great way to entertain the kids for a couple of hours.

Thanks to the advancement of technology, you can pretty much buy or rent any movie you want with a few clicks of a button. So, there’s no reason you can’t find something the whole family will enjoy.

Get them to help around the house

Yes, school holidays should be enjoyable, but that doesn’t mean the kids shouldn’t help out around the home. As well as their usual chores, ask them to help out a bit more or, if they are old enough, get them involved with other things like power washing the car, sweeping up leaves, or cooking. Not only will it take a bit of the strain off your shoulders, but it will teach them some new skills too.

Many families like to give kids pocket money for doing chores or buy them a little gift at the end of the week as a sign of appreciation for their hard work.

Set up a tent in the garden

If you can’t get away on holiday, why not set up a campsite in your garden instead. Put up some bunting, get the barbeque out and turn it into a retreat for you and the kids to enjoy. If you want to take it a step further, grab your sleeping bags or duvets and snuggle up for a night under the stars.

Kids usually love camping, so it’s a great way to do something a bit different but have the convenience of home on your doorstep.

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