A few fabulous ideas to get you thinking on how to be creative and engage your children this holiday!
Travel – Under 6
- Ensure children not overtired or hungry before you start the journey – overtired children are grumpy children
- Threading cards / paper plates with wool
- Stickers
- Ziploc activities
- Small easy games to play, eg magnetic boards that they can draw on and wipe clean
- Music – children love songs and singing along
- Books
- Sunscreen – can get quite hot in the car
- Blankets – in case it gets chilly, especially if aircon is on
- Limited time on a device – reward!
- Unwrap “gifts” every 30 – 60 minutes
- Snack box
- Leave very early – make first stop breakfast, or just before nap time
- Frequent stops, especially if strapped in car seats
- Do not travel over mealtimes – stop, eat and carry on
- Bonus gift – sticker every 15 minutes
- Lap tray
- Spot the ‘windmill’, animal etc (Car Bingo)
Travel – Over 6
- Card games for older children
- Make pomp oms
- Audio books/auto-biographies
- Each child to choose a travel CD
- Pillows
- Research good places to stop – plan your trip
- iPods/phones/iPads with individual ear phones
- magnet games
Holiday Ideas Under 6
- freezer trays in big ice block – chisel out /or in balloons, frozen
- build a car: box, paper, paper plates, string
- paint wall with water
- chalk on driveway
- science experiments
- balloon rocket
- balloon tennis (string/bats)
- string obstacle course
- target golf
- Pinterest art activities
- Hikes/ nature walks/ dress – up picnics
- Forts/tents in the lounge
- Unprinted newspaper – large picture to colour in; walk on
- Dress up
- make monsters: playdough, googley eyes, stickers
- giant bubbles
- 3 yrs+ work stations
- Visit fire-station, airport, pet store etc…
- Disney nature documentaries
Over 6
- 1 – 2 day a week – no plans
- Holiday vouchers
- Marble games
- Hand knitting
- Outings/activities related to school curriculum
- One day a week – speak 2nd language
- “good” online games
- Read: tech. time (equal time)
- Watch wildlife documentary, volume off, adlib
- Lego movie (app building out of recycling)
- Job shadowing
- Board games: Uno….card games
- Beat the Parents
- (See SA Toy Trade) Smart Heart
- Body outline: draw the rest and decorate with recycling
- Pyjama day
- Volunteer community projects 1 x week
- “Book Club”
12 years plus:
- discover new recipes
- create an itinerary for a day out
- tutoring
- send on a course
Discipline in Strange Places
Step up discipline at home for the last few days before travel. Be gracious (not apologetic) towards others around you. Stay confident and acknowledge those around you.
