According to a recent survey of ASIC Money Smart users, the majority of parents say they spend more money during the school holidays than any other time of year. But hanging out with your loved ones needn’t blow your budget.
Creating fun ways for your family to get together and enjoy themselves shouldn’t have to burn a hole in your wallet. Follow our top ten tips and you can not only cure your kid of the dreaded ‘I’m bored’ syndrome but save yourself a motza in the long run.
Spend the day at the museum
We have some of the best museums in the world, many of which offer free entry for kids and discounted entry for families. Let your budding anthropologist and archaeologist explore a world of fossils and fantastic creatures. They’ll love to discover how things work and understand the mechanics of flight, space and ancient times. Better still most museums offer school holiday programs and activities that let your little explorers utilise play-based learning to better their understanding of the world around them. Educational and fun – it’s a win-win!
Hanging out with your loved ones needn’t blow your budget
The beach
Nothing says quintessential Aussie summer like a day at the beach. Pack up your togs, towels and inflatables and hit the surf and sand for some fun in the sun. Just remember to slip on a shirt, slop on some sunscreen and slap on a hat and you’ll be ready for a day the whole family can enjoy. There is so much to do at the beach, from exploring rock pools for sea creatures to building sandcastles, collecting shells, sunbathing and body surfing. Make sure to pack a picnic lunch and plenty of water and you can while away several happy hours. Just remember to swim between the flags!
Go to the park
Pull out the esky, pack up a picnic and take the kids to the local park. They can spend the day at the playground playing on the equipment, exploring the surrounds or riding their bikes or skateboards. Some local parks have dedicated skating areas with rails and a skate bowl whilst others feature parkour equipment for the more adventurous climbers. Whilst other parks offer more traditional recreational activities such as basketball hoops and cricket nets that you can use for free.
Devise a treasure hunt
Most kids love a treasure hunt. Why wouldn’t they? Solving puzzles to get more clues to ultimately discover a prize? Treasure hunts are also super simple to set up. You just need to create a treasure map, write some clues and hide your prize(s) around the house or in the backyard. Kids love the pleasure of problem-solving with a purpose. It’s a great activity for both multiple kids or those at home alone.
Unleash your crafty side
Even big kids like arts and craft activities. Whilst the little one’s love face painting and drawing, older kids love to get creative with activities such as making beaded jewellery or loop bracelets for friends. You can also utilise bits and bobs from around the house for activities. Put those odd socks to use and transform them into puppets. String some macaroni together for a necklace. Grab that forgotten bag of potatoes and cut them in half and carve out a simple picture for a stamp. Your options are only limited by your imagination.
Organise a playdate
Kids love playdates. Invite your child’s best friend over for the day and let them loose in the house to play. Your child’s dress-up box, existing toys, and arts and crafts supplies will keep them perfectly entertained for hours. The only cost to you will be providing their lunch and snacks for the day.
Pay a visit to your local library
Gone are the days where libraries were hallowed halls of wisdom where children were un-welcome and libel to be shushed! Today’s libraries not only provide a plethora of fabulous literature, games and DVDs that your kids can borrow; they usually also run a slew of school holiday activities. Why not check out a story time session for younger kids or enrol older kids in some of the free courses on offer which often include computing and electronics as well as arts and crafts activities,
Go on a dinosaur hunt
If you have a sandpit at home or a garden that you don’t mind the kids doing a bit of burrowing in, why not set up an archaeological dig. You can buy replica dinosaur skeletons at Kmart for a few dollars. Dismantle them and bury them in the garden. Give the kids a plastic spade for digging and a paintbrush for sweeping the dirt away from more delicate pieces and watch them unleash their inner archaeologist as they hunt for ‘fossils’.
Make a movie
Let’s face it most kids today are more tech-literate than their parents. They know their way around an iPhone and are already great at snapping selfies and holiday pics. Why not let them go one step further and expand their creativity by making a movie? You can help them work out the plot, draw up a storyboard to plan their shots then unleash them with your iPhone to make their masterpiece. Once they’ve finished filming you can help them cut it together in iMovie and then crack out the popcorn and stream it to your Apple TV to watch on the big screen.
Go on a bush walk
Australia is blessed with literally hundreds of national parks and they are perfect for bush walking. Grab some sturdy shoes, pack a picnic and hit the trail with your kids. They will love being able to get out into the great outdoors to experience the beauty and wonder of nature. You’ll be surprised how much joy they can get from crunching through leaves, leaping over logs and scampering across streams.
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