Boredom is not an option: 5 top tips for keeping kids entertained during school holidays

By Sally Webb
Family travel specialist and mother-of-two Sally Webb knows that school holidays can be a busy time for parents. But with a bit of preparation, she says that this break in routine can turn into a family adventure. Here are her top tips for being a school holiday hero.

School holidays? Already? How on earth am I going to keep the kids entertained? Don’t feel guilty if you’ve had these thoughts. Most parents do. Even though we all know that there are roughly 10 weeks in a term, those holidays do have a nasty habit of sneaking up on us.
When I help families plan overseas holidays, I make sure the kids are doing things which relate to the culture of the destination rather than just ticking off the tourist sights. It could be anything from making rice paper rolls in Hanoi to painting a mask in Venice. That way they engage with the place and take much more in. I adopt a similar approach with my own children, whether we’re travelling or not. They’re happiest when they are doing something fun and interesting, and happier still when we’re doing it together.
If you’re heading off to a beach shack, make sure you have books, plenty of pencils and paper, and a deck of cards or some rainy day games. If you’re staying in town, mix organised activities (tennis camp, an art class) with more spontaneous things such as a botanic gardens picnic or an outing to the movies.
Holidays are designed to get us out of our routines, but it pays to do like the Boy Scouts and be prepared! Here are a few tips:

Go to the beach — Make the most of these final warm days with a seaside excursion.

1. Head to the beach
With Easter being early there’s still warmth in the sun and the water. Put on your swimmers, pack a picnic and kit up with buckets and spades or boogie boards. Turn it into an adventure, perhaps choosing a beach in a national park, accessible only by foot.

2. Museum moves
There are some fantastic kids’ holiday programs at museums all over Australia. In Melbourne, the Heide Museum of Modern Art (www.heide.com.au) is offering Hip Hop Action Painting where kids can learn a fun hip-hop routine and use it to paint on paper with their hands and feet. In Sydney, the National Maritime Museum (www.anmm.gov.au) is hosting claymation classes for kids aged eight to 14, inspired by its Voyages of the Deep exhibition.

3. Kids in the kitchen
Given the opportunity, most children love to cook. Find a kid-focussed cookbook that explains ingredients and methods in simple language and let them loose. Yes, they’ll make a mess and yes, they’ll need your help, but understanding the basics of cooking is an important life skill.

4. Constructive downtime
While holidays give kids a much-needed break from their routines, it doesn’t mean that they should fill the void with screens. Find some creative craft activities, dust off the board games or challenge them with that 1000-piece jigsaw.

5. Go fly a kite
Tap “make your own kite” into Google and you’ll score more than nine million hits. Combine recycling with creativity for a bit of old-fashioned fun. And ask yourself, when did you last fly a kite?

Beach essentials

Floral fizz girls’ frill bikini (sizes 8-14), $42.87
Claesen’s watermelon & light blue one-piece swimsuit (sizes 8-14), $55.16
Take me to the beach bag, from $48
Boys’ primrose yellow swim shorts (for ages 1-12), $60
Triangle hat, $18
Kids shades in neon green, $14.95
Sun hat (for 6 months-6 years), $25
Insulated picnic bag in crosses, $27.50
Rolling waves poncho (for ages 4-9), $35
Twigz hand tools (set of 3), $25

Get cooking

Doodle kids’ apron, $35, an apron you can draw on!
DOIY fixie pizza cutter, $39.95
Suck UK rainbow jelly mould, $26.95
Birdy kids’ apron, $29.95
Easter egg Oreo chocolate mould, $13.30
Suck UK robot nutcracker, $49.95
Suck UK space cookie cutters, $27.95
JosephJoseph 7 plus food preparation set, $74.90
Suck UK bakeball bat, $44.95
The Silver Spoon For Children cookbook, $34.95

Playtime

Ridleys kaleidoscope marbles in bag, $27.95
Bajo athlete balance game, $49.95
Calafant calacasa cardboard cubby house, $84.95
Ridleys Classic tumbling blocks, $39.95
Rant & Rave About My Holiday journal, $29.95
Paris jigsaw puzzle, $45
Clever Chloe accessory gift pack, $32.95
DOIY kids’ photo booth props, $39.95
Planes magic water world bead craft, $34.95

For more great school holiday ideas, check out our collection here.

Sally Webb is an award-winning journalist, publisher and founder of family travel specialists Travel Without Tears. She is also the author of Travel Without Tears: 645 ways for families to take on the world which is available on hardtofind here.