Parents across the UK are now looking at their cute little humans and thinking wow this week is going to be hell hah! We rely so much on school to educate/entertain our Children through the day when half term arrives we are like oh god this is going to be a long week or like the summer holiday 6-7 weeks of trying not to hear those words in my best squeaky moan child like voice “Im boredddd” for 100th time in a day! These are my top tips to help you as a parent not reaching for the wine at 10am ha!
My top most important tip for me is be prepared.
Planning
Firstly decide what is it your children would enjoy. Im a big list person I write lists for everything because I like to be prepared and know what I am doing and when. So the first thing I did was write a quick list of things to do like local parks and activities. I then went onto my local councils website to have a look if there were any free events/ activities happening around my local area. Use your area you’ll be surprised at how many free activities are put on during half terms. This just shows in my local area how many free events are happening. So go and have a look at your own council websites!
This is something else that has really helped me and I do alot I draw myself a little table like this. I plan what we will do each day and the times for it. I know some people will be thinking this is over the top or too much hah! But it honestly helps me in the week to feel less stress and gives us all some structure to the week like they are used to it school. Corey has autism so changes in routine really effect him so keeping abit of structure to his day really helps him and me! Keeping there week filled with things to do will stop the whiney voices of sweet children saying “I have nothing to dooo” ” Im boreeddd”!
You can filled your table with whatever your children like and plan an alternative incase for example its raining outside and you’d planned the local park. That way your not left on the morning trying to half arse a plan of action for the day ha! And ill explain a few things on our chart below.
Be prepared for each day. If your going to be going out in the morning then the night before get each childs clothes out right down to their shoes. Have them all in their own piles so your not rushing around trying to find Jonnys shoe for hours in the morning pulling your hair out while Jonny sits there saying ” I don’t know whereee it issss” before you know it half the days gone and Jonny is now going out wearing wellies haha!! Trust me you’ll save yourself ALOT of stress. Also if you know you’ll be going out for the day instead of buying lunch or drinks there pack your own you’ll save a fortune. I know the night before all you’ll want to do is relax but if you get it done you’ll thank yourself and me in the morning when your all out the door by 8 instead 12 haha!
ACTIVITY IDEAS
- As Halloween is around the corner id take this as an opportunity for an activity! We’ve done this the past 2 years and my kids really enjoy it. We use paper plates as our pumpkins and just paint them orange. We cut out ghost shapes and glue on cotton wool balls and we use our hands to make spiders and our feet to make bats. A clear plastic cup also becomes a great Frankenstein! Then once dry hang them all together to make a banner and they make cute halloween decorations!
- Nail varnish painting. I know your all like huh?? But this is something my kids love doing too! I find out my old nail varnish or ones I don’t use and we paint pieces of dry pasta with the nail varnish. Id advise this one in the garden just incase the smell is abit much. Then once dry we add them to string to make bracelets and necklaces.
- Conker, pine cone and large stones hunting. I know your like large stones what? hah! But a new trending thing for children to do it paint stones with fun pictures and a little message and leave them around larger local parks. It is all in the memory of little Isla Tansey who sadly died of a childhood cancer read her story here
But her idea and the hast tag Isla Stones took off a people around the world began joining in. Children love searching for these in local area and I know in my area The war memorial park is filled with them. The pines cones can also be painted in nail varnish as little autumnal decorations and conkers just speak for themselves.
- Home activités are a great way to save yourself some pennies. The night before set up activity sections in your home like a school would. So maybe a craft area, a cars area, dolls area or dress up. Make them all into their own area so your children can go to different actives instead of sitting doing the same thing all day. Also investing in some board games is a great way to pass the time.
- This is a trick I learnt from a YouTuber called JesssFam years ago when her children were small. Get masking and use it around your home to make a race track. Go up furniture and get your children involved in what way to take your track and then can use there cars to race on the tracks!
Local play areas are a great way to let your children burn off some energy. They also provide you as mum or dad to sit and have a coffee and just some breathing space from them. As much as we love our children having that time to just sit and breathe is so important.
Quiet time is something we do everyday in our house. This used to be nap time but now my children are older we still do quiet time. They can either choose a movie or have there tablets. But its a set time depending on the age of your child. So we do an hour where no one is playing loudly no one is shouting or running around. They either lie on their beds with a movie or choose some little quiet toys to sit with and we all just relax. Its a perfect way for us parents and the children to recharge and just brings the whole house to slower calmer vibe.
DAYS OUT
I like to plan 1 bigger day out like a theme park or farm etc. I plan lunches, snacks and drinks and I take my own. I know it can be a pain packing them or taking a cooler bag but it will save you a fortune.
If your going to be in the car a while pack activities like colouring even if your journey isn’t going to be too long if there is a chance of traffic pack it!
MOST IMPORTANT IS BREATHE IT WILL ALL BE OVER IN A WEEK HAHA!!
Enjoy your time together soon they will be grown and you’ll wish you could go back to these times!
x
If your from Coventry have a read of some places to visit.
YOUTUBE
