What to do with kids when staying in other peoples boring houses abroad

[Branleuse]

Especially with language barrier.

We have to go and stay with dps mum for possibly up to a week. Its not walking distance from anywhere interesting. There will probably be a lot of time spent just in the house. We will hopefully do a day out at a theme park but what on earth do you do to keep kids occupied. Theyre french. My french is intermediate. I cant do interesting conversations in it and his mum doesnt appear to do interesting conversations full stop.
Im imagining a week of playing on our phones or reading , but then i feel worried we will be judged. Kids will watch a bit of french telly but they dont follow it that well.
Any tips on things we can do in a boring house for a fucking week without their own stuff?

How old are the kids?

Cards. Chess. Backgammon. Boules. DH taking to them places he used to go to as a lad ( walking tours).
Ask DH what the local kids do - is there a public swimming pool, or park? Cinema?
It's a great chance for you all to improve your French - get them all Duolingo Apps.

My DP has done this since he was a baby, his family all speak French or Creole he didn't learn anything till his teens and even then it's shockingly bad. If they are very young a ball will do or card games as suggested. A bit older a bike, a ball again if like football, if older again a game boy or something to that effect.
He says although they did not speak the same lanugauae as young kids he was able to play with the locals either football or just playing in the sand or tig of some sort. It really depends on the ages and I can ask him for more examples.

Kids are 11 and 10. Board games and cards are a good idea, although my experience of board games with them have usually ended in tears. Theyre not really team players (ASD)

Do they have a garden? Take some outdoor toys (or buy some there).
Give them a ‘how to draw’ book and see if they can come up with any masterpieces.
Take a couple of craft sets.
Get them practising some French using apps or a kids phrase book.
Get grandma to bake with them?
Books

Boardgames, bus/ walk into town to buy an icecream, go for a walk, rent bikes, hire a car, go swimming

There must be something?

I think dd will practice her french as shes been learning it recently and improved. Ds just nods and smiles and says "oui" to any question

Mamie will def bake with them but she will be working some days.

At home we live in town and we have our own stuff and noone judges us. God im dreading this

She lives in suburbia. Theres nowhere to hire bikes and ds cant ride

Hire a car and go out?

We will have a car. We can go out sometimes. Just its different being in someone elses house full stop. I cant have proper conversations with anyone. When his family are there they will all be speaking french to each other. I can only join in to a limited extent. Im socially awkward at the best of times.

Im really hoping we can do something exciting like visit a supermarket one of the days

Easy to carry fun games
Uno, dobble and grab the pigs come to mind
Drawing stuff
Go out every other day. It is a holiday and you should have fun
Walks

Buy a massive Lego kit for them to build? Wilko ones are much less expensive than proper Lego.

Look for a couple of good "things to do" books to take with you. Do they like Fimo? Science experiments e.g. from YouTube?

Will there definitely be WiFi?

How about helping your host a bit? Doing a supermarket shop and having a meal ready for everyone when your dp's mother gets home from work? (OK so not exactly exciting but the DC might enjoy being involved in a collaborative effort if each given responsibility for shopping and cooking one dish?). Ditto a few chores around the house.

Change the emphasis from "we're here to have fun" to "we're here to help granny". Maybe?

Are you not grateful for a week's free holiday abroad? (Ok, ok, if you're not but not good to pass that message on to DC.)

Don't mean to sound snippy but speaking as someone who lives abroad and who hosts family and friends continually; the experience isn't always pure delight for the host either; it can be bloomin' exhausting.

Perhaps ask around and find out what other 10 & 11 yr olds are doing in that area? There is often quite good holiday provision for DC in France; kids clubs covering a wide range of sports and activities which you can sign up for on a weekly basis? Might be good to investigate locally?

Any nice neighborhood kids your two could team up with?

Is there a market you could drive to one day?

Sounds like a great time for DS to learn how to ride a bike.

If you have a car, there must be day trips you can do. Even if it's just local park for a walk followed by a cafe stop.

Make a trip to local boulangerie , shop and markets each day. Prepare fresh local food or bbq. An opportunity to practice french and build routine. Are there any activities nearby, like lake bathing, beaches, canoeing or go-ape type climbing courses. Which area of France?

Supermarket is a great idea, possibly two days? (oh I 'forgot' the x, need to go back)

DS and cousins enjoyed Exploding Kittens game this hols - bit heavy but doable. Agree with dobble. Yahtzee?

Is there ANY water within driving distance? swimming, kayaking? If it takes 2 hours to get there, so what

Also you can load up iplayer shows onto laptop (before you go) and connect it to the tv at the house. You can sign up to netflix for a trial if you don't have it already.

Badminton set? Easily transportable. Cards, backgammon. Staying in my parents house at the moment- abroad. Car hire essential - couple of days at the beach? Or if there is public pool around? There’s a place near here that does cookery demonstrations- something like that nearby to you?

You have to do it so best to make it a success!

I don’t get it. You’ll have the car. Just get out and about. Google the area and see what’s available. I wouldn’t be sitting wasting my life on my phone if I were in France.

Local market
River for paddling/picnic
Theme park
Nearby historic town, download a town trail for the kids to follow

If mamie is still working, one imagines she can still go on day’s out to accompany you for part of the time. Do all the cooking/shopping, my favourite part of school trips is the supermarket stop on the way home. Find a Carrefour and let the kids choose what they want for tea. There are usually crazy fish counters, live lobsters etc. Better yet, Carrefours are often in a shopping mall, great opportunity for them to buy crap and have a wander practising their French.

Why would you have to spend time in the house if you have a car?

No not grateful for free holiday in french suburbia. Been doing this for so long. Dp doesnt like it either and moved out as soon as he could and tbh we are mainly going back so we can see dps elderly granmother here and there. Ive never been able to cope with more than a few days. If dp was the sort of person who liked to go out exploring it probably wouldnt be as bad. He has placated me and the kids with a promise to a theme park one day but if he insists on a full week, i think we are going to kill each other.
I would love it if his mum was the sort of mum you could just get along with and muck in helping out and getting a connection with but i just cant seem to. Her house is like a showhome and she makes small talk and no matter how many questions i ask, i cant even remember the last time she asked me anything about myself. I just dont feel able to roll up and start using her stuff. In 13 years ive never felt relaxed there. Id rather be visiting my own mum in a nicer part of france where its not exactly lively but at least its pretty and people talk to me. Hopefully doing that after.
Thanks for the tips. Im going to try and get hold of some board games, but i think its just gonna be embracing the boredom

Aren't there things like leisure centers with swimming pools?

I would also be looking to see if there are any interesting small towns nearby, and using a visit there as an excuse for a night away with the kids in a hotel.