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Summer holiday challenge ideas

11 replies

mackerella · 29/07/2020 19:32

DH saw a conversation on his work Yammer board today, about ideas to keep kids positively occupied during the summer holidays. There was a suggestion for a "summer challenge", where children could get points by doing constructive things - reading a chapter of a book, tidying their bedroom, doing something active, healthy eating etc.

Apart from a week's holiday and the odd day trip, DH and I will be WFH for the rest of the summer holidays, so the children will be relatively neglected (they'd normally go to a holiday playscheme, which they love, and where they get to do all kinds of exciting sports and crafts, but it's not running this summer Sad). I think a holiday challenge scheme would be good this year - not because we're trying to micromanage the DCs' time, but more to persuade them to do something other than watch TV/play on tablets while we're working.

Has anyone else tried this? Any ideas for things we can include as challenges? We thought we'd split the list into mind, body and spirit (for want of better descriptions) - so things that encourage them to stay active and healthy, things that will keep their brains active, and things that will be relaxing or enriching. We've also thrown a few "pulling your weight" items as well (I know someone will come along and point out that they should be doing these things anyway, but they're not, so I'm just being pragmatic Grin). DCs are 7 and 9, and one of them has some disabilities but not hugely limiting ones.

So far we've got things like music practice, reading, Lego or drawing challenges, making their own breakfast and clearing up afterwards, making bed and putting clothes in the laundry basket, coming for a walk willingly or going for a bike ride, doing some Duolingo practice (they both started doing this at half term). But I'd love some other ideas.

Also: any ideas about what they could convert their points into? (I was thinking spending money at the local toy shop...)

OP posts:
sleepismysuperpower1 · 29/07/2020 19:40

I haven't tried this, but it sounds like a good idea! A few ideas:
-read a chapter of a book
-make a poster with facts about a country in the world
-go and see how many types of bugs they can find in the garden
-build an obstacle course in the garden and time how long it takes to complete it

drspouse · 29/07/2020 19:42

My DS Cubs are raising money by "growing a £1".

TW2013 · 29/07/2020 19:47

Stop start animation can tie them up for ages. You just need a phone/ camera fixed in place, some toys (legs etc.), an app and some dc with lots of time on their hands 😁.

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flightoflight · 29/07/2020 19:47

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TSSDNCOP · 29/07/2020 19:56

Feeling a bit Darwinian there @flightoflight Grin

TSSDNCOP · 29/07/2020 19:58

Garage wall or fence. Two buckets of paint, first one to the middle sets the next challenge/gets a fiver gets covered in paint and stick to the garage wall in Flights garden

mackerella · 29/07/2020 20:33

Those are great ideas, Sleep!

What's "growing a £1"?

Stop motion animation is a great idea! We did actually do some earlier in lockdown (and made a film related to a Y2 topic, actually ) but had to suffer half-built Lego scenes everywhere (it takes ages to film this stuff). So that could be a real time sponge for the DCs, in a good way...

Grin flightoflight and TSSDNCOP

Any ideas what they could convert their "points" to?

OP posts:
sleepismysuperpower1 · 29/07/2020 20:49

dream big at home are also offering live events, which could provide a little structure to tune into?
dreambigathome.uk/live/

maybe they could convert their points to an experience if you could get time off of work? something like a trip to a theme park, or zoo etc?

mackerella · 29/07/2020 20:55

We thought about using the points for an experience (they love having brunch at a particular local cafe, for example) but then worried about what to do if only one of them had enough "points"! But I suppose it's their choice, isn't it? If one of them chooses to have brunch with just me and the other chooses to get a new toy, that's fine Smile

OP posts:
sleepismysuperpower1 · 29/07/2020 20:57

you could make a chart and get them to decide what their end goal if they get enough points will be, and write it on the chart, or have staggered points? so, you could do 50 points= a new doll, 100 points= brunch etc, or just have the end goal of 100 points x

drspouse · 29/07/2020 21:54

Grow a £1 is where you give the child a pound, they use it to buy something to make money e.g. buy a fairy cake mix, make fairy cakes, buy more cake ingredients with the money from selling the fairy cakes, give the eventual profit to charity.
Most of the children I've known personally have made stuff (small toys, loom band bracelets, cakes) to sell but I've also heard of people doing "guess the number of sweets" or "name the teddy" where you therefore have a small outlay and potentially lots of money coming in. The cakes are best sold at home time at school but some of the others you could do online.

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