If you’re at home with the kids on school holidays tomorrow, what are you doing?

[SeeYouInFive]

I’ve got things booked for almost every day except tomorrow and I’m really stuck for ideas. We live in a lovely part of the world next to loads of lovely countryside, but during lockdown we all got thoroughly sick of it and now the suggestion of a walk triggers us all into lockdown flashbacks.

We already went swimming yesterday. Last week we tie dyed everything in sight. Got a painting and crafts event thingy sorted for later this week as well as some sports stuff organised, just got a long day of trying to keep them off their iPads stretching ahead of me tomorrow and I am drawing a blank. If I don’t think of something to distract them they will literally be glued to their screens all day.

I really do not think you have to organise something for every day, downtime is good for the soul and I guess they would even enjoy it. Mine are grown now, but we would do something every other day. I also used to buy them a scrap book each and we used to collect and add things to it from the hoildays.

If theyve had sports camp and are acting up I think a day of rest/screens might be just what they need!

All this activity/change from routines can be overwhelming and they might well just need down time to recoup. Especially if the rest of the week is busy.

@SeeYouInFive if you have been so active and have so many things planned in the near future too, then why does tomorrow need to be another “doing something” day? Let them relax on their ipads, nothing wrong with it

Stay at home. They don't have to be on screens all day. Baking. Play board games, top trumps, lego, put music on the TV or Google and have a dance, picnic in the garden.
Get them to help with housework, my 2 love that, maybe earn some pennies then walk to the shop to buy some sweets with it.

My 6 yr old is big into experiments atm. Baking soda volcano for example.

Do some activities and playing, then let them have a but of screen time to chill out. They don't have to be entertained constantly.

I'm planning 1 day "out" each week. I have to work , and can't afford to spend loads entertaining them .

Tomorrow, we’re going to the cinema and then bowling. Lunch will be at the bowling alley.

@FourTeaFallOut

So far I've spent the hols saving the house

The last week of the holidays feels just like this, tbf.

It really does 🤣

I’ve got things booked for almost every day except tomorrow maybe tomorrow should just be a quiet day then, let them read and play (just put the screens away if you don;t want themt o have them).

We're stripping dd2's bed and my bed, attempting plastic milk; and putting together resource packs for my Rainbows and Guides, ready for September. Hopefully picking up dd2's new school skirts too.

Not very exciting but it'll fill most of the day in between a leisurely breakfast and lunch.

I might get a couple of hours to crochet in the afternoon, if they disappear to Minecraft (either watch or play).

Intrigued @lucysmam what's plastic milk?

@ImFree2doasiwant I'm so glad to read your post. I have to work too, although luckily at home, which means DC sometimes have friends round, sometimes go to a friend's house, sometimes do a club - half day or full day - but are mostly pottering at home, but we are aiming for a day a week, occasionally two, to do a trip or a big activity. I'd be bankrupt doing some of the holiday schedules listed here.

some of these threads/posts make other parents feel worse about themselves and what they can afford for their kids in the hols. Each family has a different situation and nobody should feel pressured or guilty if they don’t have a jam packed schedule for their kids. You are all trying your best and that’s what counts so keep it up x

I'm taking ds for an archery lesson

Beach - fingers crossed!

Some days are busy. Meeting friends, bowling, lunch out swimming. Others are chilled, trip to the park, colouring, films, gaming.

@NorthernDramaLlama plastic milk

We've never done it so not sure whether it works but we've got red and green top to try it with :)

if you have been so active and have so many things planned in the near future too, then why does tomorrow need to be another “doing something” day? Let them relax on their ipads, nothing wrong with it

They’re in sports clubs on the days I’m working so I’d like to do something nice with them when they’re at home with me too. But also I find that the days drag so much when we’re aimless. And screens seem to make their behaviour really shit.

It does sound like they could do with some down time though.

I took my kids' consoles away today as they were rude and uncooperative getting ready for an activity they wanted to do (bowling). We enjoyed the bowling on the end but I won't allow them to talk to me like shit on their shoe.

They have been surprisingly imaginative without the screens. But usually they can have a few hours a day on consoles if they behave. We do plenty of other stuff too.

At 8 and 5, I would just put the screens away for the whole year day and see whether they can do anything else.

My 8 year old just goes out to play when we are not doing organised things.

But I appreciate that you may not want your 5 year old to do that.

I really limit screen time (like 30 minutes a day on an iPad for an 8yr old) as behaviour is so impacted. It makes them crap at finding their own things to do. Boredom is actually really good for DC and encourages resilience and creativity!

At the moment my DC are rehearsing for a murder mystery play they are planning on performing tomorrow with a neighbour’s grandchildren. Today they have scooted to the village playground, read a lot in one DC’s case cut up old clothes and got creative with a hot glue gun, started a 1000 piece jigsaw, played in the garden. One DC came to Mass with me this morning, another had a swim lesson this evening.

Get out a craft set they were given for a birthday or Christmas, challenge them to a timed jigsaw battle, play ‘floor is lava’, throw them outside with some old kitchen stuff to create a mud kitchen, tell them you are busy and they need to entertain themselves!

Never underestimate the excitement of a different playground (or one you have not visited in a while). Otherwise, if you are prepared to do some prep, freeze some toys in I’ve in a Tupperware container (the bigger the better) and get them to use hammering and warm water (only administered by a calpol syringe though - makes it slower!) to free them. If you use a big container, freeze a layer of ice first so the toys are really in the middle.

Toy scene in the garden?