Half term ideas with a broken leg

[SockQueen]

We've still got a week before our half term starts, but I'm very low on ideas for what to do. DS1(7) has broken his leg and is in a full leg cast. The cast is so big he's struggling to do anything with crutches, so is using a wheelchair for getting around. He's been a little trooper, and his school have been brilliant at setting things up so he can access everything, but now we've got a week of free time upcoming and I'm stumped!

All our usual activities - swimming, soft play, playgrounds etc - are out. We usually have a day out or two with grandparents at National Trust places but they're not all fantastically wheelchair-friendly. He also has a strong sense of justice (he's autistic, which may or may not be related to this) and won't like anything where DS2(4) gets to do things he can't. He would probably quite happily spend the entire break playing Minecraft, but I'd like a bit of variety!

Any ideas? Activities, days out, even a mini UK-based holiday could be an option. We are in Milton Keynes so South Midlands/South East best, but can travel if there are suitable things further afield! Thank you!

Park with wheelchair equipment? (Usually only one or two things if any sadly. )

Treasure hunt? (Tick off list of things to spot) with prize. (Outdoor or museum?)

Easter egg hunt. Stick up cardboard eggs in the house and he has to spot them and describe where they are.

Lunch in a blanket fort?

Cafe?

Arts and crafts?

Would he enjoy going to a pottery cafe and making something?

Cinema? Even theatre depending on tastes, budget and what’s on where you live?

Lunch/brunch/dinner out? To break up the day if nothing else?!

Train ride somewhere, being on the train half the fun!

Waterproof cast covering and back to the pool?

Unfortunately as it's a full leg cast, this really isn't possible - he has a LimbO for baths but it's says in the instructions that it's not safe to swim with the above knee version. The cast is heavy and he has no movement in his knee or ankle so I'm inclined to agree with them!

Thanks for all the other ideas so far - cinema and possibly theatre definitely good, I'll look into treasure hunts etc nearby. I'd love a pottery cafe trip but I'm not sure it'd be his thing...

Cinema
craft and science kits at home
far more screen time than usual
board games and jigsaw puzzles (with friends?)
What about a big Lego set as a one off treat?
Painting and drawing - do some tutorials together.

@SockQueen , I have one a similar age and I’m not sure I’d get away with a pottery cafe either, to be fair! Might be worth seeing what’s on at your local library - they’re usually wheelchair accessible. I’m sure ours is running a coding club for older kids this half term.

Poor kid, that's rotten luck.

I'm thinking a big Lego set if funds allow. It will always be that thing he made when he broke his leg.

Introduce him to Harry Potter? Read him a chapter a day. It's about a year early but they adore it.

Easter decorations - hobbycraft and there's an online shop that does tons of stuff for schools. I'll try to remember it. It's something they can both do to decorate a polystyrene or similar egg, just varying skill levels. If Easter bonnets are required after half term you have the perfect head start and YouTube.

Top trumps. Dinosaurs would work for both ages but there are loads of different types.

Science crafts - science museum sells things like the solar system you can build and decorate. Ditto pyjamas.

Baking? You make the biscuits, the kids "decorate"

I've already read up to the end of Goblet of Fire to him! Not starting on the next yet as he struggled to understand the more complex bits of GoF and I don't think he's ready for OotP. Might try to find something similar that I can get him into.

I'll have a nose at Lego kits, that's a nice idea (plus I love it )

what about bowling? They have a ramp that you can put the ball on and then he could push it down from seated in a wheelchair. Our local bowling alley has an arcade with lots of video games etc.

Museums

Do you have any board game cafes nearby? Definitely accommodate wheelchairs and op to try out new games without outright buying them. Could bring friends along.

Cinema, museums and library trips would be a good shout.

Cinema
Arts and crafts activities

Cafes
Ice cream parlours

Taking your son for a walk in nature in a park Duck pond or and holiday break place like Butlins type of activities for a day or two..

Bowling 🎳 alley

A interesting 🤔 educational museums type ones..

Pottery workshop

Youtube arts and crafts

Baking

Theatre

Yes libarey is a good one...

Visting castles and interesting olde worlde places in UK

Visting cosy welcoming family style country olde worlde pubs with logs
to have a family meals out

Botanical Gardens places like Carmarthenshire one and the Eden project ect
quite often have speacial events on visitors a food and other types of stalls fayres or speacial half term events

Find out on the Internet

When I was ten I broke my leg and was in a wheelchair and we went to Legoland. It was BRILLIANT, we got to go in the queue jump/ via the exits for all the rides as these were the accessible routes. The model village area was good by wheelchair too. Think they take clubcard vouchers.

(NB this is some years ago so maybe check it's still the same)

Duxford air museum is also, from memory, really good for wheelchair access. Your 4yo might be a bit young for it but if they're into vehicles there's so many great exhibits!

Try using AccessAble to check the accessibility of local places! It'll let you plan how to bring him with his wheelchair, what parking would look like etc so you can take the guesswork out of it.

Museums, art galleries, pottery painting cinema

Check local museums for kid targeting half term activities

This IKEA event is based in Milton Keynes - www.ikea.com/gb/en/stores/events/ikea-milton-keynes/welcome-to-ikea-land-this-february-half-term--22ab71c4-972b-4fe3-b246-dd540ee3a2a3/

Might be too far out but there's a childrens pizza making event in Leighton Buzzard for half term which looks good!

I've tried googling half term events Milton Keynes and ruling out anything too sporty - there's loads on!

Rabbit and Bear books. He's old enough to read them and possibly to read to his little brother. Lots of illustrations and some jokes about rabbit poo!

Hit the Button - it's a times table app. More fun than it sounds especially if you get involved. He may do TT Rockstars at school - you earn points and can dress up an avatar.

This is a fabulous shop especially for book suggestions. Moved to Suffolk from London. You can call them, explain what your child likes and get suggestions. Amazing customer experience and experience of what children enjoy. Lifesaver during Covid.
ottieandthebea.com

Treadsoftlyonmydreams - that's a lovely idea getting him to read to his younger brother.

Monument Valley 1 & 2 on the iPad. Lovely gentle puzzle game.

Word cookies is a nice spelling game (make as many words with the letters you are given). Turn the phone to airplane mode while he plays, so no ads!

Rush Hour puzzle game with cars.

Dragonwood is a good dice/card game for that age. Needs at least 1 person to play with though.

Try him on Duolingo and see if he can learn a bit of a new language!

One museum the DSs loved at that age is the London museum of water and steam in Brentford and I know much of it is accessible as I took DS2 round in a pushchair many times. Also the didcot parkway rail centre if he likes trains and the reading museum of rural life. Bracknell Outlook science centre is good for science experiments. Great Missenden Roald Dahl museum and story centre is fully accessible.

Pokemon go game on your mobile. He can hold your phone and you can push him around whilst he collects pokemon. Easy to do on pavements locally. Fresh air for him and exercise for you.

If he liked Harry Potter (so far as you've got) had he tried Percy Jackson- my ds has loved those (has listens to them all as audio books)
Also the dog man comic type books very popular with My DS7 and his friends

Woburn Safari