Do you actually enjoy the school summer holidays?

[KrayKray00]

Because I don't. I dread it. The thought of it makes me so sad

And I know it is a horrid thing to say! My DS only broke up this afternoon and I've already shouted at him yes, I feel awful about it I know I'm terrible

I have a 6yo and 2yo and all they do is bang, yell, shout, fight and bicker. They are so loud, the walls are thin enough you can hear a fart through them so I bet the neighbour hates me as it is.

We are going abroad for two weeks which I am looking forward to but the rest of the holiday at home I am dreading. OH/Dad works mon-sat and I am a student so I'm off too. I cannot afford day trips out to nice places, and I am even worrying about feeding them a mixture of food rather than a sandwich for lunch every single day without breaking a budget - 6yo is "fussy" no pasta or rice...

All the summer clubs are sports or arts related which my 6yo isn't a fan of and I've had to cut nursery hours back to one day a week as I can no longer afford it (whilst I am at home)

All the other Mums were really happy the holidays are here and I just smiled with envy. How?! Why?

What do you do to break the days up, keep them occupied? Do you enjoy the holidays? Surely I can't be alone

We home ed, so same old same old apart from everything is busier and more expensive, and we have to fight for parking at the beach.

I look forward to September when it all goes quiet again tbh.

I do, but DH and I are both teachers and we only have 1 DS(6) who is super sensible and very good company , so it's easy street for 6 weeks.

Could you make a timetable of free stuff in your local area. Here there are loads of 'play days' and things organised that kids can take part in for free or very cheaply.

That also annoys me. How busy everywhere is, the parks, museums and shopping centres. The parking everything. I'm not that friendly with the other mums from the school so haven't arranged play dates even though I would maybe

I have found a few free summer clubs at the local church which is only a couple of hours a day for one week but it is a Christian church where as my son goes to a catholic school (that's not a problem though)

I'm already looking forward to September and I feel awful about it!

Well, I'm very happy that the summer holidays are around the corner ! But I do understand what you mean OP. If I was stuck at home with DS all day, it would drive me mad. That's why I'm planning on doing something everyday. Over the holidays, DS and I will be doing a mix of classes, fun outings and lots of museums and a short holiday towards the end of August. If I'm not poor by then !

I love the summer holidays, simply because I don't have to wake up at 6am everyday to get DS and myself ready for work and school. Also DS school is a long commute from where I live ! Due to DS being very tired after school, we don't get to do too much... he does swimming and karate... but going to park is tiring ( as the nearest good one is 30 mins from his school !), can't really do a lot of reading, writing as he cannot concentrate and literally eats dinner and goes to bed. So I'm looking forward in having more time to do those things with DS without impacting on his tiredness.

Hate them ...roll on September

Yes I love them.
We have one child, DS who is 5. I work 2.5 days. 2 days a week DS and I are getting up a bit late, meeting friends for play dates and days out and generally having fun together. We take picnics and mostly go to free places, parks, museums etc although we have NT membership which helps.
We hardly have any free days although 2 are pencilled in for school shoe shopping and dentist.
We will have a big day out the day before he goes back. Last year we got the train to the National Railway Museum.
He's going to holiday club for 2 weeks, we have 2.5 weeks holiday and he's having a few days with my parents and MIL. My parents took him to the Royal Armouries today (he's a knight you know )
I think you are finding it harder because you have 2 and the LO is a difficult age. At least when they are bigger they will play together- I will always have to entertain DS.

Chris There's the National railway museum ?! How could I have not know that it existed!!! DS would love to go there, his literally obsessed with transport, knows every make, every type.

I think everything just seems so expensive, things like theme parks, safari park, zoos, farms, railways. All the prices get increased. It takes so long to even get ready and by the time we are out the house I am shattered! I know I sound like a moaning mertyl and I do enjoy lazy days at home, no early get ups even though they don't have lie-ins. Duvet and film days, but my dc don't enjoy it, they find it boring and the day goes so slow. I love them dearly, really I do. And I can't ask OH to take and more time off because he has had two weeks off for the holiday we have booked.

Try
The library - usually have colouring or story time
Museums
Swimming

Get a 6 week calendar - write in weekly events like library swimming etc add in picnic in the park forswst walk even a bus ride into town for icecream

Join the FB group and ask mums to meet up for a football or water fight

Have a paint party

Get loads of chalk and brighten up the garden - kids love drawing on walls

Get sheets a cushions and build dens

Lots of cheap fun ideas and the time flies

York
www.nrm.org.uk
It's an hour on the train for us and right next to York station. It is really good.

I love the holidays, but that's because I'm a teacher, so I'm off too, and we've got enough money that I can just do any days out I fancy (within limits, but most things locally are fairly doable).

I do remember when I was a student it was much, much harder, and that was with just 1 child. I invited lots of friends to come and play, whether anyone ever reciprocated or not, because it was a cheap day's entertainment. We were regulars at all the local parks, the ducks were very well fed those summers. We also spent a lot of time at the library and as soon as she was old enough dd went to every church holiday club she could (there were 3 within walking distance, all at different churches and on different weeks).

Everything is harder without money.

I love them and always have. I love the more relaxed bedtime and morning routines.
When my children were the ages of yours I did a lot of park trips, museums, free stuff in libraries, and play dates/ lunches with friends.
As for the food issue - don't worry about it being so varied - cut the sandwiches using cookie cutter shapes for a change. Try wraps instead of sandwiches. Picnic in the garden or on a rug inside.
Give your dcs paintbrushes and a bucket of water and get them to paint the fence or patio.

We love them too. We value the time with them and have a good mix of days out and time at home after they have had a busy term.

I always set aside money to cover the holidays so that we can do lots of nice things, food wise it's not any different as I'd be paying for their lunches anyway.

I'm really looking forward to it. I've got a lot planned - lots of free activities like council-run family fun days, pond dipping, fairs etc plus play dates arranged, park visits etc. The parents in DD's class are super friendly so we have lots of meet ups planned. Have you checked local whats on guides etc for free days out/money off vouchers etc?

Picnics Op, lots of picnics with food that the dc have 'made'. I love school holidays but I can imagine that they can be difficult for other parents.

I have always found that the simple things are often the best, so going to the woods with a picnic that the dc have helped to make and making a camp works great for entertainment. Lots of outdoor fun, making totempoles out of things that can be found, scavenger hunt, making dams across little streams, picking leaves and (common) flowers to press between tissue sheets in heavy books and using them on rainy days for picture making. Taking a rope to make rope swings. Looking for and collecting bugs. Making glitter glue paint from flour water food colouring or paint and glitter and decorate tree stumps with it, make it a special tree stump for fairies to dance on.

Indoor entertainment, again camp making with chairs, table, sheets etc. Using camp to snuggle up with torches and story telling. Craft making using dried pasta, paper mache and home made glue of white flour and water. Making dream catchers with hazel canes and string, mobiles from painted shells. Decorating smooth pebbles from the beach.

Have a look online for easy cheep ideas for children's crafts, outdoor activities and just have fun.

There is an app like a dating app but for parents to meet up and the children play. I can't remember what it is called but my dsis finds it fab.

My top tip is be outside as much as possible.

This is my first time round. I managed to grump at my 2 before leaving the school grounds, because we had to go to the school office and they were hugging each other too much (it becomes wrestling). I'm only doing 2 weeks though, the rest is dh / childminder / farmed out to grandparents. I've also got 1st week sept off to do dc2s settling in part time sessions.

Lots of great ideas thank you. I forgot about using the local library I do know they have things on too. We have a large garden so days outside will help massively with good weather. I think I am more so worried about the fact they do not seem to get on very well lately. Whatever my 6yo has my 2yo wants and a full blown tantrum begins, my 6yo gets frustrated that the 2yo cannot do the things he does etc all common things I know and the fact the house is never tidy for longer than an hour.

We have a local family run farm which relies on donations too so we can go there. Might print some holiday packs off the internet for the 6yo to do hunts and colouring in.

I work term time so I'm happy to be off work. I like that we can relax a bit, no morning rush and having to wake the kids.... Therefore less shouting and arguments. But I dread trying to find things to do that don't cost a fortune, and the house being extra messy, and then towards the end of the holidays trying to get back in to a routine ready to go back to school and work.

I start the holidays loving them. It is so nice not to have the morning rush and you can be a bit more relaxed about bedtimes. I don't do something every day for two reasons. Firstly, I have four ranging from 8 months to 8years and a "day out" knackers me and secondly the kids enjoy just playing at home. We aim for one in one out, but we have three parks really close to us so on the in days will often feed the ducks or pop to the park and play in the garden. This year there is a weekend of free wildlife events near us with three or four events a day, and a library challenge which is all free. Also we have family zoo passes and the zoo has soft play so go there quite often and are on the coast so often do the beach and the penny pushers. I have also siphoned off almost ever craft kit they have been given this year and will do some of that. However, by the end of the holidays I have usually firmly run out of ideas and we are all a bit ratty with each other and happy to go back to normal! I find my 2preschoolers also resent losing a bit of attention (for example we can't go swimming because of ratios). We've got a couple of play dates arranged but not too many because I already have too many children!

We have one 5yo. I'm unemployed at the monent, dh works from home.

We have a dog so ds gets dragged out everyday whether he likes it or not! I make lists of things he might see - or he'll suggest it, i'll make a picture then we'll tick it if we see it. Like nature bingo.

We do a treasure hunt at home: i'll draw 8 pictures, then hide them in sequence around the house (in pic: pink bear, playmobil police van, teapot, yellow pencil case!) and he has to identify the pic and find the next clue. Prize is something he already has (like a small rubber of Lego figure) or a paper thatvsays mummy (heart) ds. Then he draws one for me! Can take all afternoon!

One MNer suggestedca theme avweek: knights - watch knight films, get knight books out if the library, cobble together fancy dress of knights, make a castle out of cardboard cereal packets, eat what they ate, draw pics of knights/dragons/canons... etc. Repeat with space/astronauts. Repeat with sea creatures.

Play hot and cold 'something'. Hide a small thing somewhere, then say 'cold' when dc far away from it, 'warm' then 'hot' when they are close.

Try and leave the house at least once a day - AM park, PM home. Or swap over.

I'd really try and get a playdate or two in, to save your sanity!

I love the holidays! I have 4, aged 2,4,7&8. Our termtime schedule is sooooo busy, in the holiday we kick back and relax. Pool in garden is a must. We also have no money for activités and only go away Easter/October as cheaper.

So many things to do that don't cost money and I am picnic queen...

Sign up to all the local Facebook groups which will tell you about free/cheap local things that are on. Local museums, ranger services, libraries... Depends where you live of course but I've found a fair amount round about me and I live in a rural town in NE Scotland and rely on public transport.

Get your DS to brainstorm things he'd like to do (talk about things in general and point out that there're no guarantees -so don't bother with Disneyland!!- have waterfights, baking, painting. Craft sets? Can he play out where you live?

Forgot to attach photo of treasure hunt excuse crap drawing - they're only for ds!

I love the summer holidays, think I'm more excited than the kids!
I feel very lucky that my kids really like each other so play well together. I have a car to get us out places and we have a bit of money for a few extras like a few days and meals out.
We'll mostly do free stuff but often will have to pay to park. We have a big group of friends so we can meet up with people and the kids can entertain each other while the adults chat.
Loads of fun stuff to do at home too.

I do not actually have Facebook I came off a while ago but I have put in the school group chat that if anyone knows of any local events or ideas then to share it with the group. I feel like I do not get asked on play dates or days out as some of the mums are rather close for example go out for drinks and meals, work out at the gym and i have had a comment once or twice about how young I am "you're only a baby" which I find rather offensive as I am mid twenties! But that's another thread altogether.
My 6yo is having some behavioural issues at the moment so I have said we will do a play day jar and write down lots of ideas and we can pick one out the jar and that is what we will do. I have said more expensive trips such as a zoo/safari park/theme park would be depending on behaviour and attitude but I don't know if that's the right thing to do as he should be good anyway? IYSWIM?

I would just like to say thank you for all the ideas and replies there are some really good ones! And the holidays do not seem as intimidating now!!