Ideas for what to do with minded kids/own kids during the hols.

[MUM2BLESS]

Hi I have 2 weeks off in August. Then I will?

What things are you planning for the minded kids/your kids during the summers hols. Would love some suggestions.

We have a childminding group during the summer hols.

Love to hear from you on this. THANKS

pre-school gymnastics
summer brownie group
cinema
bowling
toddler disco
trips to farm
arts & crafts
swimming
garden games
loads of other things I can't think of

I love the outdoors and I found a really good list in the local ABC magazine of 'free' places to visit (forests, parks, paddling pools, etc), so that should keep us busy for a while.

Dinosaur Hunt... I'm planning on trying to find places to go where there is a Dinosaur. This could be quite tricky - so if anyone has any ideas for places do please let me know.
I'm in West Surrey and don't want to travel to central London. Will travel to Crystal Palace (the park there has dinosaurs).
Reading museum has a dinosaur fossil (though 2 year old was not impressed - not what he calls a dinosaur).

Have a look at this similar thread

Thanks everyone.

When I am dealing with my own four kids I can engage them in what they enjoy.

When with the little ones during school term I can give one to one attention. We visit the library, toy library and childminding group. For a while now I have had little ones seperately rather than doubling up.

When you have your own and the minded then I have to ensure that the little one get sleep and that my kids do not wake them up.

My kids are 5-14.

I will think about visiting one of the local park which has a good range of euipment for all ages.

staunton farm may be a bit far but they have a dinosuar there (hidden in one of the green houses) if you are down that way you can see a MASSIVE dinosaur (and lots of fossils) here at the portsmouth natural history museum (which is free) could easily do both in a day if necessary

I've been to staunton but never seen the dinosaur - or at least I don't remember seeing it. Fern room near the lilypads I would expect would be the place - is it there? Has it been there for some time, or new?
Portsmouth NHM was somewhere I had looked at online... could well be a place to visit. Could combine with Portchester castle and possibly also Southsea.

Having just looked at Portchester Castle, then other EH properties nearby, I've just found out about the Festival of British Archaeology which is taking place 17th July to 1st August at various venues around the country.
If anyone has a budding archaeologist, see what events are in your area.

its a small one in the ferns by the pond yes

portsmouth nat history museum is far more impressive

and tbh you can spend ALL day there on the common... in the 2 fab parks, on the beach, and in the natural history museum... could do the portsmouth museum as well, to which there is a cut through at the hovercraft end of the common. (all of above is free )

dont forget buckets and spades for the giant sand pits, and u could do the sea life centre too, esp if its hot for the new paddling pool water area outside which is bliss on a hot day!

If you are coming to Portsmouth this may be of interest giant dinosaur exhibition

Oh yes, that big model would appeal to the 2 year old I look after... thanks LM1.

Ok Portsmouth people... where is the best place (or should that be cheapest place) to park for getting to the NHM, parks, common etc.

if you are lucky you can park for FREE on the road just outside NHM (ie the road thats parallel to and north of canoe lake...

I have got a space everytime i have tried BUT in summer holdays it can be VERY busy...

EVERY other road that whole entire area is either permit only or pay and display and very expensive tbh (i think it works out at about £1 per hour, and yes there ARE traffic wardens patrolling all the time in peak time so be sure not to over run)

I think all the roads and all the car parks charge the same price...

there are a few roads (near the grammar school, but not those directly close) where you can park for free, with about a 5 min walk to the corner of the common but the opposite corner to where you want to be IYSWIM

you can park on eastern parade outside the nhm for free and there is no time limits to parking if nothing there come up festing road and any roads off to your left have free parking

if those don't work at top of festing road take a left into Albert road then first right into Henley road there is always parking in that area too

I went to Portsmouth today. Parking on the road outside NHM was busy but I got a space within a couple of min walk of NHM.

Alas the big dinosaur on the common is not yet built (or are they dismantling it, hard to tell from a few pieces laying on the ground). Parked near the Hoverport (£1.20 I think it was for an hour) and watched the hovercraft whilst eating lunch.

Then it was off to Porchester Castle, where I managed to get a cup of coffee at the church - I needed a coffee before the drive back.

Thanks for all the tips.