Let’s be honest, having kids is lovely, and we all love our kids beyond measure, but having them home for the holidays can be bumpy at times. No parent wants their kids away from home, but school somehow reduces stress on parents. Having kids home means you need to adjust to accommodate their demands, which may be seriously nerve-wracking, but then what to do?
Well, holiday time doesn’t have to be all stressful; you can choose to make fun of the time you have with the kids. This is your time to bond and offer parental guidance to your kids, and how you do it is more important as kids get easily bored and once they are, mischief settles in.
Looking to spend a peaceful and fun-filled holiday with the kids? We at Elimuzazi are here for you. Let’s take on this journey together and ensure you all make the most out of this period. It all starts with planning, which should be done weekly. Plan every week’s activities to help keep you all engaged and happy. Involve the kids in the planning to help decide on things that interest them; also, planning together keeps them in the know so they will always look forward to the next day or activity. Since you have no vacation planned, your activities can range between indoors, outdoors, shopping malls, gardening, etc.
Consider the following activities:
- Preparation of meals and snacks
Involve the kids in your kitchen moments, and while at it, do not just let them sit and watch; engage them in what you are doing and delegate roles like cutting and washing vegetables. Encourage them to read recipe books to better understand the cooking stages and process.
Guide them through preparing or baking their favorite snacks, and while at it, resist the temptation to do it yourself. Doing it alone may save you time, but it will also kill the fan. Allow them to enjoy learning something new.
- Make your own games.
Visit the store for colorful cards (color is more appealing to the kids), scissors, seal tape, glue, marker pens, plaster of Paris, building blocks, puzzles, etc. Challenge the kids to make game boards for night games. You can show them to kids on YouTube in the “DIY” category. This will not just keep them engaged but also help unleash their creative side. Be present during it to supervise the cutting, pinning, binding, and gluing. They may mess up or hurt themselves if left alone. Remember that the best fun is doing it with them.
- Build a playpen or ground
Identify a safe play area around the compound and, together, clean it up and build a makeshift playpen. Again, you can use YouTube’s “DIY” channel for guidance. You can also use old pieces of wood, buckets, boxes, and garden chairs to build an assault course if you’re old enough and interested in it. Jumping up and down on them is a good physical activity for them.
- Invest in outdoor activities.
Consider buying skater shoes, bicycles, scooters, and swimsuits for them. Once in a while, take them through these activities and watch as they learn or enjoy riding through them. With these, they won’t feel left out because their vigorous activities will keep them psyched up.
- Go camping
Going camping does not imply staying at a ranch or camping site. You can create your own camping site right within your compound. Build a tent outdoors (maybe in the garden) and export your bedding to it. Take a torch and a picnic basket filled with food and snacks. It will be an experience to remember.
- Allow indoor games.
This can cause too much mess in the house, but one day of fun never hurts anyone, and besides, they will help in cleaning up. Organize games like treasure hunts, make a treasure map with clues about where to find the treasure, and attach a reward to it. They will strive until they get it; no one loves losing. You can also introduce hide and seek along with other indoor games.
- Do regular library visits
Being on vacation is not the end of education. There is always room to expand or learn something new. The library can be a great space to do their holiday homework, borrow or read their favorite books, and pick their desired movies for movie night at home. It’s also a good opportunity to introduce them to a reading culture; as they say, kids learn best from observation, and you can easily ship them into loving books by frequenting the library and reading with them.
- Organize play dates.
Plan a play date and invite friends over. This is a beautiful moment where parents get to connect or take a break while the kids enjoy playtime with their peers. You never know if the invitation may be returned and somehow become a culture.
- Have routine nature walks.
This is therapeutic for both you and the kids. Go on nature walks with a purpose; it could be the beach; if so, collect beautiful stones and shells to make sculptures and castles later. could also be the forest; pick ladybugs, butterflies, and flowers; you can also engage them in tree planting. Alternatively, visit a maze and give them maps to try to trace their way out; this can be scary but fun.
- Have a laid-back day.
At some point, both you and the kids will need a break from the daily activities. Take a day off and just chill; order in instead of cooking, and allow the kids a free day too. If they choose to extend their sleep or enjoy full-day screen time, allow them. Just make sure they stay away from books and other distracting activities, as well as you.
- Guide the kids into updating their diaries.
When school resumes, they will have a lot to talk about, and what better way to reminisce about their holiday adventure than through their diaries?
Children love holidays, not just because they get to visit Disney Land or because they finally escape feeling cooped up, but because they get a chance to spend time with you. Do not be boring; make the holidays fun and memorable for both you and your kids.
We are Elimuzazi, your trusted parenting partner.