Bored kids? Here's how to keep them entertained these holidays

It’s school holiday time and no matter how excited those darling little rug rats of yours are at the prospect of 7 or so weeks off school, it probably won’t be long before the words “I’m bored” start being uttered - and you start counting the days till the new school year begins. 

If you’ve got bored kids at home, we’ve got some great school holiday activities that are guaranteed to keep them happy, interested and out of your hair these holidays. It might be tempting to let them spend the day in front of the TV or stationed at the games console, but there are loads of activities for kids that will get them moving, interacting and having a big dose of fun away from the lounge room.  Here are our top 10 favourites: 

1. Get them in the kitchen - This is one of our top things to with kids and there are heaps of recipes for little hands to try out - and you won’t even need to turn the oven on if you don’t want to! We love the tiny teddy trains at Kidspot, salad in a jar at Hello, Wonderful and the peanut butter banana quesadillas at Budget Bytes. 

2. Get them in the garden - OK, if it’s a super-hot day and the sun is blazing it might not be a great time for it, but if the weather’s a little overcast, just slip, slop, slap’em up and head on out to the garden. Growing things will not only teach the kids how to plant and look after a living thing, it’ll be heaps of fun for them to watch their work get bigger as time progresses. Need some ideas? Check out Mr Fothergill’s and Gardening 4 Kids for some great advice on how to connect your kids with nature. 

3. Make their very own weather station - It’s simple to make a weather station that includes a rain gauge to measure how much rain has fallen, a wind vane to check what direction the wind is blowing from and a barometer to help them learn about air pressure. And a weather diary will help them keep a record of their findings each day. 

4. Get out and about - Getting out and about with the kids doesn’t need to be expensive.  If you live close to the coast, take them down to the beach for a day of salty, sandy fun, or head to the local park with a picnic basket full of goodies that have been prepared by the kids. Let them choose what picnic items they want and you can even have fun heading to the supermarket with them to buy your supplies. 

5. Camp out - No doubt about it, kids love camping, and it doesn’t need to cost you anything – just camp out for the afternoon and evening in your own backyard and have a great time without the TV or internet! Check out Beyond the Tent for lots of fun camping games to play with the kids. No tent? No worries – take a look at our affordable mini-loans to find out how quick and easy it is to get your hands on the cash you need to buy your new outdoor happiness castle. Once a loan is approved, we can usually get a payment into your bank account within 24 hours - so you can check out all the options before Christmas! 

6. Make ornaments - Even if the tree isn’t looking a little bare, making handmade Christmas ornaments will keep them entertained for hours and you can even hold a competition, with a prize for the best ornament. Women’s Day has some amazing ideas that are super-easy to make. 

7. Host a masquerade party - OK so this one does involve a little effort on your part since you have to actually host a party but there’s no reason why the kids can’t do all of the work. Get them planning the party, organising (and making!) the food and best of all making their own masquerade masks. Think paper plates, elastic bands, paint, glitter and feathers.  

8. Make pasta jewellery - The kids will spend hours making their own pasta jewellery and it’s a pretty cheap activity – all you need is uncooked hollow pasta (like penne), food colouring and a few other ingredients. Check out the instructions at Kidspot. 

9. Rub a leaf - That might not sound terribly exciting but get the kids to gather up a variety of different leaves from the yard, place each leaf under a sheet of paper and rub with a pencil to create an imprint. The kids can even make their own frames to put them in. 

10. Fly a kite - It used to be that just about every kid in the neighbourhood had their own kite to fly, but they’re not so common nowadays. Teach your kids how to make and fly their own kite – you’ll find all the details over at Instructables.

We know the school holidays can be a stressful time for some people, particularly if there’s not a lot left in the budget to do all the things you want. So if you find yourself in need of a little financial assistance, just check out our cash loans loans from $1,000 to see how quick and easy it is to get your hands on some extra funds. Once a loan is approved, we can usually deposit the money into your bank account within a few hours - so you can start planning those holiday excursions now.

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