How to keep your kids happy during the holidays – Al Woods
It’s that time again – school holidays. Yes, it’s great to be with your kids, but it’s often a shock to the system when faced with how to keep them occupied for all that time. I work from home, so what was my workplace suddenly becomes a den or play centre and any chance of working goes straight out of the window. There’s nothing worse than bored kids – it can lead to one very unhappy parent. You suddenly need innovative ways to fill the day.
Do a tidy up
I know you will think I’m joking and yes, this is a long shot but might be worth a try. Promise your children something special if they tidy their rooms or more if they help out with the rest of the house! Yes, this will lead to lots of grunts of dissatisfaction but if you keep it positive and they know there’s a prize at the end of it, it might just work. I often do this deal with my kids. We’ll go somewhere in the afternoon if they’ve finished their agreed tasks in the morning. No, it doesn’t always work but it does sometimes – freeing you to catch up on your own work in the morning too.
Take them round to a friend
This sounds easy. Just take them to a friend’s house and hey presto, you’re then freed up for the day. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple – you will have to reciprocate. You may need to have their friends around for a day before asking them to do the same in return. Yes, you could end up with a house full for a day, and this might lead to you losing some hair but in reality, they’re usually happy to play together and often disappear to occupy themselves.
Horse-riding
Yes, sooner or later you’ll have to fork out some cash to keep your little ones occupied. Why not head to your local equestrian centre and treat your kids to a horse ride – mine really go for this. It’s great to get them involved with the care of animals – especially if you don’t have any pets at home. Our horse-riding centre allows the children to help feed the horses and look after them after the ride, so they can get to know their steeds and even feed them a few Spillers Horse Treats. It doesn’t cost as much as you might think and the smiles on their faces are definitely worth it.
Get outside
Despite the rise of social media and computer games kids still actually love to play once you prise them out of the door. Get a football and go to the local playing field. Sometimes you’ll be joined by other kids and their parents. I know my boy would prefer this personal time together more than anything else. Or take them to the play park – even my 12-year-old secretly still loves the giant swing and the zip wire. Enjoy these moments and let your hair down! Act like a kid again. You might like it. I know your kids will.
