Before the ‘I-am-bored-sitting-at-home’ litany turns into a crescendo, get ready for showtime with a dash of creativity. Come along and turn the long school holidays into fun times with some tried and tested activities – right within your home.

Let’s get into action with a few dos and don’ts first:

• Do be open to the idea of converting your living space into play area
• Allow children to add their ideas to the plans
• Do put together a weekly timetable to ensure it is followed
• Let children take the lead in deciding the schedule
• Do not plan outdoor activities during the daytime hours
• Do make outings possible in the evenings
• Do not turn vacation into study time
• Make exceptions for television time and even video games
• Do not disturb neighbours with loud noises
• Restrict all games and activities to day time
• Do make provisions for sleepovers – time with friends is as important as family time

Let the premise behind a memorable vacation be about spending time together – doing things together that are fun and exciting.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Game time:

Unless you live in a very compact flat/apartment, there is no reason to abstain from games that require movement. From hide-and-seek to obstacle course, get creative with the games you propose – if not, there is always card and board games. Treasure hunt is another option with several resources online to build excitement at home. Add an element of competition to make it interesting, even if your only child has to compete with you and your partner. Your scheduled game time could also offer you an avenue to share traditional games and games from your childhood to break the generation gap.

Band up:

Whether your child is into music or not, the urge to play drums on utensils, buckets or just about anything is difficult to resist. Plan up a music evening with your very own homemade band; let empty plastic bottles, containers and buckets act as instruments for your favaourite songs. Have a fun gig with the family joining in – but remember to wind up your band session on time. Do not let neighbours complain about noises disturbing them. And do not forget to dance to the music.

Magic show:

Teach your kids a trick or two or ask them to learn the art of magic online to entertain the family (even friends). Let them turn into entertainers on a scheduled evening; allow them to dress up for the show and keep your applause ready.

Let’s bake:

Bring out the baker/chef in your child with a dedicated cookery time. Give them the freedom to chalk up the menu for a brunch/lunch/dinner and execute the recipe. Reserve your help for chopping or frying if kids are small for these chores. Make the cooking schedule perfect by asking them to set the table with cutlery and condiments. This one will be a fun activity for sure with cookies and colourful dishes coming up.

Get drawing/writing/reading:

Encourage your children to draw, write, read or even make a scrapbook. Let their creativity come out through their individual choices or interests. Their drawings and writings are mementoes of their childhood – don’t forget to save them. Alternately, they could learn a new skill or acquire a new hobby to occupy their time and expend energy.

Quiz nights:

Dedicate a day in the week for quizzes. Plan ahead on the topic and ask your children to prep up for the quiz. Make it interesting with trick questions and ensure there are prizes to be won. Shift the quizmaster’s role to children on alternate weeks.

All the above activities – and the others that these may have triggered – could seem like a big challenge if you and your partner are working fulltime. However, with some planning and scheduling, you could ensure that it works with complete involvement from the children.

Happy holidays!