Rotorua mum Lisa Watts says there are plenty of ways to make school holidays memorable for your kids without having to break the bank.
The mother of four has been taking her children on 'adventures' every school holidays for the last three years and said it was something both she and her children looked forward to.
Armed with a camera, a packed lunch and a sturdy pair of shoes, the group visits different locations and spends the day exploring their surroundings and taking pictures.
When they return home the cameras are connected to the television and each child talks about what they saw, experienced and found. Mrs Watts, whose children range in age from 4 to 11, said there were a number of reasons she started these adventures.
"When I was a kid, my parents would take us places and let us loose to explore nature. I always had so much fun and wanted to raise my kids like that so they had real memories to treasure.