Holiday boredom busters

Nature art work.

Need some ideas for keeping the kids busy over the term break? Holidays can be a great time to bond with your children and even let your inner child come out to play. But it can also be a stressful time when kids can misbehave because of boredom. And if you are hesitant to go out of town due to the Delta outbreak or your plans have been put on hold, then here are few ideas to keep the kids entertained these school holidays.

It doesn't matter where you live, be it near the beach, sand or bush, the outdoors are full of things to collect.

Write down a list of things your kids can find outside — sticks, feathers, shells, leaves, pebbles, sand. They will carry this list around like a map and tick each item off as they go.

Once they have finished hunting and gathering, you can roll on to the next activity below.

Holidays are the perfect time for the kids to unleash their creativity.

Give them crayons, pastels, watercolours and drawing sheets and let their imagination go wild.

Drawing will not only help them use their time effectively, but it can also help improve hand-eye coordination and concentration. You can also teach them various painting methods, like spray-painting using a toothbrush, thumb painting etc. They can also paint pebbles or make a piece of nature art by gluing sticks, leaves and feathers to a piece of paper or cardboard.

You can also introduce them to trash-to-treasure crafts. Encourage the kids to make something out of the waste like ice cream sticks, broken objects and empty containers.

It's easy to create keepsake ornaments and decorations with this fun paper folding art. Origami can be used to create flowers, animals, decorations, gift boxes and many more item by carefully folding a piece of paper. If you have never tried this activity then now is the time to give it a try.

Gardening is not just for grown-ups. These school holidays introduce your children to this fun activity. Show your kids how to plant a seed and water the plants.

Ask them to plant their own sapling and note down the daily growth of the plants. You can also teach them the process of composting with kitchen waste and adding it to plants. They will not only learn little tricks about gardening but also learn to take care of plants.

Get the kids to clear out their rooms and have a garage sale. Pool all the money together and let your child buy a toy.

If you have the room, this is a great way to “get out” these holidays, without going too far. Get some blankets, pillows, and sleeping bags ready, put up a tent and turn your backyard into a holiday adventure. Share some interesting stories and doze off under the stars.