Baking with a difference; start with a recipe and source the ingredients completely waste-free. Photo / Getty
If you’re sick of watching Frozen on repeat for the sixth school holiday season in a row (how the heck does that movie continue to stay “on trend”?), press the off button on the remote and try these ideas that will entertain the kids without harm to the environment, keep
you from screaming into a pillow and cost a lot less than a theme park.
Go on a treasure hunt. Make your own list that includes things such as “something white, something fluffy, something long” or find a free one online (there are many). Cater the list to the age of your children, otherwise, they will get bored quickly. Even if it’s raining, a treasure hunt can be one of the most cost-effective ways to keep kids entertained for hours on end. Invite their friends over, venture further than your backyard if possible and enjoy time outdoors while encouraging conversations about nature.
Declutter. From experience, even 5-year-olds love the responsibility of decision-making; deciding what items to keep and what to give to others. Decluttering will not only tick an item off your holiday cleaning list but it’s likely the kids will find toys they haven’t picked up in months and start entertaining themselves when previously they sat on the floor singing, “I’m bored.” This is a great opportunity to teach them to declutter responsibly too. The kids can help clean and repair items before passing them on to others, consider if the toy would be more loved in another home and look for repurposing or recycling options when something is broken.
Bake, but not like you usually do. Start with a recipe and source the ingredients completely waste-free. You may have to change the recipe or completely alter what you’re making because of the availability of waste-free ingredients local to you but this is part of the experience. The process of making something from start to finish, rather than simply mixing together ingredients, will help them with problem-solving, encourage a waste-free mindset and be incredibly rewarding when you get to the eating part.
