“How is it nearly half-term already?” – we hear you ask. And while the upcoming break is probably bringing your child immense glee, it might leave you wondering what on earth they’re going to do for a week with no school. 🤔
Well, don’t panic. We’ve got an array of exciting activities that kids will enjoy, both at home and outdoors. And if you feel like joining in, we think you’ll love these activities too! 😁
Contents
1. What activities can my kids do at home during half-term?
2. What activities can my kids do outdoors during half-term?
Half-terms and school holidays – life as a child is pretty sweet. But what happens when you don’t know what to do with your children come half-term? We’ve got some ideas up our sleeve for half term activities your kids can do at home – and they won’t break the bank either! 💸
What activities can my kids do at home during half-term?
We can’t always guarantee dry weather in the UK so finding fun at home is perfect for making the best of rainy days.
- Cooking/baking
If you’ve never tried cooking or baking with your kids, half-term might be the perfect time to get those pots and pans out!
A quick glance at YouTube was all it took for us to find some simple recipes for honey mustard salmon, lemon bars, ice-cream sandwiches and so many more – and they’re all geared towards kids who want to get creative in the kitchen. 🧑🏻🍳
As long as they’re being supervised, helping with cooking and baking gives young children the opportunity to learn some basic math concepts and build language skills.
Older kids and teens can look forward to building their confidence by mastering new dishes and impressing you with their culinary delights.
- Crafts
With all the great activities that come under the umbrella of “crafts”, your child will be spoilt for choice when it comes to whiling away rainy days over half-term.
From knitting, embroidery, and origami to paper-mâché, crocheting, and collage – there is a craft for all tastes. Plus, crafting can be very therapeutic, so if your child has been hitting the books hard during school, an afternoon of getting their craft on might help them relax. 🧶
We have a range of DIY videos that you can show your kids if they feel like getting creative with odds and ends found at home – just make sure to keep hold of your recycling because you never know when it might come in handy!
- Coding
There’s a high chance that you have difficulty getting your child away from screens in their free time. But what if they put their screen time to good use? 💻
Not only does coding develop kids’ problem-solving skills, but with technology developing at the rate it is, knowing how to code might give your child some serious ideas for their future.
You’ll find several coding apps, websites, videos, and even Roblox coding classes online to get young ones started.
- Art
Unlike school, creating art at home is less restrictive which might make kids more likely to put pencil to paper or paintbrush to canvas. 🎨
If your child is stuck for ideas on what to draw, paint or sketch, and you’re short on them too, here are some suggestions that might get their creative juices flowing.
- Draw a scene from one of your favourite memories.
- Sketch a person you admire
- Design an idea for a building you think should exist
- Using a photo as a guide, sketch a family member from when they were young
- Create a page of drawings of all your favourite things: animals, food, place, clothing, personal belongings, TV shows, movies, celebrities and anything else you can think of. This page is sure to always put a smile on your face.
- Family film nights
Busy schedules filled with school and homework for them, and work for you, can mean that evenings aren’t often spent with the family enjoying free time together. This is where family film night comes in!
Write everyone’s favourite two or three films on separate pieces of paper (remember to keep your choices age-appropriate), fold the pieces up and put them in any kind of container. Take it in turns each night picking a film name from the container and that’s the flick you will all watch that evening.
This way, you’ll all experience watching everyone’s favourite film and you’re spending quality time together. 📽️
If you are worried about what your child is watching during the holidays, there are lots of ways to ensure positive screen time, such as apps like Azoomee which have a collection of child-friendly and educational content so kids can safely explore anything.
What activities can my kids do outdoors?
While staying at home is a great way to avoid bad British weather, we have been having some unseasonally warm days this month - sometimes it’s good to mix it up and get a breath of fresh air. Here are some activities your kids can enjoy outdoors:
- Museums and galleries
Wherever you live, track down some great museums and galleries that you and your family could visit during half-term. These places are ideal for encouraging children to learn and understand different aspects of history, culture, geography, and art.
Plus, many of the best museums and galleries are free which means this is an activity the whole family can enjoy while spending less cash. 💸
- Sports
Whether your child is a big sports fan or not, they might like getting active a lot more if the whole family is involved. A nature walk, family bike ride or friendly ball game in the park will help burn off young energy while also reinforcing how important it is to do things together.
If your child is looking for something more competitive, try finding a local sports club or health centre that’s holding kids’ sports classes during half-term. If their friends are going too, they might be more motivated to get involved. 💪
- Living room camping
Who said you had to travel far to go camping? All you need is a front room, a tent and some sleeping bags and you’ve got yourself a fun night for the kids in the safety of their own home. Why not ask them to invite a few of their friends too?
Set them up with snacks, drinks and plenty of layers and suggest a few activities they could enjoy while on their “camping trip”, such as storytelling, singing, or playing games – all while drinking a warming cup of hot chocolate. ☕
Half-term is also a great time for your child to revise, catch up on homework or brush up on their study skills. This is where our excellent tutors come in! We match our students with the ideal tutor to make sure your child’s needs are met - book a free trial lesson today.
