6 Ways to Enjoy Half Term Together and Ditch the Screens
With half term almost upon us, every parent’s mind will be turning towards how to keep their kids entertained for the next week and avoid bickering as much as possible. For many of our kids, screens can be a go-to for them in their down time and they will be looking forward to some extra screen time while they are off school. I want to put it out there that I have no issue with screen time - TV and iPad time happen daily in our house. However, I don’t want the majority of our time together to be spent looking at screens. When my kids are older and they look back at their childhood, the relationship building memories they treasure will be the times we spent together, away from the screens. Here are 6 simple ideas to inspire you this half term:
Get crafty - Of course I am going to suggest craft, it’s my thing. Get on Pinterest and look for ideas of easy crafts that can be made from recycling. I am forever finding toilet roll tubes, tissue boxes and plastic bottles that my son has stored up for his next creation. Also check out our range of craft boxes available on our website.
Make your own board game - I often get the kids in school to do this. Not only does it develop their imagination and problem-solving skills, it also creates an activity that can involve everyone in the family and doesn’t cost anything to make! All you need is paper and pens. You can borrow dice and counters from other board games which you may already have in the house.
Make a treasure hunt - Hide some treasure in the house or garden. Make simple clues or rhymes to follow, even draw your own map.
Play Ready Steady Cook - Remember the TV show from years ago? Raid the cupboards and give your kids a few simple ingredients and see what culinary creations they can come up with. They will love watching you taste their food (good or bad)!
Have a camp out in the living room - We did this a couple of years ago by accident. We planned to go camping but there was a problem with our tent. Having promised our son a camping trip, we decided to camp on the living room floor instead. We put out inflatable mattresses, sleeping bags and torches. We drank hot chocolate and ate marshmallows. He still talks about the night we camped indoors and asks when we will do it again. Plus it’s a win win if you’re like me and like to be warm and cosy rather than sleeping outdoors!
Do a talent show - This was one of my favourite activities as a kid. My cousins and I would all perform our “talents” for the grown ups and put on our very own concert. We may not have been worthy to perform in the Grand Opera House, but we certainly had many laughs and made great memories.