Fearing the onset of summer holidays because you’ll be stuck at home with kids to entertain? If you didn’t register your children to attend any summer camps and/or you’re unsure how to plan your time, then this article is for you.
Unless you are an amazingly creative and spontaneous person with a every imaginable item at your fingertips, I recommend you plan, plan, plan! Plan your kids’ activities a few days to a week in advance so you can purchase any items you need.
I usually complete art and craft activities in stages, over several days, as this allows for paint and glue to dry, and a makes for a better finished product. As a result, it is common for my children and me to have multiple projects on the go.
You don’t have to spend a lot of money or plan expensive excursions to keep your children stimulated during the holidays. Kids are wonderfully creative beings, so if you provide them with a little structure, a bit of direction and some basic materials, they are quite capable of keeping themselves amused for a reasonable amount of time. Also, if you allow kids to have input into what activities they participate in, it gives them a feeling of ownership and control, so they are more likely to carry out any activities or projects to completion.
In this article, I’ll give you some ideas in the area of craft, construction, art, film, writing, science, cooking, excursions and sport.
My craft box with a selection of craft supplies slowly accumulated over time
It is a good idea to keep an art and craft box for home use, especially if you have elementary age children. I keep my craft items in a large plastic container purchased from a department store. Below is a list of suggested items valuable to any art and craft box:
Art and Craft Box
Craft Materials
- pop sticks
- googly eyes
- feathers
- pipe cleaners
- string
Extras: balsa wood, felt pieces, clay, play dough, wire, food dye, string, paperclips, pegs, uncooked pasta etcÂ…
Paper Items
- white paper
- colored paper
- tissue paper
- crepe paper
- paper plates and bowls
- canvas
Tools
- scissors
- brushes
- sponges
- plastic containers
Media
- pencils
- crayons
- textas
- paints (watercolor, poster, acrylic)
Adhesives
- sticky tape
- stapler
- glue stick
- PVA glue
- hot glue gun
Reusable Items
- egg cartons
- soda cans
- cardboard and plastic containers
- bottles and jars
Simple paper plate sun. Idea taken from Pinterest.
Craft- Pinterest is an invaluable source for craft inspiration. Don’t have an account and/or not interested in getting one? Perform an internet search for craft and you’ll find innumerable craft ideas. For example, if your child loves spiders, search for “spider craft” or “kids spider craft”. I use Google’s search engine and prefer to view Images rather than Web as it gives me instant access to thousands of photos of spider craft. Click on a photo that appeals to you, then visit the web page via the photo by following the prompts.
Construction- If your child loves building and constructing things- Lego, models etc, then setting a challenge to create an object out of basic materials is a fun and engaging activity. My favorite materials for construction include pop sticks; reusable items from the kitchen and household such as soda cans, plastic containers and newspapers. Challenge your child to construct a basket, box, a building or animal out of pop sticks; or a helicopter, car, train from soda cans and other reusable items. Make a chair simply out of newspaper and an adhesive, or design and create a dress out of plastic shopping bags. Is your child a budding architect? They can design and construct a model house or commercial building using balsa wood, corflute, a hot glue gun, a scalpel and a cutting mat- which can be purchased from art supply stores.
Art- Draw or paint an area of Coronado such as the beach, Hotel Del Coronado, the city or the bridge. Cheap canvases can be purchased from art supply, craft and discount stores. If you have a small piece of wooden board or cardboard lying around the house, use that instead. Alternatively, create a paper mache sculpture or puppet (Paper mache puppet photo featured at end of article).
Film- If you have access to a digital camera, challege your kids to write and direct a film. Perhaps they can compete amongst another group of friends. Designate a time limit such as 3-5 minutes. As an added challenge, devise a list of random objects or local landmarks that must appear in the film, for example: Hotel Del Coronado, a bike, your house, the beach, a blue cup or a white flower. Try to encourage the kids to incorporate the objects into the movie in a creative and meaningful way, not just randomly include them in the film.
Writing- Design and write a blog using WordPress or Blogger (Depending on your child’s age, under supervision. Most free blogging sites are aimed at those over 13 years of age). For children interested in creative writing, write and illustrate a children’s story book then self-bind in cardboard or use online publishing website like Storybird.
Science- Perform an internet search for “fun science experiments at home”. Most of the time you’ll find that the required materials can be found in the home, local shop or recycle bin (failing that, anything can be purchased online)! A particular favorite of mine is exploring simple circuits (electricity) for kids approximately 10 years and over. Start by creating a simple circuit to switch on a small light bulb or propellor. Kids can then progress to constructing an electric soda can racer, which they can then “pimp” to their favored specifications.
The chassis and wheels of a soda can racer (balsa wood, 4 soda cans, coat hanger wire, small nails, tape and rubber bands)
The circuit (insulated wires, 9V battery, hobby motor, plastic pulley and tape) is connected to the wheels via a rubber band. When the circuit is “closed”, the engine starts and propels the racer forward.
A soda can racer, complete with head lights, decorated to a young girl’s specifications.
Cooking- A simple packet (boxed) cake or a basic cookie recipe is an activity many children enjoy. For older kids, teach them how to cook a dinner dish. If age appropriate, assign them the challenge to cook it for the family the next week. If you have more than one child, lucky you! One child can cook, and the other child can clean up. The next night they can swap roles. You can also make your kids responsible for collecting the ingredients from the supermarket too!
Island Excursions- Break up the day with a visit to the beach for a swim or a surf; visit the local library to read or access its other resources; play at any of the beautiful local parks; or visit Coronado’s recreation center and take a dip in the pool.
Off-Island Excursions- Coronado has much to offer kids during the summer holidays. However, take the time to explore off island options such as horse riding, museums, trampolining, go karting, hiking, San Diego Zoo, the new children’s museum, Balboa Park, aquariums and more!
Sport- Organize with other parents to meet at Tidelands Park or Spreckels Park so your kids can gather to play a friendly game of soccer, softball, cricket or bocce. Take a cheese plate, wine and a chair- sit back and relax as the kids get their daily dose of exercise.
Paper mache puppet-
made using toilet roll and scrunched paper, then covered with PVA/water mixture and ripped paper.
When planning your kids’ summer holiday, plan activities that are within their capabilities, thus enabling them to work independently which in turn gives you more free time. Caring for your children 24/7 during the summer can be exhausting, especially when you have other responsibilities to attend to. Another tip is to orchestrate some time away from the kids by time sharing with other parents, hopefully turning it into a regular gig.
Enjoy the summer holidays with your family!
Have some great ideas yourself? We’d love to hear about them in the comments page.
Siobhan Bailie
Staff Writer
eCoronado.com
