The first term of the South African school year is nearly over. It feels like just the other day they went back after a seven week holiday. Fortunately this holiday is only two and a half weeks long so we should just about get through it with my sanity still intact.
School holidays are great, the break in the routine is good for the kids and for me, but lets face it, after the first few days it can get a bit boring. I’ve been trying to come up with a few ideas and a rough plan of attack, things we can do to look forward to and to keep busy.
- Swimming Lessons:- fortunately they will still have swimming lessons on during the holidays. The gym we go to has a supervised play area so my plan is to go to the gym at least 1/2 an hour before the lessons so let them play a bit. The change of scenery will be good for them and the swimming will help them burn some pent up energy. Bonus Points: It won’t cost anything.
- Play Dates:- I am already lining up playdates with their friends, whether I have to host the play date here, or we go to a mutual child-friendly venue, it will be good for the kids to see their friends.
- DayTrip:- After our successful trip to the Day Out: Bloemfontein Botanical Gardens I feel inspired to take the girls to more low budget easily accessible activities so I’m planning a trip to either the Walter Sisulu Botanical Garden in Joburg, or the Pretoria Botanical Garden. That will involve a full day out as it’s 3 hours drive each way.
- Grandparents!!!:- My parents are coming to visit for the Easter weekend and the week that follows. I can’t wait. Just having them here will be like a holiday for all of us.
- Movies:- The new Smurfs: The Lost Village is being released on the last day of term so I will definitely take them to that one day. Unfortunately movies can be quite expensive but at this stage I’m just excited it’s not Trolls! Check out the trailler, it looks like it will be quite fun:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3iY8Pxyr1E&w=560&h=315]
Other than these things, I hope to get the kids involved in the following projects to keep them busy at home but away from the TV and iPad:
- baking: biscuits, cupcakes, banana bread/muffins.
- clearing out their toy boxes and getting rid of the stuff that’s broken and donating to charity the toys that they have outgrown.
- gardening: I really need to repot a lot of my herbs etc so I plan to
make them do itget them involved in that. - swimming (at home), in addition to the lessons.
- riding their bikes around our estate
- I MIGHT even buy them some water paints and get them to do some painting. It occupies them for hours and I can put them outside in the shade.
I have a feeling I might be a bit over-ambitious here. Most of the things on my list will take no more than 2 hours each and that will still leave the rest of the day to keep them busy.
Wish me luck.
The Tale of Mummyhood
Good luck! I know it’s always interesting here ?
Interesting! That’s a polite way to put it!?
Hahaha ?
Good luck! It looks like you have your 2 weeks planned well! My daughter is also off school from Monday and we will be going to Italy to see my family, so apart from the flight there, which I will have to make alone with two kids, I guess I will have my parents helping me out! :) And that’s one week done! Still haven’t thought about the second week though :/ I hope you have fun and keep your sanity intact! ;) x
Italy sounds amazing! Enjoy and have fun! Let the grandparents spoil them.
Yep! That’s my plan, haha ;) x
Don’t worry 2 weeks will fly by without even knowing! #coolmumclub
Haha … I hope so. Kidding – I’m looking forward to a bit of relaxing.
Great to plan ahead. I think we’re sorted for the first week because it is Zach’s and my nephews birthdays but nothing at all planned for the second week… #ablogginggoodtime
We’re facing a 2 week holiday ahead here in the UK too and whilst part of me thinks bliss, chill and no school run, the reality is it can be a bit of a drag at times – everyone else is always doing so much better stuff!! Must try harder ;-) Enjoy!
Thanks for sharing with #coolmumclub
I’m sure it’s all for show! It’s really not that fun. ?
You’ve inspired me! It’s the last day of the school term here in the UK today so we’ve got 2 weeks ahead of us and I’m loving your ideas, especially the clearing out of toy boxes one! Anything to keep them off those screens! #coolmumclub
I fear I will lose that battle somewhere around 16.00 today, despite my best intentions. lol
Hahaha! It’s a great list – at least you’re armed with a number of activities to get started. I love the secret ‘making your children do the gardening’, I wonder if that would work with my 4 month old…? #blogstravaganza
ummm … maybe not. But you could always park him in his bouncy while you sit in the sun? lol
Good luck! Great that you are having the grandparents over, I love that in our house too. My boys always love the cinema and I enjoy a chance to have a sit down and a coffee:) have fun in the holidays.
Mainy
#blogstravaganza
I’m actually looking forward to the movie too. Thanks.
Sounds like you have lots of fun things planned! Have a good holiday and break from routine :) #Blogstravaganza
Thanks, we will x
Grandparents are an absolute god send! It’s great that your gym has a play area, that definitely sounds like a win-win situation! Thanks so much for sharing with #Blogstravaganza, hope to see you again next week xx
Yes, the gym playarea is really great. Thanks
Sounds like some good plans!!
Thanks for linking to #ablogginggoodtime
[…] have now almost ticked off everything from our ‘to do list’ of holiday activities and I still have a week to go. Thank goodness Easter is nearly […]