How do I entertain my kids over summer holidays?

Question

I am a single mother of six children, and was wondering if anyone out there have any ideas on how to keep them amused throughout the summer holidays, as I have very little money I cant afford to take them to too many places and I am at the desperate stage (already) My kids are 2yrs, 3yrs, 8yrs,10yrs and 15 and 18yrs, I no the two older ones should be able to do things themselves but they are as bored as the little ones.

Answer 1

You have an amazing summer ahead! The last thing you need is money. You have what you need, within you! You are an amazing woman with many talents, one of which you can engage is ingenuity! Raining - local library events, books, painting, sewing (sewing cards for the little ones) make a tent in the dining room, cooking! Make a game of cleaning the house, everyone sings a silly song and makes up another line! I promise you - your kids are waterproof too - wellies - mud - kids practically a miracle mix! Sunshine - well water and kids mix well together, have several activities going on at the same time and then swap around - a bucket and an egg cup - how long will it take to water the flower bed with that! If the older ones are trustworthy then they can take a few tasks depending on who gets on with whom! Can the 18 year old get a summer job? How about the 15 year old, any holiday relief for paper rounds? Your imagination and their imaginations are the key and can give you amazing opportunities to get them thinking. Can they all contribute and make a play? Is there rivalry? If so - try not to participate and take sides, usually young people are pretty good at finding their own solutions if given the opportunity. If there are arguments and disagreements, ask them what they would do in your shoes! Sometimes this is attention seeking behaviour, don't let them get away with it! Ignore as much as you can! Find a way to get some spare time for you, just you, and maybe get the older ones to help you organise this by sitting for a couple of hours here and there - even if you just go for a walk on your own. Map out the free activities where you live, the library is a good place to start. Save a tiny bit of money to just spend on you, you sound worth it! Good luck!

Answer 2

Have a look on the Internet - your local council website should have a lot of ideas; and council-run activities are usually free or very cheap.

Even if you are not religious you can try your local Church - they often run activities for young children during the summer and welcome anyone to join them (it's also a good chance for you all to meet new people).

Your local village hall/community centre will also have plenty of ideas or leaflets about things to keep your children occupied over the summer.

Have a look at the VisitEngland website - there are tonnes of places in the UK to visit - most free!

You could have each child think of an activity to do for the day or even involve them all in making something (a tree den, go-kart, or just a cake!) - the 18yr old child (well adult!) may be the hardest to entertain this way though.

Use 'bribery' with the older two - ask them to look after the children for a while whilst you take some time out for yourself - a soak in the tub, a walk round the park - just an hour or so dedicated to you alone. You can decide what to offer the children as the bribe.

If all else fails though, just send them round to their mates house put your feet up and watch the Jeremy Kyle Show !!!! :-)

Answer 3

The park and neighborhood pool are two great ideas that should be free (the pool might cost a few dollars..but usually very cheap).

The oldest should have a job. There's no reason an 18 year can't work and they need it. Not only will it keep them out of trouble, but it will give him or her some spending money so they can make their own fun.

The 15 year old might be able to find some work. He or she can go through the neighborhood (consider making flyers or cards) offering to do things a kid that age can do well, like wash cars, pet or child sit (the second oldest of 6 should be a very attractive babysitter), mow lawns, etc.

Make more play dates for the 8 and 10 year olds. They should have plenty of friends and you can arrange for several dates a week for them to go to their friends' houses or the friends to come to yours.

For the little ones - make some playdough. Free salt dough recipes are all over the net, or you can just go to the dollar store and buy some. Any kind of crafty thing - clay, crayons, finger paints, etc. will keep them busy and help build important skills. Puzzles are great too.

For all of them -
Go to the library once a week. Make sure you stay at least an hour. If your kids aren't readers, they should be. Kids who are frequent readers do much better in school. Most libraries have summer reading programs for the school-age kids, and free story time for the little ones. While you are there, you can read stories to the little ones while the older ones look for books.

The libraries these days also often offer free Internet but I would keep them off as the purpose of this trip is to encourage reading. If your teens balk, they could use the time to research careers and colleges, learn new fashion or makeup tricks, etc. Suggest books on topics they find interesting.

Computer games - You obviously have a computer, get some educational games for the 10 and under kids. You can find used ones on ebay cheap. They even make games for the little ones and you'd be giving them a headstart towards a better education.

Hiking or biking. You can put bike seats on two of the bikes and you and your oldest can carry the little ones. Both activities are free.

Museums - most local museums are free or cheap. Some that do charge, have some free days each month.

In other words, you will have to make some effort, but it need not cost a lot to keep them busy.

Check your local parent's magazine (most cities have them), you may find a lot of cheap or free stuff to do. I'm lucky, here in Austin there are TONS of free or very cheap things to do including swimming, movies, symphony, plays, ballet, art camps and more.

When I lived in CA the local parks and rec dept had a free drop in activity program for elementary kids. They do similar things here. Check your local parks and recreation dept.

Last resort, the YMCA and other religious organizations often have camps and programs with scholarships available.

Answer 4

I would imagine that the 18 yr old and the 15 yr old are somewhat self sufficiant so you could put more energy on the other 4. I am not saying don't neglect the older 2, but the interests of the 18 yr old varies from the 2 yr. old and the older can handle themselves better. A lot of what you guys can do will have to do with the region that you are living at. Does your town have a park? A Library if your children enjoy reading. Most libraries have an extensive VHS or DVD collection. You can always go online to get movie tickets for a discount. Is there a movie theater? Is there a public swimming pool in your town? Do you guys like board games? What about video games? Maybe I can help. Good luck and good job for your huge responsiblity in motherhood.

Answer 5

Look int the Library for activity book and check out if they have any Story telling sessions

Websites on a search via Yahoo may bring up some ideas

I used to love making baking and making funny face pizza.

There may be toddler groups you can visit in you area or youth clubs for the older ones.

Ring the local sports centre ours always used to have something on that was free.

Get together with some friends go to the park for a pic nic feed the duck.

Start collecting old egg boxes plastic containers, Bottles and things and have a creative time the are lots of £1 shops they have glue bumper packs of coloured paper felt pens tissue paper paint them to be creative

Get down to the charity shop and let them each pick a video or a jigsaw or board game or something for a rainy day.

Answer 6

Bridges to shout echos under? What about the very next stop on the train? Not all kids get to go on a train and make it the theme of the day "Trains" There is a canal near you isn't there (for nature spotting picnics). If it rains have the local vicar open the church for you to do some brass rubbings and sketches? Churchyards to explore the lichens and mini bugs in? Need to get a photographers X10 eyeglass (sorry this costs around £8) or could you organise a teddy bear jump from the local spire to raise money (use the local firemen to catch the teddies in a blanket) and fete? Strawberries, scones and cream teas in the garden with proper cups and saucers? (second hand odd ones are very cheap) oh my list goes on and on and on...

Answer 7

Get the kids to help you write 2 lists of things the kids want to do - 1 list of things to do outside the home (for fine weather days) and one list of things to do inside the home (for bad weather days). Make sure that there are enough things on each list for every day in the holidays. Cut up the lists and place one idea into an envelope, placing the envelopes into 2 boxes - a 'good weather' box and a 'bad weather' box. Each day 1 child (they take it in turns) gets to pick an envelope from the appropriate box and whatever is written on it, that's what you all do. The five oldest kids (yea- even the 3 yr old!) should be able to have input into what goes on the lists. On trips out (to places like the beach, woods, parks, zoos) use the internet before you go to prepare a list of things to look out for or to collect. Give a 'scoring system' for the items and pair the 2 eldest with the 2 youngest and help them all to find the items on their lists (you can give different lists for each child or pair) and work out a 'reward' for the highest scorer. Or collect things to take back home and make collages/nature tables etc using the internet to look up and find out about the things they have collected. Have a good time with your kids learning about the world!

Answer 8

at this time of the year there are lots of mags which give ideas for free or cheap places to visit, try to do unusual things likje getting some crayons and large pieces of paper, cheap lining paper is good, check out the local church where you can all do rubbings of brass plaques etc. Use the crayons sideways. You can reward the best one by hanging their art work in a frame. Go tiddler fishing if you have a stream nearby, get a book from the library to help identify dragon flies bugs etc, take a picnic and enjoy. Visit all the local places nearby that you pass but never get a chance to visit. In our village we have a small museum which i always promise myself that i will go to but never get the chance. Maybe the schools in your area are running extra activities, if so there may be no charge for football, tennis etc. The church in our area runs activities for children of all ages. If you have frieds with children of similar ages, either swap kids, someone elses will always behave better. or all go out together...Hope that helps, have fun!!!

Answer 9

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Answer 10

oh my god I'm like that and i only have 1 if its Nice days why not go for a picnic hey if its nice have an indoor picnic me and my son do that a lot. going to a park with a football, beach make up a treasure hunt in the house & garden leave clues for them at each 1 and the treasure could be there prize possion. what you could do is have a swap of toys with someone you know and after a while swap with someone else do that a few times and by the time they get there own back they'll be glad to play with them again.