FUN, BUDGET-FRIENDLY WAYS TO KEEP KIDS BUSY DURING THE HOLIDAYS

Keeping little ones busy during the school holidays is a full-time job. We’ve rounded up a few fun ways to entertain your kids at home all while keeping some money in your pocket.

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CREATE AN OBSTACLE COURSE
Obstacle courses are a brilliant pastime for kids and can take hours to build and solve. Create tunnels using chairs, pillows for walkways and beacons for running to the finish line outside. Climbing, crawling through, and ducking under your obstacles are great ways to challenge their minds and muscles. Indoor courses are perfect for when the sun is scorching, and inside-outside courses are great for cooler days. Pro tip: An obstacle course will wreak havoc on the tidiness of your home, so make clean-up part of the fun (for the parents anyway).

GET THOSE LITTLE HANDS DIRTY IN THE KITCHEN
Little hands in the kitchen may sound disastrous, but cooking and baking are fun ways to spruce up their kiddy culinary skills. Involving your little ones in the kitchen is not only a fantastic bonding experience, but it builds their confidence, improves their math skills, and expands their palettes. Plus, busy hands mean less screen time! Need recipe inspo? Try one of these recipes – they’re perfect for mini-foodies.

MAKE YOUR OWN TOYS
Cut, paste and build the day away. Spend the afternoon together while they make their toys and games. A DIY approach will keep them entertained for hours and it will help strengthen their fine motor skills. Your toddler can use cheap items around the house, such as empty toilet-paper rolls, coloured paper, used boxes and old beads and buttons. Just make sure they use safe children’s scissors. Older kids can easily make simple games like snakes and ladders. And you most likely won't have to spend any money – score!

GO CAMPING IN THE GREAT INDOORS
If the weather isn’t playing along for some outdoor fun, make an indoor camp. Arrange the kids’ beds inside, pack a picnic basket with yummy snacks and bring along the flashlights for the (make-believe) fireside stories. Your kids will be so excited about the indoor-outdoor experience that they won’t miss the great outdoors. Don’t fret if you lack a tent: Build a fort using sheets and blankets – it’s just as fun!

PUT ON A TALENT SHOW
When the grown-ups are having a dinner party, make your little ones the stars of the evening. Encourage them to perform and put on a show. They will learn fundamental social skills and enhance their vocabulary, and it is a fun way to show self-expression.

Remember to make a big fuss and give them a standing ovation for their hard work. Everyone will have tons of fun, and it will for sure be a memorable evening.