HELP! School Holidays!!!

[bella]

I'm not sure this thread will be any use to anyone on this site as we are from all over the country.
But, its worth a try!!

Schools are now breaking up for 6 weeks.
Is it just me or does everyone struggle trying to keep their kids happy for 6 whole weeks?????

I know they havent broke up yet, but today i took mac and his brother James (10) out of school and we went to Blackpool Pleasure Beach.
We had planned to go next week but i decided it would be a lot quieter this week and according to James they dont do any work for the last week in school. Do I believe him? Im not that daft!

The point of this thread is that you can go to the pleasure beach and buy a wristband that gives you unlimited rides all day. It costs £29. I bought them via their web site and they were £15. How they can justify that is beyond me.
Anyway, as they were a lot cheaper than i thought, we took a friend of james's and me and my friend also had a wristband.

So we had a really good day out and it was half the price of what we thought it would cost.

Anyone eles got any any ideas for the 6 weeks holiday??

[Lou C]

I've got a booklet called Let's go with the children, they have them for different areas of the country and it costs about £3.50. It lists lots of different places along with directions, cost and what;s there etc. They have a website which should have details of what guides are available letsgowiththechildren.co.uk
My eldest son has been given the opportunity to do a summer school for the 1st two weeks at the local study suppport centre as some of his class took part in a project last term. The 3rd week of the hols I've booked both Abigail and Jacob on a 4 day football coaching course run by Leeds Utd, that's cost me £73 for the 2 of them for 4 days, 9.30 - 3pm, can't say fairer than that......then hopefully we'll have a few trips out.
That's really useful to know about Blackpool with the wristbands being cheaper online, we don't really go there much at all, but we probably will when the lights are on, so will definately be going on the web.
Lou xx

[matt]

don't equate spendng cash with enjoyment... that's the best lesson they can learn over the next 6 weeks.

enjoy time together doing simple stuff. playing/walking and so on. days at beach....:cool:

[goose]

Thats what i say, do it the old fashioned way on taking the kids out forest walks, finding things, etc, by the end of the 6 weeks you lot will all be skint, thank goodness i dont have the problem, takes me all my time to entertain myself.:unsure:

[zoefruitcake]

I think children never get the time to just be themselves. Summer holidays were days on end of cartoons first thing, walks, one week away, the grocery shop on a Monday (a real novelty as we lived in the middle of nowhere) visiting our cousins and maybe one big trip out for the day.

How about doinga project just for fun? Rewatching old films, reading books, playing board games.

Sigh, good times :0)

[linny]

A few ideas:

Go to the library or video shop and hire a film and make a cinema. Close curtains move seats and buy popcorn etc.:eat:

Get out the Art Attack book and attack something! (God I hate papier mache with watered down pva glue!!:crying: )

Megan loves going on the reading scheme at the library. They get puzzle sheets and have to read 6 books to get a medal. They record what they read on a card and get stickers etc. Our library sometimes run craft sessions too.

Take a picnic to the local park. We are lucky as Dartford Park is really big.

Press flowers and make pictures/cards with them.

Simple things I suppose but cheap and they keep my one occupied for a while. Oh and another one - dairy free website arcade - for rainy afternoons of course!:lol2:

[yvie]

definately picnics everywhere...on the beach, by a river, in a park.....evenings are lovely in the summer too if its too hot during the day wait until teatime then go somewhere and eat chips as the sun is going down...throw chips at seagulls and find grassy banks to roll down (yes I do that, it hurts and I look daft but what the heck and sometimes I even do it when Haylie is with me too hahahahahahahahahaa)

I do object to paying huge amounts to walk around a theme park all day then pay more to go on 'extras'..once or twice a year we do that, but then I tend to spend money on petrol and travel to lots of places for the day. I want to see Cheddar Gorge again, havent been since a child and I could do that in a day (if my car doesnt break down again lol)

Every time a message starts to talk about going places I get itchy feet again....its all you lots fault we ended up in Dorset the other weekend! : )

[whitewabbit2001]

consider urself lucky, i work for a nusery and we are open all ur round, i have the poor little ones who get sent to nursery while big brothers and sister stay at home with parents or go cool clubs, i had a kid in tears today cos his brother told him he was shopping for sweets with mum, i work for a private nursery looking after doctors kids!!! spoilt!!!

[bella]

I agree with you all about spending money for amusement.
Its the first time for 3 years that we have been to blackpool, or anywhere for a day out and it was part of macs older brothers birthday present.

We will go on picnics and take our dogs lots of walks.

Linny. I like the idea of the closed curtains cinema and popcorn.
Do you know of any dairy free Popcorn? I know of a sweet kind but my kids like the salty stuff. And yes i know i could make my own but I have tried more than once in the past and ended up finding it days later in places you didnt think it would get!

[Lou C]

My kids have never been to a theme park....they're so neglected!!! We've been to Blackpool pleasure beach once and we usually go on a few small rides when we go to the coast for the day/holidays.
The booklet that I mentioned earlier has details for lots of FREE places to visit, including visitor farms, parks, free museums etc. I want to take mine to the Magna science centre in Rotherham, it sounds like good fun, and I might take Jacob to the coal mining museum, I think Abigail would be frightened (then again so might I???) They both want to go to the Royal Armouries, Paul took Jacob last year, but Abigail and myself haven't been. We usually take a trip to York in the holidays as well. I want to try to get out twice a week with them, then they will have plenty of time to play with their friends aswell, otherwise they moan at me!
I saw something about the library reading scheme Linny, looks quite good, had forgotten about that, must find out more about it.
Ooh and almost forgot.....once I've got my gps for my birthday we can have a few afternoons out doing a bit of treasure hunting!! And my other birthday present is a chocolate fountain...mmmmmm.........so we will get that out when we are having our bbqs and picnics in the garden(once I've finished getting it sorted out there....next week hopefully?)

[matt]

think i'll be out most of the summer to just get away from next doors kids. other kids laugh and play.

they scream and shout at each other, screeching noises all the time....and the footballs!!!!

day trips here we come.

[Pam]

It's quite true that they don't do any work at school in the last week. Every day for the last couple of weeks my youngest two have been coming home telling me which DVDs they have watched at school that day.

Lou - the mining museum - they have to be 5 to go on the underground tour, which isn't really scary but it is dark. It is all very safe and not too enclosed - I'm quite claustrophobic but I was fine. There is a playground outside and little truck rides. Entry is free but you need to get there quite early on busy days to book your underground tour (book it as soon as you get there).

Council run museums are free (Bagshaw museum and butterfly house in Batley and Tolson museum in Huddersfield are both worth a visit) and do a lot of activities in the holidays. Libraries sometimes do activity sessions too which are free.

Eldest will be at Huddersfield University for the first 2 weeks doing U3A activities (free) and then has an activity week near the Ribblehead Viaduct for another week with air cadets. Middle one has a camp this weekend then he and youngest are in school holiday club most of the time for the rest of the holidays. I've got a week booked off in August and will be having a few days here and there when we move house next week. It costs me £50 a day to send them all to holiday club so I try to minimise this if I can.

[linny]

Bella - Popcorn - Morrisons own brand (in bakery area) but not sure if they do the salty one or Butterkist Cinema Sweet (I know Sainsburys sell it near the sweets/chocolate section). I believe that you can get the packets of corn to pop yourself that is dairy free.

Megan informed me that 'The Reading Mission' starts tomorrow so she can enrol and get a couple of books to take away with her, she's an avid reader at present but I expect that will change in a few years.

There's a lot of schemes around here for kids in the holidays but some are expensive as they're at health/sports clubs. Megan's school is running one for a week but it's themed healthy eating and Megan doesn't like salad or raw fruit so she's less than keen.:unsure: A few local churches are having a holiday clubs one week of the hols too.

[hulley howler]

Well schools have finished for summer and the kids are piling into my garden, limited to 5 kids plus my own (Jack) Kids come armed with suntan lotion, juice, sandwiches, snacks, mobile phones, towels, swim suits. They all pile into the pool and then go on the trampoline and then back into the pool, Hama beading, Treasure Hunts, with the occasional sleep over in the tents. We go on nature trails and I'm a bit like the pied
piper as the line of kids gets longer.
:bounce:
Life goes on like this for 4 or 5 weeks (weather permitting). My sanity is checked up on at regular intervals by their parents, who are ever so grateful. one parent shows her gratitude ever friday night, ( she owns the local pub )and free beer flows a plenty.:beer:

Update on Jacks Hydrogen Breath Test

Went for the test at 8-30 this morning, Jacks starting breath was 6, after he drank the Lactose solution (Which he said was yucky) :yucky:
the breath test was taken every 15 minutes, after 4 hours it had steadily rose to 144, Nurse taking test said this was not good, however we do have to wait for consultants opinion in August

[Copper]

Summer holidays sound like fun for you and Jack :lol2:

At least Jack has a result from the test. I fully expect them to tell you that he is lactose intolerant. I assume the solution he had to drink did not make him feel ill then?

[hulley howler]

Copper
You are correct the solution didn't make Jack ill
Summer Hols are fun and LOUD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jill]

I don't have any children (through choice) but I do have 3 of my nephews aged 10, 9 and 8 coming to stay for a couple of days in August. I haven't seen them for a year as they live in Belgium so it will be good to see them again. Don't know how we'll cope with the extra noise but I'm sure it will be fun!!!! I've already warned the neighbours!!!! In Belgium they get the whole of July and August off, the boys through choice spend alot of the time at the local Summer Club.

[Copper]

My daughters enjoyed their school holidays (I think) as they had friends round to play and vice versa. We did go to the beach but after 5pm when we were able to park.

[scallywag]

Whiterabbit, that really bothers me. Isnt that a shame for those children missing out and not having time with their parents.

I am going to find it a real wrench when i have to go to work for 2 mornings week in the holidays.Going to try and rearrange hours to suit the children. Couldnt imagine leaving my children everyday in childcare.

[scallywag]

Well schools have finished for summer and the kids are piling into my garden, limited to 5 kids plus my own (Jack) Kids come armed with suntan lotion, juice, sandwiches, snacks, mobile phones, towels, swim suits. They all pile into the pool and then go on the trampoline and then back into the pool, Hama beading, Treasure Hunts, with the occasional sleep over in the tents. We go on nature trails and I'm a bit like the pied
piper as the line of kids gets longer.
:bounce:
Life goes on like this for 4 or 5 weeks (weather permitting). My sanity is checked up on at regular intervals by their parents, who are ever so grateful. one parent shows her gratitude ever friday night, ( she owns the local pub )and free beer flows a plenty.:beer:

Update on Jacks Hydrogen Breath Test

Went for the test at 8-30 this morning, Jacks starting breath was 6, after he drank the Lactose solution (Which he said was yucky) :yucky:
the breath test was taken every 15 minutes, after 4 hours it had steadily rose to 144, Nurse taking test said this was not good, however we do have to wait for consultants opinion in August

Hi, Sounds like you are getting somewhere. Sorry to sound daft, but did the
nurse sort of confirm lactose intolerance.

I love your little note at the bottom. This reminds me of my mum. She loves to get lost in the country to find something new. I personally hate getting lost. Terrible sense of direction you see. I would go round and round in circles. HA ha. Map reading, well that would be an interesting day out.

Looking forward to the holidays, making a list of things that the children would like to do.

Still havnt made our camping trip yet, hope to go at the end of July, too many things have prevented us going, but i am determined to get something organised. Its a must, must, must.

[hulley howler]

Hi Scallywag

Dosn't sound daft at all, the nurse sort of confirmed Lactose intolerance, however he kept saying ' I'm not a consultant but I do these tests all the time and I'm usually 99% accurate'. Seeing consultant on 24th August so not long to wait.

I'm like your mum I love getting lost, we seem to find all sorts of lovely places, trouble is we can never seem to find these places again.

Camping oh yes had some good times in my youth, seems such a long time ago, can't seem to get the kids and the tent out of my garden though.
Jack and his friends had a sleep over in the tent last night, lots of giggling
and talking in to the early hours, none of them awake yet !
Please let me know whats on your list of things to do with the kids so i can add to my list.

[scallywag]

Hi hullyhowler, my children have devised the list.

Strawberry Picking
Horse Riding
Camping
Bike Riding
Friends staying over
Go swimming with grandad
Fishing
Go to the beach

Just to mention a few. Bless em. Not many expensive things hey. Will have to arrange some lovely days out.

[hulley howler]

Hi Scallywag,

Cheers for your list, Great ideas

ohhhhh strawberries, yum yum defo doing that,

Jacks up for the horse riding, found a stable quite close to us, so that should be fun,

found out our local lesiure centre is doing fun pool days only £3. so might try that

still want to try this geocaching, Matts really started something,

[matt]

well what can i say? like i've said on the website you can go to the forums. then go to uk section, then there is a section for adopt a newbie. you might get someone to take you out witout having bought a gps, to se if you like it... like it's possible not to!

bike riding
caching
swimming in pool
swimming in sea
fossil hunting
london....
kew

and time with me. what more could a child desire? :lol2: