Holiday Time: Argh I hear you say!
I Know this time of year used to creep up on me when my children were small. We would be going through the daily routines of getting everyone up in time, washed, dressed and fed before bundling them out of the door and walking to nursery/school. All the time thinking, do they have their packed lunch, money for school trip, PE kit, homework, and on and on. Then before I knew what was happening it was the last day of the school year!
Great a bit of a lie in, I hear you say! It never lasts long, does it? They were up at the crack of dawn wanting to be out with their friends. By lunch time I would hear them cry, 'mam I'm bored'. Trips to the local park and the beach were a treat, but the novelty soon wore off.
How long are the school summer holidays now, 6/7 weeks? Too long.
When I was younger (a long time ago now) I used to collect items in a box, I enjoyed collecting and sorting different items of interest. Crikey, this is bring back some memories. I had a collection of old keys, some belonged to family, some I found in my granddads shed. In my head I would imagine where they fit and what they opened. I also collected old photographs, brooches, keying's, badges, wade whimies (small animal ornaments) and more. I enjoyed sorting through my box of treasures, and when I think about it now, this was a calming time, just for me with my special treasures. I'm sure that I wasn't the only child to do this, in fact, I remember talking to friends about their collections. Some collected cards, badges, bears, cars etc. The great thing about this idea is that its personal, unique and individual, which is what makes it so special.
How about this for an idea,.....Busy Treasure Bags, including gadgets that interest them. Especially, made to suit their age and interests. It doesn't have to be a bag, it could be a box or any container with a lid. All children enjoy collecting stuff. The latest craze, collection cards, marbles, coins etc. Our grandson went through a stage of collecting ''Ugly Pets' (small ugly pets inside trash cans!) He still likes to get them out occasionally and sort through them. He is now collecting Lego, and he has a bag of gadgets. Like most boys he likes gadgets that change, twist, stretch, squash, bend, fit together. it keeps him busy while travelling. He is 8 years old.
The great thing about this idea is, that its transportable, ideal for travelling, taking to the shops, waiting for appointment. If their treasure collection grows too big, then just encourage them to take a selection with them in a drawstring bag. This way, the choice is up to your child, making it important and keeping it interesting. Its much better to keep them interested by supporting their decisions. Adding to their collection will help to keep it interesting, support and encourage their ideas.
Mums can relate to this, think about your hand bag, I know I cant got anywhere without mine.
I hope this helps your survive the school holidays, a little. Watch this space for more ideas over the next few weeks.
