Child Developement

Fun home activities to beat boredom during school holidays

The school holidays are just about here, and with it come the kids sky-high expectations of having some super holiday fun! As a parent you may be left wracking your head to think up new and creative ways to keep your kids engaged, especially if travel is not in the cards, or else you run the risk of hearing, I'm bored!. Kids do need something to keep them constantly occupied, but this need not mean that you have to give up on your activities and sit with your kids the whole day.

The trick is to think up of a mix of activities- some of which will allow some great parent-kid bonding time, and some that kids can engage in independently with little supervision. The KinderPass app has lots of daily live and interactive brain building sessions that combine virtual field trips, art and craft, storytelling and learning with a healthy dose of fun! What's more, most of these do not require parent participation and keep children happily engaged! Download the KinderPass app free now - on Android and iOS.

Here is how you can plan an unforgettable vacation for your little ones this holiday season.

1. Baking and Decorating Bonanza

Aren't holidays the perfect time to dig into warm home-baked goodies like cupcakes and cookies? (Just make sure not to go overboard with the sugar.) Spend the day doling up delicious-looking delights with your little one to help you knead, bake and decorate from scratch or from a meal kit. You can up the fun-quotient by organizing a cupcake decoration contest, where you get all sorts of sprinkles and toppings to deck up the dainty cupcakes. Who knows, this may just get your kid onto the Junior MasterChef bandwagon as you let their imagination run wild on your best bakes!

2. Plan a Camp-out at Home

Whether it is in your living room or backyard, get the sheets out and build a makeshift tent. Pull out all your kids soft toys and dolls and arrange them in picnic-style. Plan some yummy treats to gorge on and tell stories to your kids. Or simply play some board games to get some brain-exercise. The best part about this is that it doesn't cost much, and kids can enjoy the set-up on their own too through a make-believe world!

The KinderPass app hosts interactive virtual field trips that teach kids about different places in a fun way, complete with art and craft too! Download the app for free now - on Android and iOS.

3. Get Artsy

Whether it is a DIY kit which is available off the shelf, or a personalized activity that you have thought of, arts and crafts are a great way to keep kids happily busy. The options are unlimited- ask them to prepare a family collage with all your old family photographs, or take up flower-pressing and leaf-pressing. There are so many ways to get the creative juices flowing for your little ones: paper-mache; play dough; origami; painting; writing; scrapbooking; and much more. Or just attend the art and craft Brain Builder class on the KinderPass app!

4. Make-your-own-movie

The traditional way to make afternoons and evenings fun may be to stack up on kiddie-movies, pop some popcorn and get the kids settled down on the couch. Why not give movie-time a fun angle by getting your kids to become the actors and create their own movie? With a number of movie-maker software available these days, its easier than ever. Get some props and a video recorder, and start filming! Later, sit down with your little one and design the movie. This may just be the perfect way to give a boost to the creative actor in your kids!

5. Get your hands dirty, literally

Gardening is a great activity for both indoors and outdoors. You can improvise by making an indoor kitchen garden or by selecting a sunny spot in the backyard or balcony. Together, read up on what ingredients you may need like soil, compost, manure, pots etc. You can spend an afternoon filling up the pots with soil, aerating it and planting the seedlings. Moreover, its an ongoing commitment, and a great way to teach kids a thing or two about nurturing life too!

6. Fun with fashion

If your wardrobe is what fascinates your kids and you often find them fidgeting around in your best dresses, plan a wardrobe-indulgence day just for them. Plan to have your kids as the models in this home-grown fashion show. Let your little ones mix and match all your apparel, turn on some upbeat music, and let them prance around as tiny dazzling divas or handsome hunks. The best thing is that it's a low-risk activity, with not much supervision required!

7. Play with Puppets

Its the perfect time for some indoor indulgence- use fluffy toys to weave together a story, the puppet show way! Sit together and create a storyline based on what toys and puppets you have! Make a puppet-stage out of cardboard and have your kids and their friends act out those storylines with their furry friends. This can be a great indoor means for imaginative play.

The holidays are a good opportunity to introduce various new things to your kids, helping you realize their likes and dislikes. How you plan for your kids holidays can in fact be the stepping stone for young ones to develop a hobby for life. Try your best to encourage various forms of action- indoors and outdoors, artsy and adventurous, solo and group-work and before you know it, your kids will take a liking to a particular activity, and never be bored again!

For more interesting activities and ideas that make brain building fun, download the KinderPass app today - on Android or iOS!

About the author: Rhucha is Mumbai-based writer and poet, travel entrepreneur, baby and maternity photographer and nature lover. She loves to freeze beautiful moments through her words and her lens, whether it is a wildlife expedition or a cute new born baby.