With each season comes the school holidays and parents scrambling to find ways to keep the kids busy, entertained and out of trouble. The dates of the school holidays vary by region but rest assured that there are plenty of winter school holiday activities for all children (and budgets).
In this blog, we will share:
- Educational activities
- Adventure activities
- Creative activities
- How to save money during the school holidays
Educational Holiday Activities
Schools may be closed, but learning does not have to stop. During the winter school holidays, you can keep your children’s minds active and engaged. Doing this can ensure they are ready to dive into their work when they return to school, and of course, will keep them busy in the meantime.
1. Library visits
If you don’t have many books around the house or your children want to explore different genres, the library is the place to go. Children can have reading time at the library, or they can take books home. If you have not already, sign them up for library cards so they can borrow books.
If your children are not big on reading or may have challenges reading, many libraries offer audiobooks as a part of their services. You can also subscribe to audiobook platforms for access to a greater variety of books, and you can use Book discount codes to save on a subscription.
2. Research project
Give your children a fun research project to do over the holidays. You can give them a specific topic or general theme, such as their favourite movie, cartoon or sport. Depending on their age, they can write or collect pictures to make a collage. The goal is to have them do research on something they are curious about or enjoy, and before school starts, they can present this to the whole family.
3. Journaling
“Journaling is a great and powerful activity that benefits everyone, especially children,” says Marylyn Ncube. Through journaling, children can improve their reading and comprehension skills, emotional awareness skills, communication skills and confidence. Start small by having them write a short journal entry (i.e. one paragraph) about their day, their feelings or thoughts. You can set a time for journaling each day or encourage them to reach for their journal when they feel like writing something down.
4. Cooking and baking
Perfect and adaptable for children of all ages, cooking and baking are not only great for spending time together and bonding, but they also provide plenty of teaching opportunities. From teaching kitchen safety rules to counting, measuring and weighing, there are plenty of lessons that can be taught in the kitchen.
5. Boredom
Keeping children entertained at all times is not possible, and that is okay. Letting them be bored provides a number of learning opportunities for them, such as encouraging them to be creative and encouraging them to develop problem-solving skills. Too much activity can overstimulate them, so allowing them time to be bored can also be beneficial for their mental health.
Adventure Holiday Activities
Even though it is winter, children can still have fun! Whether it is indoors or outdoors, there are adventures to be had, and you can save on these with Days Out discount codes. Below are places you can visit and activities children or the whole family can do.
1. Queen Victoria Market
If you are in Melbourne, you can gather up the whole family and head to the Queen Victoria Market. This winter, they have a ton of family-friendly activities available to explore, as well as school holiday activities. One such activity is Gardening 4 Kids. Taking place on the 8th, 10th, 15th and 17th of July from 10 am - 2 pm, this activity allows children to plant organic sunflower seeds, decorate biodegradable pots and carry bags, and label their flower pots.
That’s not all! They can also take part in the Root Veggie Dig activity, which will have them digging up root vegetables. This activity is free; however, booking is still required beforehand.
2. Melbourne Museum
Another Melbourne-based activity is visiting the Melbourne Museum. For babies and children up to the age of 5, you can take them to the daily Children’s Gallery. Children enter for free and adults pay $15, and all slots must be booked ahead of time. At this gallery, children will get hands-on excavation experience, learn about plants and even have a disco! The gallery also offers autism-friendly activities for children on the spectrum.
For the winter school holidays, the museum is running a special program from the 5th of July to the 20th of July. Activities include fun, interactive and educational lessons on dinosaurs, prehistoric times and insects. If you do not have a Museum Member membership that allows free entry during the school holidays, be sure to check out our Exhibition discount codes for potential deals and savings.
3. Mount Coot-tha
For families in Brisbane, get the children out and about by taking them walking, hiking and even cycling at Mount Coot-tha. Winter is the perfect season for having adventures at Mount Coot-tha and there are a number of trails suitable for different fitness levels and children of all ages. Afterwards, head to the cafe for hot chocolate or have a picnic at the picnic area.
4. The Simpson Desert
A popular destination, especially during the winter school holidays, the Simpson Desert is the place to go for adventure. Hit the sand dunes with activities such as dune bashing and trekking across the desert. For a worry-free experience, be sure to book any activities, tours and accommodation ahead of time. Browse through our offering of Accommodation discount codes for savings.
5. Port Douglas
Port Douglas offers a variety of activities during the school holidays for children and families. Some of the activities and adventures that you can explore include:
- A tour from Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures
- Swimming, snorkelling and diving at the Great Barrier Reef
- Exploring the Daintree Rainforest
- Visiting the BIG4 Port Douglas Glengarry Holiday Park
If you are travelling, get the best deals with our Travel discount codes and use Experience Days discount codes for deals on experience bookings.
Creative Holiday Activities
Imagination is everything, especially during childhood. There are plenty of winter school holiday activities that can help grow your child’s imagination and encourage them to explore their creative side. Here are some activities that you can try out:
- Painting
- Drawing
- Making handmade decorations for the house
- Making a scrapbook
- Making collages with natural materials such as leaves, sticks and sand
- Building sand castles
- Making friendship bracelets
Budgeting During School Holidays
Having the children at home all day, every day can be costly, especially when you want to try out different activities with them. This doesn’t necessarily have to be the case, and you can find ways to save money.
- Have a plan for the activities you want to do and the places you want to visit. This can prevent last-minute activities and unnecessary spending.
- Based on your plan, draw up a budget for each activity and site. Find out how much tickets, accommodation and any extras may cost.
- Look for free activities in your community. As mentioned above, you can go to the library or find children’s programs at museums.
- Focus on at-home activities. Playing in the garden or park, camping in the living room, playing boardgames and building puzzles are some options.
- Another at-home activity that parents may enjoy more than children is cleaning! The Sydney Morning Herald recommends that you “mobilise your mini people for household missions.”
- Take advantage of any savings deals that you come across. To make this easier, regularly check out Love Coupons for deals from your preferred and favourite brands.
Stay Busy With Winter School Holiday Activities
Keep the children busy and yourself sane with our suggestions for winter school holiday activities. For more school holiday activities, read our blog on fun school holiday activities.
