8 Things to Do with Kids During Vacations - A one stop parenting blog!

Summer vacations are approaching. Holiday time! But also, a time when kids are packed inside their homes the whole day. They will be restless and we know how taxing that could get. So, to keep them engaged, we need to plan things to do with kids in advance. Make sure to involve them in the planning process to avoid complaints later. Try to be as involved as possible with your children and value this time as an opportunity to connect with them.

1. Summer camps

Identify what are the areas of interest for your child. Based on that find the summer camps near you to get him enrolled. Summer camps have several activities which ensure fun and learning as well. Plus, the best part is that it stretches for the entire summer break. So, you can be relaxed and busy with your things rather than find ways to entertain your children daily.

2. Indoor games

An extensive range of indoor games is available in the market. You can even create one yourself rather than spending outside and kids will be equally entertained. Games such as charades, musical chairs, hide and seek, Floor is Lava, and Scavenger hunt are a few of the most amusing games for things to do with kids during summer vacation. There are great board games such as Monopoly, Scramble, Ludo, Checkers, etc. that we have been playing since childhood and have been delightful.

3. Coloring and Crafts

This one is an evergreen activity for things to do with kids. You can either take printouts or buy them canvases to draw and paint. Kids remain engaged for hours if they love colouring or crafts. Buy them new sets of stationaries which makes them even more enthralled to do the activity. Plus, they will also be learning a new skill which will help them in so many ways.

4. Visiting Library

Children are mostly acquainted with their school libraries, that too only if they are 6 or older. However, with libraries becoming more popular these days for kids, you will certainly find one near you. One of the best things to do with kids for me to take them to the library, where they know they ought to remain quiet. Utilize this break and take them more often. To see them sit and explore different books is blissful. A perfect win-win situation for everyone!

5. Reading

If your child has any interest in reading, make it your mission to foster this hobby. You can create a reading space in your house, where you both can sit and read. This makes it an excellent choice for things to do with kids. The best thing about reading is that it not only lets your child read stories but builds on so many more skills such as communication, language and grammar, and even creative skills. You can either buy books or just gift them a journal and ask them to write their own imaginative stories. Learning such a skill is such a boost to their confidence as well.

6. Recreation Centers

Theme parks, play areas, gaming arcades, etc. are one of the most enjoyable things to do with kids during holidays, if you ask them. You can take them more often than usual and have them spend hours at the place. Especially, in the scorching summers, this will prove to be a better idea than the open parks.

7. Movies, Zoo, Picnics

Vacations can be the best time to do things with your kids which you would be considering for long but never found the right time. This is especially true with kids of young children. As weekends after school are mostly spent either relaxing or them fighting off a sickness, long breaks can be the best time to do things out of the ordinary.

8. An Outstation Trip

This would top the list of things to do with kids of parents who are travel buffs. Or even if you are an occasional traveler like us, taking a trip with kids will always be an enriching experience. Though at times, we see more hassles than benefits of traveling with small kids, if you plan and manage properly, such outstation trips can be a wholesome experience for the entire family. It makes the best option for things to do with kids because children not only have fun but also connect to nature and learn so much about their surroundings.

If you feel you child is not interested in doing anything during their vacations, other than loitering around the screen, read 10 Ideas to Wean a Child Off Screen.

If you are too busy to make big plans, involve your child in the household chores. You can teach them basic cooking or baking. You can also teach them gardening or decorating interiors. If you have the right intentions, there are plentiful fun things to do with your kids.