It’s only a few days since the long school holidays began and there has been a noticeable online trend of parents sharing images and stories of their children ‘mess scenes’. The cause being a lot of free time with limited guidance on how to spend it. Instead of sharing these scenes, why not seize the opportunity to relax and explore new experiences with your children? Discover creative and new ways to keep them engaged and entertained. In this article, we explore eight fantastic activities that can help you have a holiday blast with your child by engaging, bonding, and learning together.
1. Cooking and Baking Kenyan Cuisines.
Let’s start with a delectable adventure in the kitchen! Why not introduce your child to the diverse and delicious world of Kenyan cuisine? From Mukimo, Biryani, Pilau, Omena, to Mursik your child can be a little chef in the making. Together you can explore Kenyan recipes, visit local markets, and learn about the rich culinary traditions of Kenya. It’s a great way to bond with your child while learning about the different cultures and cuisines.
2. Picnics and Outdoor Games.
Picnics are a great way to blend the outdoors with delicious food and quality family time. There are many beautiful picnic sites around the country like, the Nairobi Arboretum, Karura Forest, Thompsons Falls (Nyahururu), and Hell’s Kitchen in Marafa Malindi. While at it create special memories by playing games like soccer, tag of war, hide-and-seek, and rope skipping. This will give you an opportunity to bond deeply with your child. You can add more fun to this by teaming up with another family.
3. Gardening and Tree Planting.
Introduce your child to the wonders of gardening by starting a small garden at home, it will be both educational and fulfilling. Help them grow vegetables, herbs, flowers, or even a tree. Gardening instills a sense of responsibility and patience as your child watches their effort blossom and grow.
4. Arts and Crafts.
Creativity knows no bounds, and the school holidays are a great time for your child to express themselves through arts and crafts. Provide them with art supplies like paint, colored paper, markers, glue, scissors, clay, and other crafting supplies. Encourage them to let their imaginations run wild and create masterpieces that showcase their talents. You can help them look up art inspiration from YouTube or Pinterest. These activities help develop fine motor skills and allow children to express themselves.
5. Knitting and crocheting.
Knitting and crocheting are highly rewarding hobbies even for adults, so why not start this together with your child during this holiday? It offers a range of cognitive, emotional, and physical benefits while allowing you and your child create beautiful functional items. Start by investing in child-sized knitting needles and crotchet hooks that small hands can manipulate and search for kid-friendly online tutorials. Allow your child to choose the yarn colors, try out different stitches, and patterns as it fosters creativity and personalization. Remember this may take time and practice for kids to become proficient, so be patient and supportive throughout their crafting journey.
6. Indoor Games and Activities.
Indoor games and activities are a necessity to keep your child engaged while in the house. You can start with board games like Chess, Scrabble, Puzzles, Jenga Blocks, Ludo Etc according to their age. Family movie nights are a must-do activity this holiday season. Together create a movie marathon, Pop some corn, switch off the lights, and get every family member on board to watch the movies together. Also, you can create wonderful playlists with Spotify music, and let your child teach you the latest dance moves. These games and activities help improve problem-solving skills and foster family bonding.
7. Volunteer Activities.
Teaching your child, the value of giving back is an invaluable lesson. Consider involving them in activities like tutoring their younger siblings, assisting in children’s homes, collecting donations for charity, serving in your local church, or even community clean-ups.
8. Story Telling.
Story-telling is a timeless tradition that can ignite your child’s imagination and love for reading. Take turns telling stories, reading books, or even creating your own family storybook. This activity will help improve language skills, expand vocabulary, and create a strong bond between you and your child.
In conclusion, the school holidays are an excellent opportunity to create memorable moments with your child and help them learn and grow in different ways. By engaging in activities above you can keep your child entertained, enriched, and connected to the world around them. Do let us know which activity you’ll be engaging in, as you make the most of this precious time with your child. Both of you will have a holiday to remember!
