Last Updated on October 27, 2023 by Parentology
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For many parents in Singapore, the arrival of school holidays presents a familiar dilemma: “How to keep the kids both entertained and enriched?”
Fortunately, this guide presents a curated list of exciting and educational activities designed to entertain kids at home. These activities promise not only fun but also invaluable educational moments, skill-building experiences, and plenty of opportunities for family bonding, ensuring they acquire new skills in the process.
From delving into intriguing science experiments and creating art from upcycled materials to enjoying themed movie marathons and awakening the budding chef within every child, there’s an activity to spark every youngster’s interest. Dive in and discover the secrets to a memorable and meaningful holiday for the whole family.
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Dive into Science Experiments: Ignite your children’s interest in science by conducting cool experiments at home. Not only will it keep their minds active, but it will also provide an exciting educational experience during the holidays. Examples include creating slime, making a lava lamp, or even building a solar oven. Allow them to choose an experiment or pick one together for younger kids.
Upcycle with Arts & Crafts: Encourage your kids to get creative during the holidays by transforming everyday materials into imaginative creations. Have them use items like empty water bottles, tissue boxes, paper plates, and old crayons. Upcycling these items into new, innovative crafts is not only fun but also teaches the importance of the three R’s: reduce, reuse, and recycle.
Family Board Game Time: Playing board games as a family is an entertaining way to spend time together and can also benefit your kids in various ways. Board games provide young children with early learning opportunities, such as identifying colors, counting spaces, and developing hand-eye coordination. Strategy games can stimulate brain development, critical thinking, and cognitive skills in kids and teens. And all games teach the value of patience, sportsmanship, and focus.
Themed Movie Marathon: Instead of endlessly scrolling through streaming services, set a theme for a movie marathon or let your kids choose one. Enhance the experience by preparing themed snacks together. Some possible themes include Jungle (Tarzan, Jungle Book, The Lion King), Sea (Finding Nemo, The Little Mermaid, Moana), or Monster (Monsters, Inc., Monsters vs. Aliens, Hotel Transylvania).
Chore Rewards System: With everyone at home for the holidays, the house can get busy. Get your kids involved in household chores by setting up a reward system. Motivate them with rewards such as choosing the dinner menu, picking the movie for the next marathon, or even an extra serving of dessert.
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Reading Challenges: If your child loves reading, challenge them to read at least one new book each week during the holidays. For those less inclined to read, create a reading schedule with 15-20 minute sessions tailored to their age and reading level. Read together, have them read aloud, or enjoy silent reading time. For older kids, encourage them to summarize the book and share what they’ve learned.
Indoor Scavenger Hunt: Organize an indoor scavenger hunt as an easy and inexpensive way to entertain your kids using items already at home. Add an exciting twist by incorporating clues or riddles leading to the next item, keeping them engaged and excited throughout the hunt.
Film or Role-Playing Creation: Let your kids unleash their creativity by creating a short movie or role-playing scene. Shooting a movie or role-playing encourages imagination and positively affects children’s social, emotional, and cognitive development. Re-enact a scene from a favorite book or create an original story together.
Family Scrapbooking: Encourage your creative child to compile a scrapbook of family photos during the holidays. Scrapbooks are a unique way to store memories compared to regular photo albums. If you don’t have a scrapbook, create one with construction paper, punch holes in one corner, and bind with a loose-leaf ring. Reminisce together as you arrange your cherished memories.
Cooking Kid-Friendly Dishes: Many children enjoy helping out in the kitchen. By introducing them to simple, child-friendly recipes, you not only satisfy their curiosity but also provide a sense of accomplishment as they play a role in creating a tasty dish. Cooking together teaches valuable life skills and might just nurture the next culinary prodigy. Just remember to choose recipes that don’t involve handling sharp objects or hot surfaces.
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Each activity in this revised and mixed sequence offers a balanced mix of creativity, education, and fun and promotes both individual growth and family bonding.
Ready for more? Here are 10 more exciting activities:
Garden Together: Introduce your children to the joys of gardening. Whether you have a backyard, balcony, or just some indoor pots, planting seeds and watching them grow is both educational and fulfilling. They can learn about different plants, the importance of patience, and the joy of nurturing something.
DIY Musical Instruments: Gather items around the house to create simple musical instruments. Empty containers can become drums, rice-filled bottles can be shakers, and a stretched rubber band over a box can serve as a simple guitar. Once everyone has an instrument, form a family band and have a jam session!
Family Fitness Hour: Dedicate an hour each day for family fitness. This could be anything from yoga to dance-offs, simple stretches, or even a small obstacle course in the living room. It’s a fun way to keep everyone active.
Camping Indoors: If outdoor camping isn’t feasible, why not set up a tent in the living room? Share spooky stories, roast marshmallows over the stove, and enjoy a night “under the stars” with the comfort of being indoors.
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Storytelling Chain: Sit in a circle and start a story, then each person adds a sentence or two. It’s hilarious to see where the story goes, and it’s a great exercise for creativity.
DIY Puppet Show: Let your children design and craft their own puppets using socks, buttons, yarn, and any other craft supplies you have on hand. After creating their characters, encourage them to put on a puppet show for the family.
Learn a New Skill Together: Choose a new skill or hobby and learn it as a family. It could be knitting, juggling, origami, or even a new language. There are plenty of online resources and tutorials available to guide you.
Homemade Spa Day: Have a relaxing day with DIY facials, foot soaks, and homemade hair masks. Let everyone pick a spa treatment, and then take turns pampering each other.
International Cuisine Night: Each week, pick a country and cook a meal inspired by its cuisine. It’s a culinary adventure and a geography lesson all in one. You can even extend the theme by watching a film or reading a story from that country.
Nature Art: Go on a walk outside and collect leaves, twigs, stones, and anything else that catches your eye. When you get home, use these materials to create unique works of art, whether that means painting the stones, pressing the leaves, or crafting a twig sculpture.
Keeping children engaged during the holidays can be a challenging task, but with a little creativity and some family bonding time, it can become an unforgettable experience for everyone. The activities mentioned above not only help foster a sense of creativity and curiosity in children but also help in developing valuable life skills. Whether it’s cooking a family meal, conducting science experiments, or creating art from nature, there’s no limit to the fun and learning that can be had. Here’s to a holiday season filled with laughter, joy, and cherished memories that will last a lifetime!
As you plan for unforgettable holiday moments, it’s essential to also plan for your family’s financial future. Reach out to our experienced financial advisor today for a comprehensive financial planning session.
Our advisors will help you craft a customized strategy that ensures your family’s long-term financial security while still enabling you to enjoy the present. Whether it’s planning for your children’s education, securing your retirement, or achieving specific financial goals, we’re here to guide you every step of the way.
Don’t leave your family’s financial future to chance – let’s plan for it together!
