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What a year its been! For parents of children of all ages, school closure and travel restrictions have meant that many of us have spent a lot more time with our children than we usually would have in a regular year. For some families, this extra time has been a welcome relief from the rush of racing out the door to school and to activities and they have really enjoyed the extra family time. For others, this time of extended togetherness has been exhausting and relentless and the thought of a six week summer holiday approaching is hard to digest.
With future restrictions and the COVID progression unkown and liable to change anytime, the upcoming holidays may look very different to prior Summer holidays and for varying reasons parents may have less time off work, be less motivated to create activities or be unable to have the experiences or travels they had hoped for. Therefore this blog looks at what you can do with your children during this holiday period which can promote your closeness and connection to them without requiring as many hours of your very precious and demanded time or needing to rely on activity centres etc being open.
Here are some ideas to create quality time with children of all ages:
Zero – Two year year olds
- Bath time
- A walk where your child faces you in their stroller and you can chat
- Cuddles
- Singing and dancing to songs on a playlist
- Going for a baby chino or alternative treat
- Bedtime routine with stories and lullabies
Three year old – Five year olds
- picnic in the park with just you
- A home made craft activity eg: pasta necklaces
- Stories
- Bath time
- Home made obstacle course or fort building
- Teaching them to play a simple card / board game and playing regularly
Six year olds to Ten year olds
- Time on trampoline or outdoor sport
- Playing an interactive computer game against each other eg: Nintendo Wii
- Board games
- Finding a project to do together that focuses on a common interest
- Basic baking or cooking activity
- Involve your child in helping with something you do daily and chat whilst doing it eg: trip to supermarket / making dinner
Eleven year olds to Fourteen year olds
- Sport
- Doing your child’s favourite activity together
- Lunch date
- Scrapbooking / daily journaling
- Cooking together
- Creating something together as an ongoing project eg: large mosaic artwork for the house
Fifteen year olds to Eighteen year olds
- Driving lessons
- A run or a bike ride
- Watching a movie together
- A coffee date
- Yoga / meditation
- Preparing dinner for the family
When you have multiple children of different ages and stages, it can sometimes be easy to ‘forget’ the importance of quality time with the child who is least demanding of your time. By scheduling in time with each child one on one and making this a consistent part of your daily or weekly routine, each child feels closer to you. This will hopefully also improve the bond between each of your children. At the end of what has been a challenging year for everyone worldwide, these holidays are an opportunity to re group. Planning quality time with all family members can help to create a more memorable and happier school holiday experience for all.