Many grandparents are lucky enough to enjoy the December and January school holidays looking after grandkids.
This means thinking of things to keep them occupied for several days at a time. If you’re not careful, you can spend their inheritance just keeping them entertained.
It doesn’t have to be this way, though. There are lots of cheap ways you can keep the grandkids happy, create new traditions at the same time and save yourself from being too exhausted this school holidays.
Things to do this summer
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Scavenger hunt: You can organise a scavenger or treasure hunt in several ways. You might go outside and try to find examples of particular leaves or insects, or you might plant toys and treasures around the home for your grandchildren to find.
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National parks: Australia is full of national parks, so wherever you are in the country, there is likely to be one near you that you can take the grandkids to so they can get closer to nature. You could see how many parks you can visit over the summer break or you could choose a favourite place and make it an annual trip.
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Movie nights: With so many streaming services these days, watching movies at home has never been easier. Put in some popcorn, pick a theme and watch a few movies in a day or evening. If one resonates, it can become a film you watch every year at this time with the Grandkids. Some beautiful, cross-generational movies to enjoy together include Coco, Encanto and Up.
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Writing: Writing comes in many forms. During the school holidays, you could work on writing stories with the grandkids, you could journal to keep track of your activities, or you could write letters together. Finding creative ways to write with the kids is a super cheap way to be productive and educational while keeping them occupied.
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Putting on a play: Put a twist on writing by helping your grandkids to create and perform a play. Get creative and add puppets to the mix, or just have them act themselves. Once it's finished, it can be performed for their parents. It can also be a fun-filled family tradition, the grandkid’s Christmas holiday play.
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Arts and crafts: Arts and crafts are always a fun way to spend quality time with grandkids during the school holidays. Kids love to be creative, whether you just get out pencils and paper or set up something more elaborate. Consider one specific project, perhaps self-portraits, to become a tradition to create every year.
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Cooking and baking: Kids love getting their hands dirty and cooking or baking are excellent ways to be productive while making a mess. Create a signature dish to serve to parents every year or bake a different cake every year. The options are limitless.
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Gardening: Another productive way to keep little hands busy is to get out in the garden. By planting some seedlings, you can teach your grandchildren how to tend to plants. Then, in coming years, they can check on how their plants are growing and perhaps plant more.
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Museum and galleries: Many museums and galleries are free to enter or no more than a gold coin donation, so they are a cheap and educational outing with the grandkids. Look into your local museums and galleries. See if they have any holiday programs going, and you can make it a yearly visit.
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Beach: The beach is an Aussie classic when it comes to summer holidays. Along with swimming, of course, the kids can also build sandcastles, go for walks or beach comb. An annual sandcastle-building contest may make an exciting tradition.
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Picnic or BBQ: Another wonderful Aussie tradition is the summer picnic and BBQ. Australia is full of parks and gardens, and many are equipped with BBQ and picnicking facilities. Choose one with a playground; the grandkids will happily play for hours.
There are so many options that your imagination is the only limit. Just remember to keep in mind who your grandkids are. Don't try to push things on them that they won't enjoy. Some kids will thrive in the kitchen, but others will find cooking tedious. Talk with the kids about what they would enjoy and work with them to ensure everyone has as much fun as possible during the school holidays.
IMPORTANT: Any tips or advice contained in this article are general in nature and you should always seek professional advice from expert advisers about your individual situation before making significant financial decisions.
