Nip boredom in the bud! Top 50 activities for children this half term

I used to measure the success of school breaks based on the number of trips made to A&E. One year I had to deal with a 2-year-old who lost her fingernail in a slammed door AND a 3-year-old who broke her arm whilst climbing out of her cot.

We've moved on since then, and so has the economy.

The credit crunch means that many people may opt to stay local this half term, rather than the usual trip to France and Euro Disney.

Here are some ideas in preparation for when you wake up on Monday morning and the children ask "what are we doing today mummy?"

This post has a Thames Valley twist, but there are ideas that you can use to beat half term boredom in any location.

And if none of these ideas appeal ... you can always hire a babysitter and get a massage!

1. Go see High School Musical 3 Senior Year. In theatres starting 22 October.
2. Visit Harry Potter film locations
3. Throw a Halloween Party!
4. Take the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Tour. The Pott's home is the Ibstone windmill. You can park at the bottom of the hill in Turville and then hike up. There's a nice pub to have lunch. Duck Pond, where Truly drove into the water, is just beyond the Five Horseshoes Pub, and Hambleden is the quaint village in the film. Of course there is a nice pub there too. Please note, in no way are we suggesting that you drink to get through half term!
5. Go to the cinema. Don't like High School Musical? See if anything else strikes your fancy ...
6. Better yet, create your own home cinema. Shut the curtains in the middle of the day, make popcorn, buy a box of maltesers and watch Annie on repeat. Here's a list of some family favourites.
7. Thrill them with an IMAX film. Bugs at 250,000 their normal size? Deep Sea 3D. Trip to the moon anyone?
8. Go to the theatre in London. Grease. The Sound of Music. Children 8 and above can try the Les Miz Kids Club. See if there is anything on lastminute.com.
9. Check out some rainy day activities. This is England, and it will rain, so you may as well be prepared.
10. Plan your next birthday party. Someone's must be coming up. This only works for little girls, they can talk about parties and whom they are going to invite, for hours.
11. Have a pretend party. Wrap old toys in blankets, bring out the tea set and decorate the house.
12. Start baking. Here are some sites to check out: Cookery Club, Baking Mad, BBC Cooking with the Family.
13. Have a craft day.
14. Print out some colouring pages from the web. Let the kids pick a theme.
15. Play card games.
16. Pretend I'm going camping and I'm going to take...
17. Visit friends and relatives that you rarely see.
18. Have a playdate. One at yours, one at theirs. Perfect.
19. Get lost in a maze.
20. Pick your own fruit and vegetables. This month expect to find strawberries, raspberries, apples, pears, pumpkins, squash, cabbage and carrots.
21. Take a boat trip down the Thames. Hobbs of Henley.
22. Take the train somewhere ... the next town, Oxford, Bath, Windsor, anywhere. Kids love trains. 
23. Go ice skating.
24. Try rock climbing.
25. Learn to ski. Camps for 8 and above.
26. Have a go at waterskiing.
27. Ride a horse.
28. Tire them out swimming.
29. Take them go karting.
30. Go ten-pin bowling.
31. Fly a kite. The wide open fields in Maidensgrove (made famous by Ian McEwan) are perfect for this, and there is nice pub nearby.
32. Go cycling. Try Dinton Pastures.
33. Put them in camp -- football, tennis, rugby, etc. Check your local leisure centre.
34. Visit a London Museum. The best day to visit London of course if on Sunday -- parking is free and there is no congestion charge. If you aim to get to the museums by opening time -- you can usually find free parking nearby.
35. Visit Modern Art Oxford. They have a modern art trolly from 1 - 5 on Saturdays and Sundays. Entrance: Free until January.
36. Go to Legoland. Haven't had the pleasure this year? You still have time, they're open until 2nd November.
37. Visit Windsor Castle. The ticket is pricey, but you can use it all year.
38. Take a step back in time at Cogges Manor Farm.
39. Hang out at the Henley River and Rowing Museum.
40. Visit your local library.
41. See the animals at Odds Farms Park.
42. Go to the zoo. Try London, buy don't expect to see any elephants!
43. Get high on the London Eye.
44. Live some history on the HMS Belfast.
45. Visit Westminister Abbey and do some brass rubbings.
46. See the towns and gowns in Oxford, Cambridge and Eton.
47. Show the kids local produce at a farmer's market.
48. Go to Shakespeare-land.
49. Go to your local play park, or for variety, go to the playpark in a neighboring town. Get an ice cream. The kids won't care if it's cold and raining.
50. Talk to your kids. How about just chilling out and getting to know your children better. Enjoy them -- they are only little for a short while.

What are your favourite half term activities? Please leave a comment below and let us know.

Thanks to Charlene, Lucy, Anelisa and Cass who all shared their ideas for this article.

This post was written by Susanna, a Thames Valley Mums Blog founding contributor. You can read more at her blog, A Modern Mother.

Photo credit: florriebassingbourn

Comments

[Debbie from Henley]

Here are a few more ideas...

Walks and Picnics

Walk and picnic at the Arboretum on the left just before you get into Nuneham Courtenay on the A4074. You just pay about £2 to park. There are loads of fab old Rhododendrons for climbing/ making camps in; peacocks and other birds wandering around and various statues around the site. It's beautiful in the Autumn and a relaxing place to walk and have a picnic.

Walk To the Pub!

You can walk from the Henley College playing fields through 'Happy Valley' all the way up to the Maltsters Arms - takes about an hour to get there with 6 year olds plus. The journey back is more downhill and there are rabbits, cows, horses and sheep to spot. The route is in a handy little walks book called Walks Around Henley on Thames by Faith Wishlade. Published by Oxfordshire County Council. ISBN: 9 780954169008. Should be available from the local tourist office.

Tasting of Autumn events at RHS Gardens

We went to the Wisley Apple Tasting event last year with our three children - they had about 40 varieties of apples to taste - we tasted everyone and then each decided which was our favourite and bought the most popular ones to plant in our garden. There was also loads of things to do with the kids - pumpkin painting and carving, lots of other food to taste, some cookery demos and great gardens to run around. This year the event is too early for half term but if you want a trip up North there's events from 25th oct to 2nd November at Harlow Carr in Harrogate (including Apple Festival, Pumpkin Day and Mushroom Magic). details at www.rhs.org.uk/harlowcarr.

Cooking

If we are at home all week we usually have a day when the kids do most of the cooking - we've done pizza (making our own from scratch), fish cakes, loads of cakes and biscuits, cheese straws to mention but a few. They each cook something - a great way to get them to try new things (if a bit on the messy side).

Science Museum

Fantastic place - loads of planes, ships, interactive bits and a 3d cinema - you can lose yourself there for hours.

Something I haven't done but would like to try is going on those amphibious tours where you ride in a big yellow vehicle which can go on the river and the road - can't remember the name but they run in London. Sorry not that helpful I know!!

Day Trip to Bath

We had a lovely day in Bath with the children last year - there is tonnes to see and do - we went to the Roman Baths where you have 'telephones' to tell you all about the baths - there are different commentaries and things to spot for children. It really brought it all to life. Also great shopping. There's a big Park (Victoria Park) where there is pitch and putt too. If you want great food with atmosphere which is easy with kids try a little place called The Walrus and Carpenter which is close to the Theatre. You can get to Bath on the train from Reading or driving takes about 1.5 hours or less.

[Kirsten]

We went on one of those amphibious tours on Monday in Liverpool; we had a tour of the city centre as a bus and then splashed down into the Albert Dock with us all singing 'We're all in a Yellow Duck-Marine'! The kids loved it!!