Based on your electricity bill, summer has not been cancelled

and you still have no clue what you are going to do with the children for the

long holidays. Many vacation spots, summer camps and pools have closed due to

coronavirus and despite wishful thinking, it’s not leaving any time soon.

So what are we to do with the children who are

restless, bored out of their minds and eating us out of house and home? All is

not lost as there are still some activities that are kid-friendly while being

cost-effective.

Your first source of assistance should be the grandparents’

house. Whether they are close by or in the country, when it doubt, lean on your

parents. They have much to share including surviving in and appreciating a

world before gadgetry took over. It can also be fun for them, satisfying for the

old folks and a relief for you. Let them eat their snacks for a while.

If they are not an option, get creative. Think of your

child or children’s strengths and interests and play to them. This makes it easier

to customise and tailor activities for them individually that will not only

keep them occupied but may even have them learn a thing or two.

If your son or daughter is good with their hands, a

project that they can dedicate at least part of their summer to is to build

something that they can look at and feel a level of pride. If you are tactile

and can swing a hammer, why not make the building of a tree house a task you can

work on together? There are dozens of tutorials on how to do the basics of

knocking together a square or rectangle frame and material should not be a problem

as sourcing old crates is simple enough or ask furniture makers for discarded

bits and pieces. What counts is the effort of teamwork and if you are daunted

by a tree house then start off smaller and construct a doghouse for your pet.

If being outdoors and getting dirty is not for your

child, do not despair. Once again think about what they like to do or watch on

television. If it’s cooking pull out your old cooking book or better yet have

them browse YouTube for simple dishes they always wanted to try themselves and

then head to the supermarket for the ingredients. Have you not seen what kids

can do on Junior MasterChef? Age is no longer an excuse for them to be spending

all day playing mind-zapping video games. Get them engaged. There may be some

initial protest as children see everything as work and work is a four letter

word but stay the course and allow them to be great in their own small way.