The Greatest Half-Term Activities For Kids
With half-term around the corner, it can be hard to think about how to entertain the kids. However, half-term breaks are an excellent opportunity for kids to try something different and make new memories. Check out our guide to the greatest half-term activities for kids and have plenty of fun, laughs and bonding time during the school holidays.
Outdoor half-term activities
If the sun is shining, why not head outdoors and enjoy what nature has to offer? You could involve the whole family by having a yummy picnic in the park or enjoying some fun garden games. There are plenty of ideas that are completely free or budget-friendly. We have plenty of screen-free ideas to ensure your children keep active and get outdoors.
Embrace nature with a scavenger hunt
A great way to excite kids about the outdoors is to create an adventure for them. This could be as simple as creating a nature scavenger hunt. Make a list of common insects, birds and plants that little ones can easily identify and let them explore the natural world while learning and having fun. They can tick the list off as they go and create some friendly competition to see who spots the most.
Try out nature crafts
Get crafty during half-term by using the nature that surrounds us. Head outside on an adventure to source materials. This could be in a forest, park, or even your back garden. Great natural materials to collect are leaves, sticks, wood, stones, grass, and even shells. There’s so much you can create with these natural items! Combine everything you have found into an interesting nature collage or try painting stones – you could even experiment with painting with leaves and sticks to apply different textures to children’s art. Another idea could be building an animal statue or figurine from sticks and wood. The possibilities are endless, and it is an excellent way for children to learn as they play.
Get physical
Half-term is the perfect opportunity to encourage kids to embrace a healthy lifestyle and enjoy the fresh air away from screens. Try setting up an obstacle course in the garden (or indoors on a rainy day!) by finding cushions, beanbags, tunnels, blankets, hula hoops and cones to create a course for children to race through. Siblings and friends can join in to see who can complete the course quickest!
Another great physical activity to try is sports – from football, basketball and cricket to tennis, running and rounders. Sports are enjoyable for children and encourage healthy competition. Play together as a family for extra fun bonding time.
Indoor half-term activities
There are still plenty of other fun activities for kids that don’t involve screen time on computers, TVs, or phones, and can be enjoyed indoors. If you’re looking for more things to do during half-term when the weather isn’t quite on your side, take a look at the below.
Make your own bath bombs
Bath bombs are super popular, and a whole new craze of making your own has started. Kids can create their own scents and colours with handy bath bomb kits. Creating bath bombs is easy with these kits and just like a mini science experiment.
All kids have to do is mix the powders and fragrance, add the crystal salts and mixture into one of the moulds, and press together. Afterwards, kids can unwind and watch their creation work wonders in the bath.
Cook up a storm
Cooking is one of the top half-term activities that kids love to do. There are so many cooking and baking recipes to try out and, of course, eat! You could bake simple cupcakes, cook meals together or even create a picnic of tasty treats. Cooking up a storm in the kitchen helps kids follow directions and understand measurements, whilst having some messy fun. It is also a great way to bond as a family!
Crack out the activity books
When the weather is dull, one of the best things to do in half-term is toget involved in colouring fun with an activity book. Kids can enjoy endless hours of entertainment with lots of different colouring puzzles to do.
From the iconic Lilo & Stitch to the exciting world of Robot, Races & Dinosaurs, there’s something for everyone.
Do some DIY
Create a new passion for your kids by giving them the opportunity to do some DIY. This is a hands-on and enjoyable half-term activity that can also aid with bonding. Develop everyone’s creativity and communication by creating something together. There’s lots to choose from in the world of DIY, from painting, decorating, fixing items, and even making things from wood or metal.
Discuss ideas with your kids and settle on something everyone likes so that children stay interested during the project. Devise a plan, tasking your kids with jobs they can have control over and outlining what they can assist on. Doing this gives children independence and develops vital team-work skills too - both of which will help to support their academic development.
Have a go at jewellery making
Spark your children's imaginations and creativity with some jewellery making. Let children create epic designs and show off their design skills. There are multiple different jewellery making sets that kids can get creative with.
Jewellery sets make it easy to create any kind of jewellery, giving children the choice of designs and patterns. From making friendship bracelets to creating cute necklaces, kids can go wild with their visions and wear or gift their creations.
Fun days out
Planning a fun day out is a great half-term activity to excite little ones and give them something to look forward to. Embark on a budget-friendly mini-adventure and make new memories with your loved ones.
Experience the fun of a farm
Every child loves to look at cute animals, and the farm is just the place for doing that. Not only can kids look at different cute animals, but they can also interact with them! This half-term have some farm fun where children can learn all about farm animals and their purposes. They can also pet fluffy and friendly animals whilst deepening their knowledge and love of animals.
Many farms host reasonably priced family fun days during the holidays, during which kids can get up close and personal with animals, learn more about them through talks and fun activities, do some farm crafting, burn energy in the play area, and even help out with farm duties, such as feeding and grooming.
Go to the cinema or watch a play
Take the school holidays as an opportunity to go and watch the latest movies together at the cinema. Many cinemas give family discounts and offer family tickets, making it less expensive and more affordable. Tuck into some popcorn and enjoy a movie you all will love.
You could also go and watch a play at your local theatre. During the half-term break, many theatres put on kid-friendly shows to entertain families. These are usually affordable and super entertaining for children. Look at what’s on near you and enjoy the magic of theatre.
Visit the Nerf experience in Manchester
Get your battle on at the Nerf experience in Manchester. The NERF Action Xperience provides various challenges and activities to keep the whole family entertained for hours on end. If you’re unable to get to Manchester, kids can still experience the exhilaration of action-packed NERF games at home with our range of Nerf guns and blasters. Nerf battles are a great way for kids to develop their hand-eye coordination skills and keep active.
So, what are you waiting for? Let children pick out their favourite activities from this list, or try writing them down on pieces of paper and mixing them in a bowl. Kids can then pick out an activity for the day at random! Try these great half-term activities and keep your kids entertained for hours during the school holidays.
