Keeping kids entertained through the school holidays can be quiet the challenge and especially when you have 40+ kids to take care of. Vacation care and OSHC are a hugely important services helping parents to maintain their work while having peace of mind their children are well taken care of. Speaking to many vacation care staff we have also found that by having a great range of activities their numbers have increased significantly. Coming up with new and exciting things for the kids to do is essential to keep the kids interested. Taking the kids out for the day on excursions are great however with the costs of charted buses extra staff etc.. incursions are a must for a large percentage of the holidays. Here are a few ideas we have come across that are sure to keep the kids happy for hours.
1. PROJECT RUNWAY
As for creativity this is a great one that has been enjoyed by the kids a number of times. As we all know kids love to dress up so this activity involves taking the kids down to the local second hand or OP shop to select a piece of clothing to suit a certain theme chosen by the staff. These costumes are then used with a photo booth to pose for pictures and the kids are able to receive instant prints from the booth. Photo booths can also be hired with red carpet and gold bollards for the complete experience making the kids feel like a celebrity for the day.
2. OBSTACLE CHALLENGE
Obstacle courses are definitely a popular option at the moment with the Ninja Warrior TV show sparking a large interest from the kids. By hiring an inflatable obstacle course you are able to provide the kids with plenty of exercise and loads of fun. Obstacle courses can be hired as single parts or multiple sections that can be connected together. We have also seen in the past some vacation care groups using 2 or 3 obstacle course inflatables spread across a school gym with other obstacles such as foam stage blocks to jump over or hula hoops to step through creating a massive course perfect for entertain big groups of children.
3. A MINI OLYMPICS DAY
For a very cost effective activity that will keep the kids active and entertained why not try a mini Olympics day. Activities such as tunnel ball, running races, hurdles etc.. can all be completed in most cases by using the schools equipment. By setting teams and keeping scores the kids can compete through the day leading to a wining team at the end.
3. AN INCURSION MOVIE DAY
Kids just love to watch movies and with the logistics of getting a large group of children to the cinema and back sometimes a movie day at the vacation care is a great option. Many OSHC services have access to the schools large projector screens and by hiring items such as popcorn machines you can create the same movie experiences. Why not get the kids to also dress up as their favourite character to add some more fun to the day.
4. HIRING A JUMPING CASTLE
Hiring a jumping castle is always an excellent option for vacation care groups. With most large jumping castles costing around $220 for the day it is a very cheap activity that is certainly always enjoyed. With most groups having access to school gyms it also proves to be perfect as there is no effect from poor weather. There are a large array of different themed jumping castles with lots of styles to choose from, some with pop ups and slides that give the kids more to play on.
5. A BRING ALONG YOUR WHEELS DAY
Kids just love to ride their bikes, scooters and roller skates so why no make a day for them to do it at vacation care. Schools provide the perfect track with lots of large, flat concrete and paved areas perfect for riding around. Cones can be used to set up tracks for the kids to follow and with the kids worn out from a day of riding around the parents will thank you.
6. LASER TAG / SKIRMISH
Kids just love to play laser tag however the cost of taking a big group to a centre for an hour to play is expensive for a small time frame. Mobile laser tag can be hired and as it is delivered to your OSHC you have a day of fun without having to leave the school. Laser tag can be hired in different packages and configurations to suit different groups and inflatable mazes are a great option to provide an arena for the games. From our experiences this activity is always a hit and OSHC groups re-hire this a couple of times each year.
7. A BOARD GAMES DAY
Children love playing board games so why not make a day of it. Get the kids to bring in their favourite Named board game to play with their friends. You can also up the entertainment by hiring some giant board games and also get the kids to make their own which provides a great craft activity.
8. CREATE A PUPPET SHOW
By supplying some fabric, glue, cardboard etc.. the children can create their own puppets and then come up with their own show for the rest of the kids.
9. A SHERLOCK HOLMES MYSTERY DAY
Why not create a mystery for the kids to solve. Come up with clues for the kids to follow, maybe maps of the school with a checklist to complete.
10. PONY CYCLES
Pony cycles are great fun for the kids (and staff). By hiring these ride on animals you can create tracks or even ride on tours around the school. These pony cycles provide a great source of exercise keeping the kids active.
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