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Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Holiday Activities

When I think of holiday activities I immediately think of how much it is going to cost me. Any activity nowadays that is outside of your home costs not only money but quite a lot of money. During school holidays I am always at a loss as what I can do with my daughter that is not going to make me completely broke.
Possible holiday activities for kids include the Aquarium, going to the movies, watching a show at the theatre, the Scratch Patch, the Clay Cafe or the World of Birds. Taking into account that most school holidays are 2 to 3 weeks long, you can see how this can become quite a costly process.
I have, therefore, come up with a few holiday activities that are not as costly. In the summer holidays there is always the beach or a going to a park – my daughter always enjoys going to Seapoint promenade for a walk and playing on the jungle gyms. Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens is always another great option but only if the weather is good. Walks in the forest or a hike up a mountain are activities which I enjoy but I often need to do a great deal of convincing before my daughter can get as excited as me.
During winter holidays I find myself completely stuck because all the inexpensive holiday activities I have just mentioned are not possible because they are all outdoors. What is a mom do to? I usually end up doing the lunch and movie outing once but that in total usually costs about R300 (just for the two of us!). Mmm...it would be great if such places as the Aquarium and the World of Birds did not only think of tourists when deciding on their entrance fees...us South Africans also like to expose our children to such experiences and we would probably do it more often if it didn’t cost so much.
The one winter holiday activity that I can always count on is the Natural History Museum at the Gardens in Cape Town. Children do not pay an entrance fee and adults are only R30. The Planetarium is also very reasonable and such a wonderful experience for children to have.
I have learnt to be more and more resourceful when it comes to keeping my child happy and busy during school holidays. Art activities at home are another great way to spend an afternoon. Small canvases and craft paints are surprisingly cheap and my daughter always enjoys creating her own masterpiece. Making your own play dough (flour, hot water, salt and food colouring) is always lots of fun and then, of course, there is always baking.
In the beginning of the holidays I always wonder how I am going to keep my daughter occupied but with a little creative thinking and lots of outside-the-box thinking I am always able to find holiday activities that keep both my child and my bank balance happy.

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