Educational things to do in the school holidays.

I've been doing a lot of thinking recently (I need a job!), and was thinking about what I do with Liebling in the holidays.

We have reading books and workbooks and stuff, I take him to museums and gardens, we play at the park, we garden, we cook, we bake, we do fun science experiments. OK, no, we don't do experiments. We just blow stuff up or look through telescopes or microscopes or look at arthropods and the like. I'll introduce control groups and discovery aims later.

We also do computer, TV, Lego, jigsaws, drawing, various board games, playing outside pretending to be cats or racecars... I'm really not over enamoured with that last one.

Been reading up on unschooling as I am really curious about it and want something for us to do in the holidays - this is really not for me, as I am uncomfortable with him having the option to do nothing all day. I do value reading, workbooks, creating, learning &c over watching TV. A lot. I don't mind some TV, but Liebs would have TV and computer games all day if he could, which doesn't make me happy. Unless I'm ill or working at home.

So I'm looking for directed educational things I can do with Liebs in the holidays. Ideally to encourage his expressive skills: writing, speaking, drawing etc. And not based around computer programmes, as I'm getting bored of the 10+ computer games pictures he does a week.

Any ideas welcome! Thanks.

Cooking, especially baking requiring measurement, is great.

Not particularly educational but loads of fun is papier mâché. You could do animals or a volcano or a mask???

My dd has fun looking up things on google. She'll pick a topic (usually an animal) and research it.

Mathletics is a great online learning site.

Usborne have lots of great books with things to do ie 50 science things to make and do, 50 things to make with paper and so on. Their website has some activities too.

My boys like a trip to the library and unlike the bookshop they can get as much as they like and there is no need to be sensible.

You could have culture days ie pick a country and do stuff for day based around that country ie for Japan, make sushi for lunch, do some origami and learn a couple of Japanese words.

Bunning warehouse has How To workshops for children as well as adults. Not sure if Homebase etc would have the same.

It's not really the season for gardening I guess but getting into the garden is always fun. It must be nearly time to put down bulbs.

Also box construction. Collect cereal, pasta, whatever boxes and construct villages, cities or cars or robots.

How about getting some rubber moulds and making your own Plaster of Paris figures to paint? That is a bit creative, but still hands on.

Pintrest is full of crafty shizz

Christmas is only a couple of months away - you could make decorations for your tree if you have one. Google for DIY decorations.

I am loving these suggestions! DS is a bit young for some of them (eg internet research: his typing/reading skills will need improving, and he gets frustrated when we research together because there aren't enough pictures!).

Onyx, you're right, gardening isn't the best atm, but we can do indoor plants and herbs if Liebs wanted to do that. DH wants to do all the DIY stuff with Liebs, which is great as there aren't any local workshops. Having been into Homebase, Wickes, do-it-all and the like locally, I'd rather Liebling had proper training with his child-sized tool kit. Can't believe that we had to get a French tool set as young children aren't to be trusted with saws, chisels etc in England.

We have had European days, where we colour in flags and say some words (or rather, I do then Liebling has a fit because I'm speaking "language" and he doesn't always like it - he is better now he has French club) and eat some local foods - will have to try further afield.

Will have to try some of the more crafty ideas, I am not that creative so junk modelling etc would be loved, but I don't know where to start. Letting Liebs just do it would be good, I suppose!

Thanks and please keep the ideas coming.

What about clay modelling, jigsaws, making Christmas decorations (paper chains, cutout snowflakes or Christmas cards)?

Can you get online and watch some episodes of Play School? Seriously, I would have no idea how to make a cereal box anything other than a cereal box if it weren't for that show! LOL I am creatively challenged like that. Ceebeebies would have some similar things on it too that you might get some direction from. Art Attack is awesome too.

There is that dough footprint recipe too, he could press his dinosaurs or something into it and bake and paint to hang on his wall.

Do you have any hands-on science museums near you (we have ScienceWorks here which a whole range of age-appropriate activities they can do and participate in, whole days have known to be consumed with ScienceWorks! LOL)

Egg carton flowers are a really easy crafty project.
http://krokotak.com/2011/03/proleten...ori-za-yaytsa/ - the pictures will explain the project

And this blog has lots of simple crafts
http://www.thecraftycrow.net/

ETA - I think playschool raises unrealistic expectations about what can be done with a cardboard box and a few sticks :p

I detest Art Attack. But we do enjoy Mister Maker, Liebling does sometimes do some of those. OK, need to start buying things in boxes!

I'm a bit reticent to do Christmas things too much as Liebs will be doing those at school, and bringing them home: he has some stuff for his tree that he has made himself. DH is already getting annoyed that we'll have two trees up plus other decorations: don't think I can get snowflakes on the windows too! I can try...

No hands-on science museums but we like making things blow up at home, so Liebs doesn't miss out there. We do a lot of astronomy too, when the nights are clear. Sadly he's not that into the stories behind the names of the stars yet.

I'm also against play-doh and clay and the like: feels wrong, messy, feels wrong, gets into the carpet, feels wrong and people make me touch it and it just feels horrid and wrong. Clay is better than dough-based toys but can still be wrong on a bad day - and can upset my carpet too!

Yes, by Play School standards, I am woefully inadequate! :rofl:

My ex hates the feel of play-doh too, can't even touch flour, so I am familiar with that notion. ;) Why are you having two trees? (Sorry, totally OT!)

You should see me make pastry, LimeSlice!

:) One is my tree, one is Liebling's tree. We both like Christmas trees and decorating them. We also like decorating them for a whole month as we have advent decorations for each day in Advent (starting with the first Sunday or the 1st of December, whichever means the tree is up for longest). DH does not like Christmas trees, he doesn't have one. Plus mine is MY gorgeous 6'6 tree with set decorations and is there to be looked at; Liebling's is a 4' tree with bright colours and his made decorations on. It is there to be enjoyed.

BTW, has anyone seen the Lego advent calendar? I want. Won't last 24 days though.

Love the lego advent calendars. We got one a few years back and have spread it out over a number of years with other bits and pieces for DD. She saw the email with the latest one though and it was an immediate 'I want that'.