5 fun ways to survive the school holiday
Only two weeks in, and mummy friends have already started to grit their teeth when it comes to entertaining our bored tots – and there’s 4 weeks to go.
The secret to survival – #outout baby. It’s the only way.
1. Music really is food for the soul, and Dreamland Margate is pulling out all the stops to cater for carnival loving families this summer.
The reggae groove was in full swing as the Trojan Sound System took to the stage to play Bob Marley hits and Ska tracks till sundown.
It’s always amazing as a parent to find an experience that is just as satisfying for the parents, and tantalise the kids sensory tastebuds too, so the summer line up could be just the escape you need to let your hair down with the kiddies in tow too.
The festival vibe – free- might I add is carrying on throughout August at Dreamland’s Summer Sessions with special guests from members of the Charlatons and Blur too in the ultimate Battle of the Bands.
Culturally diverse food gives this amusement park an edge too, the queue for the jerk chicken street food stand was immense and certainly worth it.
Meanwhile the classic fish and chips, caught fresh from Margate beach adjacent, is a traditional treat, with duck fat fried chips to die for.
The rides from the Waltzer, bumper cars to the roller coasters are probably best for 5 year olds and upwards because of height restrictions – so be prepared and check first. Also look out for the summer special deals they are doing with heavily discounted admission for kids according to their height.
Look out for kiddie favourites too like The Octonauts, Happy Feet, Peppa Pig, but the rip-roaring Messhams Wall of Death is now done.
The highlight has got to be the World’s Biggest Bouncy Castle though till August 26 – check out https://www.dreamland.co.uk/
2.Keeping the kiddies fit over summer can also be a challenge – especially once there’s the temptation to reach for the iPad.
So we explored cycling – which is something you can do as a whole family while taking on some of Britain’s gorgeous scenery.
After having tried and failed to teach our brood ourselves, we gave Ridgeback Kids Club a go.
It was like a miracle as their 1-2-1 sessions as well as groups are adapted for your child’s individual needs and cater to the best way to help them learn – mainly through play!
And guess what? They made it fun, they were patient, no pressure and activity focussed to gradually build a child’s confidence focussing on balancing first, and pedalling later.
The Bicycle Society’s Rob Reed encourages parents to always praise their kids and avoid cycling being negative. Other tips include not relying on stabilisers ( gasps! But it works!!) and to aim to keep things at the child’s own pace. There’s more at
www.ridgebackkids.co.uk
3.Food for thought – Reading Challenges
Your local library will likely be holding fun reading challenges where kids can pick six books to read over summer, talk about the best bits to work on their communication and understanding – then get a certificate to show their new school teacher in September.
As well as classics like Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar, we’ve been discovering fabulous new authors too.
I Am Who I Am on is a little treasure, written by Canadian mum-of-two Naadei Neequaye- Oyelade who has a background of working with young people and adults with disabilities including autism.
The overiding message is social inclusion and learning to love yourself even though you are different from the rest.
A heart-warming tale of Elle the Elephant is on amazon, and has eye-popping illustration that’s a great choice for bedtime reading.
4. Pretend you’ve lost the iPad charger.
Honestly, it works. After they have grumbled for a bit I guarantee they are busy looking for something creative to do.
5. Look out for cool and quirky family raves
It’s not often you hear the words ‘family’ and ‘rave’ together when you become a parent, it’s often about ‘back in the days.’
So look out for events like the Wake Up gigs on Sunday afternoons.Three live artists play over the course of the afternoon. There is also a soft play corner and craft table for children.
It’s at Concrete Space in Shoreditch, and food is available from Pizza East and at the venue. The next show is on Sunday 13 August at Concrete in Shoreditch, London between 1-5PM.
https://billetto.co.uk/e/wake-up-gigs-gigs-for-parents-ft-avec-sans-and-guests-tickets-197384
