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Usually the spring holidays provide the perfect opportunity to get the kids outdoors to enjoy the warmer weather. However, life doesn’t always go to plan. Wet weather, parents working from home and even the need to social distance require a good at-home holiday strategy to keep the kids entertained during the school break.
The garage provides an ideal space for hours of secure fun for the kids. Spacious, weatherproof and if you’re lucky, soundproof, the garage can be converted into a comfortable activity space where fun can be the order of the day.
These school holidays, fuel creativity and hours of entertainment for your children with these ideas:
DIY science lab
There’s no better way for children to learn about the world around them than through the art of experiment. With this in mind, creating a DIY science lab for the kids to conduct their very own at-home experiments is sure to spark their curiosity and provide hours of excitement.
Science Fun provides a range of science experiments suitable for kids, however the bouncy egg experiment is a beloved favourite. Get the kids to place an egg into a cup of vinegar and watching how it changes over the course of two days.
On the second day the shell will have dissolved completely. The kids can take the egg out of the vinegar and the egg will be able to bounce from a low height! This process marks a chemical change known as ‘decalcification’.
Conducting experiments with your children will allow you to unpack the process of when, how and why things happen, helping to bolster their STEM knowledge! Notably, a science lab isn’t complete without a white lab coat for your mini researchers, which can be purchased from Fizzics Education.
Out of this world fun
Continue to bolster your children’s learning over the school holidays by encouraging them to read related storybooks and launch their creativity to a whole new world!
If your children are interested in space, the garage is the perfect area to be converted into a space station, complete with glow in the dark stars added to the ceiling of the garage, hanging planets and a spaceship made from an old cardboard box.
If time is on your side, then the kids can make their very own planets using paper mache kits which can be purchased from Officeworks. On the other hand, using Styrofoam balls to DIY decorate will save you several hours of drying time! This process of creation is the perfect opportunity for the kids to learn more about each planet’s characteristics and location in the solar system.
The ABC has a comprehensive guidebook to learning about space, with over 75 educational resources targeted at kids!
Introduction to culture and countries
While we are not allowed to travel right now, there’s still great benefit in learning about foreign countries and cultures.
Why not start with a large world map pinned against the garage wall? Encourage your kids to pinpoint different areas on the map and learn more about the country and its culture. To make this activity even more interactive, incorporate a guessing game or quiz so that your kids can share their new knowledge.
Further to this, there’s no better way to learn about a culture than to experience it first-hand. For example, if Italy is the family’s pick then the kids could transform the garage into an indoor soccer field, before setting up an Italian restaurant and making pizza for lunch. For Japan the kids could learn origami and help to make sushi rolls for dinner!
To launch your adventures around the globe, Booktopia has a range of maps.
Add a little boogie
Want the kids to burn off some of their energy, while also helping them to keep fit these school holidays? Look no further than a DIY dance studio in the garage.
Learning to dance will turn the mundane feeling of sitting at home into an opportunity to learn, practise and perfect the choreography.
Convert the garage into a dance studio by buying full length mirrors from Bunnings for the walls and a disco-light to set the mood of the room.
Allow your kids to get into performance mode with a costume box filled with their preferred dance style’s corresponding outfits and accessories. From ballet dancing starter sets to hip-hop light up dance mats and every genre in between, you can count on this activity being a crowd-pleaser with the kids.
To inspire choreography, there are plenty of YouTube videos available with age-appropriate dance moves and instructions!
Before the school bell chimes to indicate the start of the holidays, ensure your garage provides a safe space for the kids to play.
Assess any hazards that could pose harm to your kids. A great place to start could be installing thick carpet padding or floormats so that the floor is squishy and comfortable. If there are any nails or sharp objects sticking out of the walls, make sure they are removed too.
Similarly, myQ technology will offer increased peace of mind by sending a message if the garage door is opened at all while the kids are in there.
Wishing all our readers a happy and safe school holiday break!
For more information about Chamberlain’s range of garage door openers and accessories, visit our website or call 1800 665 438.