Winter Holidays can be Lots of Fun!

The start of winter has been cold in Perth Western Australia but what I have noticed is that most children don’t feel the cold much. So, rug up parents and take them out and about. We don’t have to worry too much about sunscreen, and it is fun for them to explore what their world is like in winter.

It is a wonderful time of year to go for a walk in the bush. Just after the rain, the bush smells amazing. And a BBQ lunch is nicer too as there are fewer flies to bother you.

Walking along the beach in winter is also a fun thing to do. If there has been a storm who knows what treasures may have washed up on the beach? If you go regularly through the year, you might notice changes to the shoreline too.

It is too cold for a swim but not to fly a kite or build a sandcastle. Kite flying at the beach in winter is great as there are fewer people and of course, you do not have to worry about getting the strings tangled in trees.

On rainy days you could visit the local library and encourage them to choose a book to borrow. Sometimes libraries also have games, puzzles, and DVDs to borrow too. Winter is also a fun time to visit the zoo. Around Perth there are lots of Museums to visit, small local ones and of course the Boola Bardup Perth Museum or the Maritime and Shipwreck Museums in Fremantle.

If you have a port in your area like the Fremantle Port show your child how they load and unload the big cargo ships so they can learn how all the goods, they can buy in the shops, arrive on these giant cargo ships.

On those really cold wet days when you want to stay at home, then it is a good time to play some board games or card games or build a fort or cubby house with blankets and sheets over the furniture. Some of my fondest memories as a child are trying to construct these. Teach them how to fold the sheets and blankets when they pack up – a good adult life skill.

Help them learn a new craft or have them explore drawing and art activities. They could bring out the Lego and create their own structure or scene.

Don’t worry about a bit of untidiness because as an adult we do not remember if the house was perfect or not. What we do remember is the fun we had and the things we created during our holidays.