We know what it’s like when school holidays roll around. Suddenly, you’ve got this household of kids who constantly want to be entertained!
It’s all too easy to put cartoons on or give the kids an iPad to play with, especially if the weather is acting narky. But while a little Mario Kart on a Saturday morning is probably okay, we all know getting them up and at ‘em is better for little bodies and minds.
So here are six suggestions to keep your kids active these holidays that will get you a little help in the kitchen at the same time. And you don’t need the internet to enjoy them!
1. Grow a vegetable patch or herb garden.
If the sun is shining where you are, get out in the garden or balcony and help your kids to grow their own veggies. As well as learning new skills and having fun, they’ll be more likely to eat the fruits of their hard labour too.
Make it simple by planting large seeds and produce that quickly shows signs of life (like radishes, beetroot and peas) to keep kids interested.
Don’t have a big backyard? Ease little ones into the gardening experience with a kitchen garden.
2. Go on a picnic
Warm weather? Pack a picnic and have your kids – and their friends – pick the menu and help you make the food.
Involving them in the process is a great way to get children to understand that fun and healthy food need not be mutually exclusive. Check out our five tasty, toteable recipes for ideas on how to picnic like a pro.
3. Take your kids foraging.
Collecting and eating wild herbs might be considered an adult activity, but with a little supervision, there’s no reason why your young ones can’t get in on the action too.
Foraging is a great way to for kids to connect with the environment, learn about new types of plants and be introduced to concepts of sustainability. Obviously it’s important that they are kept in sight at all times and are aware which weeds are okay to eat and which plants are poisonous.
Remind them that they should never pick or eat anything they can not identify as safe. Check out our guide for foraging for food in the wild and seek expert advice if required. Also, you could just pick flowers and make daisy chains!
4. Go (sugar-free) shopping.
If the weather is truly awful, the supermarket can also be a great place to entertain kids. (Yes, we understand the challenges of candy at the checkout counter and tantrums in the aisles but bear with us…).
While doing your weekly grocery shop, take the opportunity to involve your kids in a sugar-free supermarket sweep. Challenge them to find the crackers with the lowest sugar content, compare the artificial ingredients listed in different sauces, and help them choose the yoghurt that still sounds tasty without containing 10 teaspoons of sugar
5. Teach your kids to cook.
Ready to deal with a little mess? Enrol your kids in a local cooking class or teach them the basics yourself. Kids love to help so let them measure, mix or mince (obviously taking care to ensure little fingers are safe).
Encourage them to watch and absorb your actions, always praise their efforts, and even embrace mistakes – it will give them the confidence to love the cooking process, and make their own meals as adults.
6. Get them to whip up something sugar-free.
Our I Quit Sugar Kids Cookbook, is full of great ideas like this recipe for Face Plant Pancakes. Get them to whip up a batch for breakfast. It will keep them out of your hands (and won’t fill them with the kind of sugar levels that will have them running amok all afternoon).
Do you have any other suggestions for getting your kids interested and excited about cooking?
We originally published this article in December 2015. We updated it in September 2016.
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