As families across the inner west get ready to experience a different kind of Term One school holidays, at The Fabric we believe it’s the perfect chance to get creative and discover that you can bring vibrant ideas to brighten up school holiday activities in your home.
Read more to discover five ideas you can try in your own home these school holidays.
1. Bring the Zoo to You!
Being housebound may mean that outdoor visits are limited, but the wildlife at Zoos Victoria are still available to entertain.
At The Fabric, we are passionate about bringing the outdoors in, and both Melbourne Zoo and Werribee Open Range Zoo are enabling homes to be able to do just that – with live streams of their assortment of spectacular wildlife.
Spot the illusive snow leopard cubs, chill out with the zebras, or see how many giraffes you can spot. Well worth an eVisit for the whole family!
Visit https://www.zoo.org.au/animal-house/
2. Get Creative with NGV Online
Our community in the inner west is defined by the arts and culture, and just because you can’t leave your home doesn’t mean you or your kids need to miss out!
The National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) has a dedicated Kids at Home Activities page. Inspire hours of creativity and fun, with their easily downloadable activity sheets and e-books.
They state that research shows that drawing and making is a great way to help children relax and reduce feelings of anxiety.
Visit https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/kids/ to explore the range of boredom-busters for children of all ages.
For yourself or older kids, they also have an online “Channel”, allowing you to virtually tour its latest installations, from the comfort of your couch.
Visit https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/channel/
3. Bring International Cuisines to Your Home
A diverse and welcoming community, Altona North is defined by many different cultures of the people who call it home. While travelling might be off the cards these Term One school holidays, embrace the cultural diversity of the inner west and bring international cuisine to your own home.
With an endless number of online recipe platforms, ask the kids to choose a country and find a recipe to suit. It could be tacos from Mexico, biryani from India or pasta from Italy (to match header image). If you have fresh produce in your garden, this would be a great way to get your kids excited about cooking.
Fussy kids? Stick to your usual meals and instead play some themed music throughout dinner each night – maybe some Celtic music from Ireland or have a Spanish fiesta!
4. Hold a Zero-Tech Games Night
For a lot of our kids, spending time indoors unfortunately falls hand in hand with more screen time, whether it’s watching TV or being glued to the iPad.
While it might be a challenge, try a “tech free” hour each evening for some timeless family fun. Zero phones, zero TV, zero tablets – just a pack of cards or board game is all that’s required. Maybe it’s teaching the kids a card game from your childhood or finding a family heirloom board game to play each night. If you don’t already have these at home, see if an online retailer can express post to your home, for hours of fun!
Plus, this screen-time break is a great way to be be sustainable and do your part for the environment.
5. DIY Cinema and Candy Bar Experience
For the cooler days, who doesn’t love to rug up and watch a film in the comfort of their own home. For our parents working from home, we had you in mind for this one, ultimately giving you a couple of productive hours while the kids are entertained! You could make this special by setting up your lounge room with dim lighting and bringing our own “Candy Bar” to life.
It doesn’t need to be all sugar and treats – there are plenty of healthier snacks on the market; maybe a DIY trail mix created instead of your lolly pick and mix, and some homemade fresh juice instead of soft drink.
If you have an outdoor courtyard or backyard and a projector, you could even embrace the outdoors and create an outdoor movie night in your backyard and get the whole family involved.
At Mirvac, we are passionate about reimagining urban life, and hope we have inspired you for how you can keep your children entertained these school holidays. We would love to see your school holiday activities, share your favourite on Instagram and tag #mirvacholidayfun