Who says half-term has to be expensive? (To be fair, most people actually.) We've put together a list of 5 unconventional things to do this half-term. If your tweens are difficult to please, we have a few ideas that might need a bit of convincing at the start...but who knows? They might actually enjoy themselves too.
INDOOR ACTIVITIES FOR TWEENS
A Bake-Off or Masterchef style competition - Raid your cupboards and get baking. There are tons of recipes that only require basic store cupboard ingredients. The upside is a nice cake or meal..the downside is the kitchen clean up!
A Photography Session - the plus side to having a smartphone or tablet is that kids can take pics anywhere! Give them a theme, like self portraits or silly pets, and see what kind of fun images they come up with. Showcase them on your social feeds for friends and family to see. Click here for more ideas.
A No-Talent Show - Okay, not every child has the voice of an angel. But that doesn't mean they don't get to sing. A no-talent show can get everyone giggling. Your kids could try lip syncing their favourite song or creating a dance. Painting a picture or hula hooping. You could, ahem, get involved too. Here are a few more ideas.
Try Volunteering - A year 5 teacher suggested this and we thought it was great. Sure, it might take a bit of convincing at the start, but what a brilliant way to spend some time together. Do-it.org matches people to their ideal voluntary role. Or you could contact your favourite local charity to see if they have any ideas.
Visit Online museums - Sometimes the cost of train journeys, lunch out and ice creams can mean even a free museum can seem costly. There are a huge number of well-known museums that you can visit online. They have activities and online exhibits, which are great fun.
OUTDOORS WITH TWEENS
Photography scavenger hunt - Continuing with the photography theme from above, you could create a list of items outside and send your tweens and their friend out to explore. Prizes for the first team back and for best photo too! We've pinned an example on our Pinterest page.
Geocaching - You might have heard of geocaching but in case you haven't: it's like a digital treasure hunt. People use GPS to navigate anywhere and everywhere to find small "cache" boxes with little treats inside. Check out https://www.geocaching.com/play for more info.
Beach days out - So many of us live close to the sea which means you are never far from a beach! For a huge range of beaches, check out VisitEngland.com, VisitScotland.com, or VisitWales.com. Sandy sandwiches and wellies are a must!
Forests, Parks and Heritage Sites- We sometimes forget that even preteens like to get out and explore. Forestry, National Trust sites and English Heritage sites have a huge range of free activities available during half-term.
YOUR TURN
twixt is the go-to-destination for all your tween parenting questions.