Summer Vacation for Kids

Here are some ideas on how to spend summer vacation with your kids...

Go to the Beach!
This summer, we were lucky enough to visit 3 beaches (Subic, Batangas and Pagudpud). My daughter Clarice enjoyed every one of these locations. I've learned to bring along her beach must-haves;

• Pail and shovel to make sandcastles
• Rubber slippers or Crocs
• Goggles for her to explore life underwater (preferably Speedo, they have children's sizes)
• Tent to keep our things safe and to avoid too much sun exposure (Php 1,500 fits 3 adults)
• Wake board (Php 400 in local sports stores)
•  Sunblock! 
• Snacks and a cooler

My daughter recently learned how to swim so she had a great time in Pagudpud swimming underwater and seeing lots of fish. We also searched for seashells that we used to decorate a picture frame.

Sun Kissed Clarice!

Enroll in a Summer Program/Workshop
For 2 weeks, my daughter attended a swim clinic by Milo. We were lucky that Milo decided to hold this summer program in our village clubhouse. The cost for the ten day clinic is Php 3,500. Each lesson took an hour a day and there are 3 swim coaches who facilitated the workshops. My daughter learned proper breathing techniques, how to paddle using a board and of course, to swim!

There was an incident where we attended a swimming party and my daughter accidentally jumped in the deep end of the pool. She would have drowned since I was several feet away. Good thing she remembered her swimming lessons and was able to reach the stairs of the pool. Now that is my ROI for the Milo fee!

Paddling with a board

Be Creative!
Since it would be too expensive to go out every day, I have some fun activities that can be done at home. I got out my daughter's unused watercolor palette (Php 25 from National Bookstore) from her school things and set up a table with a small easel. Next, I collected all of her test/quiz papers and used the back of the pages for her to paint on. I then made her wear an apron to keep her clothes clean. For 2 hours, I left her alone so she could paint, and paint she did!

Photo edited using Instagram for iPad

This project continued for almost 2 weeks and the only problem I had was looking for used paper.

Make your own Easter Egg Hunt!
When I was a child, my cousins and I celebrated Easter Sunday with an egg hunt in my grandfather's house. Our parents would boil chicken eggs and hide it all over the garden. For each chicken egg we find, we get Php 1 and for a quail egg, Php 5. I wanted my daughter to experience an egg hunt but since the malls charge Php 500 to join an egg hunt activity, my husband and I decided to paint and hide the eggs ourselves. Total cost for egg hunting is only Php 300 for loads of family fun;

• Poster paints (Php 200 for 6 colors), these can be used in other art projects
• Paint brushes (Php 60), I bought 3 brushes because we all wanted to paint!
• Carton of egg (Php 45)
• Quail eggs (free, I asked some from my mother in law)

The day before, I boiled all the chicken eggs and set them in the egg tray to cool. Then the fun started!

Between the 3 of us (me, hubby and Clarice), we were able to come up with the best egg designs! The next day, we hid the eggs from Clarice, gave her a basket and let the hunting begin!

Literally skipping while hunting!

Clarice had so much fun she asked to have the eggs hidden again!

Read and Write
Make use of what your child learned from school. My daughter and I would read books both in English and Filipino so she can practice and perfect her reading skills. I also encouraged her to keep a diary where she writes down her daily activities. This way, she maintains her neat handwriting and also learns how to spell new words. You can use the blank pages of your child's school notebooks as a diary.

Chores
I ask my daughter to help out at home. Now she knows how to set the table, fold her clothes, make her bed and take care of her pets. This helps create a sense of responsibility. Of course, we never let her do any heavy lifting =D

Food Trip
Need not necessarily eat at expensive restaurants. We recently sampled the new flavors of the McFloat and had a great time sharing fries. We also tried several ice cream stalls at the malls for less than Php 20.

Sweets for my sweetest!

Have a Disney Movie Marathon!
This is really fun! We downloaded several Disney movies (especially the Princess Collections), bought microwave popcorn and prepared a pitcher of ice tea. One afternoon of pure Disney fun!

Cleaning Out
Ever experienced wanting to throw or give away your child's old toys but your child refuses to do so? This is a great time to sit down and have a 'discussion' if you can throw or donate your child's toys. Sometimes it takes some patience and reasoning powers to convince your child that the ratty and torn doll needs to go... I told my daughter to donate some of her toys to children who are not as lucky and needs toys. She really understood this and we were able to donate a box of her old playthings (and clothes).

Feel free to comment on how you spent your summer vacation =)