6 DIY projects to keep your kids busy this school holidays

The good news? You’re at the beginning of the year end school holidays, and have a few weeks of precious bonding time with your kids. The bad news? Thinking of activities to occupy their time can be more than a little challenging. Afterall, how many times can one go to the zoo? Don’t worry – we’re here to the rescue, with a list of fun and simple DIY projects that both you and your kids will love! (Cover image credits)

#1: DIY Painted Umbrellas

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Purchase a cheap umbrella from Daiso, some paintbrushes and waterproof paint, and you’re all set for an entire afternoon’s worth of fun and creativity. Encourage your kids to get as crazy as they’d like and embellish their umbrella with as many colours, patterns, or drawings as they want. If you’re feeling up to it, you can even do your own version as well!

#2: DIY Piggy Bottle Bank

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This isn’t just a fun activity to pass time with during the school holidays – it’s also a sneaky way to impart some valuable life lessons to your kids, such as the importance of recycling, as well as the virtue of saving for a rainy day. To get started, rinse out an empty bottle and ensure that it’s clean. Using construction paper, cut out your pig’s ears, eyes, and nostrils, and adhere them to the bottle using double-sided tape.

Next, tape more construction paper around your pig’s body, and use blue tack to attach empty thread spools to the bottle – these make up the pig’s feet. Carefully cut a slot at the top of the bottle (where you’ll deposit your coins) – and you’re all set!

#3: DIY Silly Putty

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Silly putty is amazing in its own right, but teach your kid to make a DIY version that glitters, and you’ll basically be the Coolest Parent Ever. It’s pretty straightforward – you just need a bottle of Clear School Glue, an equal amount of water (147ml), half a teaspoon of Borax, half a cup of hot water, silver and blue glitter, as well as blue food colouring.

In a bowl, combine the glue and water, stir, then add two to three drops of food colouring and stir again. Now add in the glitter – more if your kid is really into that psychedelic effect – and stir yet again. In your half cup of hot water, add Borax, and stir until it dissolves. Then pour the contents of this cup into your original bowl, stir thoroughly, and watch as it all comes together.

#4: DIY Balloon Chocolate Bowls

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A DIY project that’s fun and nets you a delicious dessert – what more could you ask for this school holidays? These Balloon Chocolate Bowls might look fancy, but they’re surprisingly easy to make. Simply wash your balloons, blow them up, and dip them into melted chocolate. Let the chocolate set, then pop the balloons – and you’ll be left with your chocolate bowls.

With the crazy warm weather we’ve been experiencing of late, these (plus copious amounts of ice cream!) are a godsend. We’d recommend making a few at one go, and then keeping them in your freezer to slowly savour over the next week or so!  

#5: DIY Painted Sneakers

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All you need for this fun project is a pair of sneakers, and fabric paint or paint pens. If your kids aren’t old enough to master actual drawing, get them to do simple geometric shapes or even stripes – it’ll still turn out nice. Otherwise, the sky’s the limit!

#6: DIY Graphic Art Prints

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Trust us, your friends and family will be incredibly impressed when you reveal to them that your kids have had a hand in helping you create these professional-looking art prints. Pick out colourful construction paper, and trace out the geometric shapes of whichever fruits (or other objects!) you’d like to feature in your artwork. Get your kids to cut them out, then glue them together and frame them up for display. That’s all there is to it!

Need more ideas to keep your kids busy and out of trouble during the school holidays? Check out our article on 7 fun activities to entertain your kids at home!

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