7 Costless Ways To Give Your Children A Treat On A Bank Holiday

By Ndidi Adekunle

It’s a bank holiday! The kids are all excited and their fingers are crossed, wondering what’s in store for them today. If you’re like most parents, you’re a bit at a loss for what exactly to do, for them to have a fun filled day “on a reasonable budget”.  Here’s what to do….

1) Stay In: Bake, and cook your children’s favorites and have drinks available. Invite a few other children and have a sit in with enough to eat all day.

2) Eat Out: Go out for pizza and ice cream and brief drop-ins at their friends’ homes, all day long.

3) Borrow Movies: Order pastries and biscuits, popcorn, you name it, and rent a handful of classic movies like Jungle Book, Wizard of Oz, Herbie, Tarzan, Superman, Spiderman, etc. Sit in and watch the movies with them, taking time to point out the various lessons within. You can also improvise with movies of your choice. You can also weave in a visit to the cinema, or some window shopping, for variety.

4) Charity: Together, you and your children can put together things you’d like to give out to less privileged children in your neighbourhood or elsewhere that you know: food, clothes, supplies, toys, crayons, books, etc. Hit the road to deliver the items and give some other children a day to remember.

5) Game Arcades: Every child loves the arcades. Pack the bunch of them into the car and head for the arcades. They’re not so pricey, afterall. The amusement parks also always provide enough amusement for them on a day like this. Just make sure you make provision for food and snacks.

6) Visit To Relatives: We never really get enough time in the year to make the rounds and visit all our relatives to properly aquaint our children with their own children. Being African, and having so many relatives “we cannot marry”(hilarious), it sure pays to let our children start to know who is and isn’t “off limits” for marriage in the future, and have a blast while at it. This would also make a great children’s day event.

7) Ask The Kids Themselves: They’re a great resource when it comes to most things concerning them, especially ideas of what they consider to be fun. Tell them what your budget it, and let them come up with their own ideas, within budget. Together, the whole family can then decide on what will or will not work, and you have yourselves a fabulous plan for a fun Children’s Day.