Moms are forever in two minds about their children’s summer vacations. On one hand, there is a break from crazy, busy mornings when you have to send the kids off to school. But on the other hand, those few hours of peace and me-time are gone. They kids are home all day! God knows how much I love my kids, but I do get crazy when they are home all day, lol. But I do realize that this is the perfect time to all those things that I forever keep planning but there is no time for them. In an effort to make my kids’ summer vacation special, I have come up with some ideas to spend some special time with them.
Take advantage of summer vacation by saying yes to some of those things you usually don’t have time to do. Here are some fun ways to enjoy quality time with your family without spending too much.
1. Be a Tourist in Your Town
Every city has some places where we take our outstation guests to. But when there are no guests to take ‘sight seeing’, we never get the time to see it ourselves. Take in those tourist attractions that you never seem to get to, though they’re practically in your backyard. A monument from the British era, a museum, a fort, a lovely picnic spot? Every Indian city has plenty of these and they are not just to show off to outstation guests.
2. Enjoy Summer Evening Delights
Like every season, Indian summer has it’s own charms. When the worst hours of summer heat have passed, people come out. Take the kids out and enjoy an ‘Ice Gola‘ or go out after dinner and treat the kids to ice cream. When taking them out in the evening, look for ‘Ganne ka Ras‘ (Sugarcane Juice) or Aamras (Mango Juice) stalls and enjoy the coolness they bring.
3. Have a Cooking/Baking Day
Have the kids wear an apron and a hat, or let them make one using newspaper. Then get cooking or baking with them. This is a luxury that kids cannot get when school is on. Let them help you out and learn to make something. Very young kids can be taught to make ‘bhel’. Older kids can bake an easy cake with you.
4. Check Out a City Hotel
I love doing this! It’s fun to check out the hotels in your own city. Check in to a hotel for a night or two. The kids will enjoy the hotel experience, ordering food over the phone, swimming in their pool etc. in their own city. I enjoy it myself! All the fun of a hotel stay without packing, travel and flight expenses.
5. Host a Film Festival
There are some great movies that we admired as kids, that we want to share with our children. Make a large bowl of popcorn, switch off the lights and enjoy the home theater experience with a movie DVD. My kids enjoy a lot of funny movies like Amar Akbar Anthony, Seeta aur Geeta etc. They also love thrillers. We recently watched the B/W movie Bees Saal Baad followed by 100 Days. It is fun re-living those movies with your kids.
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That’s so true with me too lata, my gals together drive me nuts but I really liked your plan for vacations, I have relocated from Hyderabad to noida so I will also do local sightseeing with my gals this vacations
Bahut acche ideas hai, thank god ki main joint family me rehti thi to baccho ki vacation me itna prob nahi aata tha
That’s such great ideas Lata… I’m really gonna plan that film festival!!
I also liked the ganne ka ras idea!!!
I love the cooking idea. It will definitely reduce some burden off of me :p
I agree usually we missed out on so many things from our own city so I think exploring Our own city is a very great idea and yes baking too
Seems like your kids will have an amazing summer vacations … I am waiting for those me time and my baby to start school
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This is what I do with my kids during summer holidays.
True Lata, we miss those few hours of relaxation when summer break starts.
You pointed out few really good points. I usually plan for 1 or 2 playdates and we all do some craft or diy projects together.
Great tips on getting to know and enjoy our own cities. Fabulous ☺
man i never thought earlier, i cud plan something in my own city. its a small place still if i think there are so many things i can offer kiddos here itself
very nice
This is a great idea when one can’t take a few days off for a vacation. But reading it totally felt like one… 🙂
http://raisingkarma.in/are-you-obsessed-with-your-childs-scores/
these are amazing tips Lata, thanks for sharing will help drive some of the broedom away!!!
AllThatsMom
great idea as I am unable to go out of station with family problem. it is great idea to do so and enjoy too
Loved the ideas!! This movie marathon even we do…Kids love bollywood movies…
Those are some really great tips to spend time with your kids during summers , i mean spend good time with them. Really useful for parents not knowing what to do during summer vacations
Ohhh wowww can’t wait for my baby to grow so that I can enjoy brilliant summer time with him.