school holidays Archives - Everything's Famtastic

July 4, 2024July 4, 2024

Epic Summer: 19 Activities Your Teens and Tweens Will Love

Summer break is a time of freedom and fun for teens and tweens, but it can also be a challenge for parents to keep their kids entertained and engaged. As busy moms, you want your children to have a memorable and enriching summer without breaking the bank. Whether your teens and tweens enjoy being outdoors, getting crafty, or spending time with family and friends, there are plenty of activities to keep them occupied and happy.

If you’re a mum looking to inspire your kids to peel away from their screens and dive into the vibrant world outside (or bring some of that sparkle indoors), you’re in the right place.

In this blog post, I’ve compiled 19 exciting and diverse ideas to help your tween and teen kids avoid boredom and make the most of their summer break. From budget-friendly crafts and DIY projects to adventurous outdoor activities, there’s something here for everyone.

Remember, it’s not about filling every minute with action but about creating enjoyable, memorable and meaningful moments!

Read on to discover these fun-filled suggestions and ensure your growing kids have a summer to remember!

June 8, 2023April 28, 2024

Summertime Survival: 15 Hilarious Memes Every Parent Can Relate To

Ah, summer break—that glorious time of year filled with endless possibilities, when school is out, and the kids are home for a couple of months. As mums, we eagerly anticipate the arrival of this sunny season, envisioning lazy days, trips to the beach, family vacations, and plenty of quality time with our little ones.

But let’s be real for a moment: parenting during summer break isn’t always the picture-perfect experience we dream of it being.

While summer brings plenty of fun and unforgettable moments, it also presents unique *ahem* challenges for parents. From managing the kids’ boundless energy (and appetites!) to finding ways to keep them entertained and ensuring they stay safe in the water and under the burning sun, summer parenting requires a whole new level of creativity and resourcefulness.

And patience. Lots and lots of patience. 😅

We all know that laughter is the best medicine, and what better way to stay sane in the chaos of summer parenting than through laugh-out-loud memes?

Whether you’re a seasoned parent or a newbie navigating your first summer break with the kids you’ll surely get a kick out of these 15 hilarious, summertime parenting memes.

If you’re also after some practical tips for getting ready for travel with the kids or simply some fun, easy ways to keep them entertained this summer, I’ve got you covered too!

Let the laughter (and packing!) begin!

April 13, 2023April 26, 2023

Irresistible Young Adult Fiction that Teens Love to Read

It’s never been a secret here that all 3 of my kids LOVE reading. And as they get older, so does their taste in books. Given that we now have a teen and 2 tweens in the house, Young Adult fiction novels make up the largest part of the pile of books that get lugged home after a family visit to the library.

When I say that my kids love reading, what I mean is, if they aren’t eating a family meal or physically out of the house, they are at home perched somewhere comfortable with a pillow and a book.

And if there has ever been an excuse for kids to celebrate a love of reading, then World Book Day on April 23rd is a pretty darn good one!

Over the past couple of years, each of my 3 children have put together their own personally recommended lists of book series for different ages of fellow bookworms here on my blog. (You can find the links to them all at the bottom of this blog post 👇).

But in this blog post, my Miss 14 wanted to share her picks for YA fiction. With a mix of fantasy and relationships, mystery and manga, your teen will be sure to discover a new book here to get lost in!

July 14, 2022July 14, 2022

22 Budget-Friendly Sensational Summer Ideas for Creative Kids & Moms

It’s summertime again!

You know what that means for the kids?

No school. No early mornings. Sunshine. Heat. Meeting with friends. Hanging out at the park. Reading. Riding bikes. Long lazy days to relax.

But what happens when those long lazy days turn into long boredom-filled days?

Some boredom for kids isn’t a bad thing. It can actually fuel their imagination when they have to figure out something new to do on their own.

But too much boredom can drive both them- and you- a bit bonkers.

And that is the PERFECT time to break out the creative fun ideas for the kids to try or that you and your kids can even enjoy together!

Check out the complete list below of 22 boredom busters for the summer holidays!

July 2, 2020November 3, 2021

The 3 Ps of Plane Travel with Children: Useful Tips for Flying with Kids

School summer holidays are starting. The kids are buzzed about summer break. The last months have been pretty intense. It’s time to get away and see something other than those same 4 walls. What are you going to do?

If you’re likely to be staying around home for the next few weeks (thank you, COVID-19), take a look at this seriously cool list of summer boredom busters, put together by real live, actual kids 😊.

Or perhaps you’re looking to cram the car full and hit the road on a road trip with the fam? Have a read of this road trip planner and make sure you’ve not forgotten a single thing to keep the kids happy and occupied in the back seats!

But what about if you’re thinking of even bigger plans for travelling with the kids this year?

I can help you out with planning for that too! And no, I am not talking about getting on a cruise ship…

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March 19, 2020June 26, 2021

17 Sensational Ideas to Keep Kids Busy When School is Closed (and TV is Not One of Them!)

Wow, how quickly the world changes. One minute your kids are at school and you’re rocking your everyday life. The next- kablam!- you’ve got your kids at home with you all day because the schools and kindergartens and child care centres are closed.

Well, at least that’s how it is for me, here in Germany. How about where you’re living?

In our town it started last week already when the local high schools closed. Then it was ALL schools and kindergartens. And then it was all children’s extra-curricular activities, you know, like sport, music lessons, youth groups and so on. And then all forms of possible entertainment outside of the home, like public libraries, museums, cinemas, zoos and pools. Everyone is being reminded to stay at home as much as possible and not mingle with others. That now rules out organising playdates for the kiddos. The latest news today is that playgrounds are closed too.

Sure, the schools are doing their best to keep up with the changing times and send over some homework for the kids to work through. But it’s not the same (for them or for you) as being out of the house learning for hours and hours every day.

I know a lot of people have been falling back on TV and DVDs to entertain their children at this challenging time. It is certainly a simple and easy way to keep them occupied for a while. Unless they all argue about what to watch and whose turn it is to select the program … 😉

There will be no judgement or finger pointing here. To each his own, as they say. But our kids usually only watch TV on weekends and if we can avoid it, we’d love that they didn’t sit glued to the sofa for hours every day.

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So what’s a Mama with a houseful of kids to do?!? I’ve prepared a list for you of non-TV fun activities to keep your children entertained and happy while school (and pretty much everything else!) is closed for a few weeks. I’ve got your back! 👍

February 6, 2020April 16, 2024

Brilliant Book Series Girls 6 to 9 Years Old will Love

Wait! What?!? Are we in February already? Whoa! I have been working countless hours behind the scenes here on Everything’s Famtastic, studying and planning and preparing great content to serve you better. And I was starting to think that February might have been a little sewing-biased. And that would have been OK. But no! Not anymore!

My younger daughter decided that enough was enough. She was waiting no longer to have her turn in the spotlight like her bigger sister before her. So for this week, sewing chit chat is off the table, and children’s book reviews are the thing everyone is talking about.

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If you remember, a few weeks back my eldest daughter (Miss 11) wanted to create a post reviewing her personally chosen and recommended book series for girls aged 9 to 12 years old. I was responsible for the general blurb, she wrote the review entirely independently. I’ve gotta say, I was REALLY proud of her and I’ve received a lot of positive feedback for her reviews 😊. *pat on the back Miss 11*

Not only our eldest daughter, but also our younger daughter and son are all complete and utter bookworms. Hand them a half-interesting book and it may well be finished within hours. Naturally Miss 8 (and Master 6, to be honest) also want to share their opinions of the best books to read. And by share, I mean, write a review here on this very blog. Who said the fam in FAMtastic didn’t stand for family?!?

So, without further ado, come and take a look at Miss 8’s recommended, best book series for 6 to 9 year old girls! I’m really excited that she wants to get on board with my blog! Read on…

November 28, 2019April 16, 2024

Best Book Series for 9 – 12 Year Old Girls To Read Now

(as Recommended by Girls!)

pin, pinterest, books for girls, book series, book recommendations, recommended reading for girls, reading, books, 9-12 year olds

Last weekend our family bit the bullet and went to another flea market (Flohmarkt, for those of you wanting to expand your German vocabulary 😉). No, not to buy anything, but to Sell! Sell! Sell! And we had definitely collected plenty of unwanted kids’ stuff to sell.

Sure we made some money. Not as much as we had fantasised about beforehand (bathtub full of banknotes, anyone?!?), but we actually did OK. Afterwards, we reloaded the car and brought the unsold stuff home again. Do you know what constituted the biggest pile of leftovers? Can you guess???

BOOKS!

I mean, we did sell quite a few, but we just had so many that the kids didn’t want anymore.

Our 3 children LOVE books. If we left the kids alone with no demands or expectations of homework, attending school, helping out with chores, speaking to another human or having a breeze of fresh air brush their sweet faces… well, I think they would probably just lie in bed and look at books all day. Do you know what the perfect word for them is? Bookworms!

The 2 girls have been begging for months to contribute towards my blog here, as a sort of “Stuff for Kids, by Kids” offering. And hey presto! I have finally got my eldest right here, helping me put together a list of highly-recommended, tried-and-tested book series. to give you some great reading ideas!

So, why wait?!? Read on to discover these compelling, page-turning, book series for girls aged 9 to 12 years, as recommended by my girl, who is (funnily enough) also aged between 9 and 12 years old 😉.

June 30, 2019June 21, 2024

Mega List of 61 Super Summer Boredom Busters for Kids

school holidays, summer holidays, tips, parenting, kids, boredome busters

Woo hoo! Summer has really been showing off this past week in Germany (and much of Europe, actually)! We’ve had temps up in the high 30s (around 100F). Reminds me of being back in an Australian summer. How’s the weather been in your part of the world?

I am constantly being asked how I feel about the hot weather here, while many of my compatriots (well, not really, because I am not a German citizen so that word is technically not correct. But I can’t think of a better one… “fellow inhabitants of Germany” isn’t quite as catchy 😉). Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, I am constantly being asked how I am coping with the weather while many of those around me seem to be flustered, sweaty and melting. FYI- I’m all good 😉.

These past weeks I have been celebrating some of the exciting things I love about spring and summer; like strawberry season and enjoying the outdoors. And yes, we are still eating our boundless strawberry products. Can’t get enough! *nom nom*.

Since summer holidays are a HUGE deal for kids at this time of year, what a great idea it would be if only there was a long list of fantastic things to do during the school holidays. No more “Mamaaaaa I’m so boooooooored!”. Right?!? Well, drumroll please…

April 21, 2019June 26, 2021

Hooray for School Holidays on a Budget

(Why You Should be Excited about School Holidays Too)

Hello everyone! Sorry that I was MIA last week. I was feeling out of sorts for a couple of days, with all sorts of weird aches and pains (ever had aches in your knuckles?!?) but kept on carrying on (as you do). And then I realised I had a fever. Urgh. But, here I am again, ready to regale you with more fun and wit!

How was your week? Did you try sewing those cute little baskets? Or maybe tried tidying your house some more? But way more exciting than any of those: Did you meet up with your friends any time this past week? Just the other week I posted about the health benefits of having regular contact with friends, remember? You see, it is practically a doctor’s prescription to go out and have fun, LOL.

Lucky for me, I followed my own advice and did indeed meet up with some girlfriends. As always it was lovely to see them. In the evening even (like real adults do 😉), sans-children! There is something heavenly about being able to relax, and speak openly and without interruption for a couple of hours with friends while chilling on the sofa. No, there was no alcohol (Remember, Lent!). But yes, there was chocolate 😉.

Not only that, but I also had the joy of meeting up with 2 other friends since then for dinner. It never rains but it pours, as they say! It can be months between going out with any of these ladies and then bam! Two dinners with girlfriends in two weeks. Love it!

Mmmm, let’s get back to chocolate…