Did you hear that?

It was the collective sound of kids all over the country saying how bored they are. That’s the moment you know when the school holidays have well and truly arrived.

Never fear – we’ve got you sorted with eight awesome activities you can do with the kids (and they might even learn a thing or two while you’re at it).

1. Bake a cake

Pop on some tunes, pull out the recipe books, and make an absolute mess of the kitchen as you bake a cake together. A cake is a good one as it’s something the kids will be super excited to make, and you can use the opportunity to teach them how to follow a recipe.

(Pro tip: you’re never too old to lick the spoon.)

 2. Go geocaching

Geocaching is a clever real-world game that will get you and the kids outside, following directions and clues to discover real life treasure planted by fellow geocachers. Download the app on your phone and pick out a few geocaches to hunt for. Let the kids read the clues to see if they can figure out where the cache might be hiding.

3. Sew a bean bag

Basic sewing skills are essential later in life, so starting with a simple project now can set your child on the right path. A small, rice-filled bean bag can be the perfect way to teach them about cutting out the cloth and ensuring their stitches are close and strong enough to hold the rice in!

Find your nearest craft store and pop in to get inspired by materials and tools.

4. Learn a dance

Learning a choreographed danced takes dedication and focus – but there’s no denying it makes for some super sweet bonding time and looks awesome at the end. Whether you pick one off YouTube or head to your local dance studio, you’ll have a ball learning something together that you can pull out at family gatherings and parties for years to come.

5. Plant a sunflower

Learning how to plant a flower or a vegetable is a basic life skill that all kids should learn at some point, and the benefit of picking a sunflower is that these bright and fun flowers are virtually indestructible. They can grow to massive heights and tend to do so very quickly – making it all the more enjoyable for the kids.

6. Write a book

By now, you’ve probably read your child hundreds of bedtime stories – but how about working on one yourselves?  It’s an ideal way to keep your kids’ writing skills moving over the holidays, and it will truly feed their endless imagination as well. You’ll have a ball working out a story then drawing some pictures for it, and it’s easy to get books printed cheaply for a lifetime souvenir.

7. Build a fort

Create a whole new world in your living room by dismantling every piece of furniture you have and putting it back together in far more exciting ways. You’ll fuel their creativity as you figure out how to turn a couch cushion and a blanket into a doorway, and they’ll love snuggling up inside with a book or a movie once it’s finished.

8. Take photos together

It seems that kids these days know how to operate a smartphone from birth – but how many of them can take a photo with a real camera? Find a camera shop and pick up a camera that has options for flash, zoom, and even more advanced settings for the older kids. They’ll love to learn how it all works, and you can teach them a few pointers on what makes a good photo.