Podcaster, Irish Times columnist and all round Superhero Mammy - Jen Hogan popped in to chat about Easter Holidays mid term mayhem trying to find things to occupy the family and don't cost an arm and a leg! And Jen has plenty of experience 7 kids of her own!
Write your own newspaper/ comic. The Hogan Times - smaller kids can draw the pictures (for photos), older ones can choose their news - from a trip you did, to a sibling's farts!! Or you can also design a new superhero for a comic strip. Let your imagination take off!
80s/90s movie nights - doing this with my kids at the moment and they're loving it. I feel 100, but I am loving it too: Suggestions include: The Karate Kid, The Goonies, Princess Bride, The Borrowers, Small Soldiers, Honey, I Shrunk The Kids, Babe... there are soooo many! Share your memories and get their own reviews on the movies.
Board games - there's been a big revival. And there's lots that work across all the age groups. 30 Seconds is a brilliant Irish game we love playing! UNO, Guess Who?, Cluedo, Catan, Ticket To Ride.. the list goes on! (try the themed ones too like Guess Who? Football Stars and the various Monopoly choices) One I would highly recommend is obvious but is having a real renaissance.. Chess!
How to draw videos - these keep my littlest guy occupied for ages. Online isn't all bad! YouTube has so many to choose from. @artforkidshub has over 9 million subscribers!! And also try our own Will Sliney too he has a lot of videos on YouTube.
Teach them some old fashioned games to play outdoors with the neighbourhood kids - like rounders, kerbs, Crocodile Crocodile, etc
Check out your local greenway - get cycling!
Dare I suggest a yes day? Get the rules set on pricing, locations, etc. beforehand. Then let their imagination take over!
Places to go – around the country
- Explorium National Sport and Science Centre - something for all ages
- The Dead Zoo - FREE - - in Dublin. Good to take in on a day trip if coming from around the country.
- The Irish National Stud and Gardens in Kildare - Easter Egg-Stravaganza from the 18th – 21st of April
- Hook Lighthouse
- Lane 7 in Dublin, Leisureplex in Cork - Planet Galway - great for the teens
- Luggwoods Easter trail - great for the smallies
- Zero Latency - VR experiences that are SOOO good for maybe age 8 to adult!
- Airfield in Dundrum is doing Easter arts and crafts and fairy trails
- Kia Ora mini farm
- Emerald Park
