10 activities to keep your children entertained this mid-term break
HALLOWEEN can be a terrifying time of the year, particularly for those of us with children. Bad weather and shorter days coupled with the mid-term break from school can leave parents at their wits’ end.
Fear not, however, there is if we look for it, plenty to do over the Halloween break and it’s not all ghouls and ghosts, though there’s plenty of that tooooooooooo! Here are 10 you might consider:
Frightening farm
The well-known Leahy’s Farm in Dungourney, Midleton is offering people what they call the ‘Boo’ Experience.
You can take a trip on the haunted hayride before finding your way to the witch’s lair and helping her make up magic spells which presumably make your feet move to music at the witch’s wiggle disco. Don’t forget to dress up.
* The ‘Boo’ Experience runs from October 27 to November 1.
Contact: 086-8560461; info@leahysopenfarm.ie
€12 per person — pre-booking is required.
Go camping
Eclipse Ireland Adventure & Activity Centre in Kenmare, Co Kerry, offers innovative activity-based camps which are designed to ensure that all students experience thrills, fun and adventure.
This year’s Halloween camp will offer kids over the age of eight kayaking, mud surfing, survival camps and much more in a safe and friendly environment.
* For details contact: 064-6682965; www.eclipseireland.com
The week-long residential package with accommodation and all activities meals, house mother, and evening entertainment costs €300 while the cost for day campers is €45 a day.
How do you like them apples?
The good people at the Apple Farm in Cahir, co Tipperary, are offering families the chance to visit their farm and orchards for free over the mid-term break.
All you need to do is bring yourselves and be ready to pick apples in beautiful surroundings. You just pay for what you pick and then take them home for some fun apple bobbing.
* For details see: www.theapplefarm.com
free
Get Active
Activate Waterford is Waterford city’s newest indoor family activity centre and boy does it have a lot of stuff for kids.
When you’re finished with the children’s soft play area, you can take the family bowling or send them off climbing while you relax in the café. As if that weren’t enough they even have a 3D cinema.
It stays open late too so it’s always an option if you run out of other things to do. If you’re clever about it, you can get a group together and organise a private party.
* Details: www.activatewaterford.ie
prices vary
A creature made of clay
This is a lovely idea from the folk who run Runamuck on the same site in Tramore.
Pottery Place allows you to bring your children to a pottery studio and paint readymade figurines like classic garden gnomes or scary skulls.
Pieces start at €5 and go up to €30 depending on the piece you choose. Once you have added your design it is fired in a kiln and ready for you to collect a few days later.
* The Pottery Place opens from 10am-6pm.
See: www.potterypainting.ie.
€5 +
Wet wild life
The people behind this tour in Kenmare are great fun. And that is why we love them. Sailing times vary and be sure to phone in advance because they might be gone fishing.
At €60 for the family it’s not cheap but it includes 2-3 hour cruise, tea, coffee, treats for the children and a “tot of rum” which is purely for medicinal purposes of course.
Trip Advisor recently gave it their certificate of excellence and rightfully so, it’s a great day out.
* For details: www.seafariireland.com
€60 for a family of four
Oceanworld
If you’re up for a watery fright, the recently opened exhibition at OceanWorld in Dingle features juvenile saltwater crocodiles, iguanas, bearded dragons, corn snakes, pythons as well as boa constrictor Snakes which you get a chance of holding.
If you’re not brave enough for that, there’s always the chance of staring into the jaws of a shark.
* For details: www.dingle-oceanworld.ie
Family tickets are €38 for a family of four but you can bring two more for just an extra €6.
If you book online there’s a 10% discount.
Make and paint
This is not your regular make and do. The folks at the Prince August Tin Soldier Factory in Macroom are hosting special workshops across the mid-term.
Younger artists will get to makeand paint beautifully cast petrifying pumpkins, cackling witches, erie cats or spooky ghosts that will last them a lifetime.
* For details contact: www.toysoldierfactory.ie
Prices are very reasonable at €5 for under fives and €10 for older children.
Treasure hunt
You may need to visit the Crawford Art Gallery in Cork before hand to plan your route but you will soon find a string of wonderful paintings and sculptures to jot down.
Later, get your kids to find each one. It’s great (and high-brow) way of spending an hour with the kids.
* For details contact: www.crawfordartgallery.ie
Free
Trick or treat trail
Castlecomer Discovery Park in Kilkenny is offering its visitors a “spooktacular” and fun-filled Moody Monster Trick or Treat Trail through their mysterious woodland.
Just follow the clues as you walk through their magnificent forest before making your way back to the visitor centre to receive your trick or treat.
* The trial runs daily between 9.30am – 4pm from October 29 to November 6.
See www.discoverypark.ie
Just €10 per family.
You’ll need some card paper, scissors, and some sort of ability to draw. You could draw animals letters, numbers — whatever you can — just make sure you do a pair every time. Cut them into cards turn over and try to match them up.
When you find a pair you keep that pair. It’s good for the memory and good for their recognition of letters and numbers.
Don’t be afraid of the kitchen as Jamie Oiver might say.
Meatballs are handy enough and sure they always love making sweet stuff.
After they watch their an episode of their favourite show, get the kids to do a quiz. It helps them with their memory and also their ability to narrate.
Get the guitar out and teach yourself the chords to ‘Wheels on the Bus’. Their job? To help you keep time. Teach them 4/4 time by clapping, banging and hitting but keep them on message. Most songs are 4/4. It’s never too early to learn.
Is exactly what it sounds like. Get every pillow, cushion, and soft couch seat in the house and get the kids to assemble them in a relatively orderly fashion.
Then let them jump into the pile from a safe height.
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