SCHOOL'S OUT | WESTGATE LIFESTYLE

It’s school holiday time. Chances are our young ones will undoubtedly have plotted some plans with their mates, but it doesn’t hurt to have some activity ideas up your sleeve. Sometimes it’s just one purchase that can add a heck of a lot of fun and provide some wonderful school holiday memories.

I remember the time I bought my children walkie talkies in time for the holidays. I rang a few mums and we all bundled up extra kids and headed to a local quarry with bush-clad hills. The kids smartly dispersed, heading off in clusters with the walkie talkies main players in all the adventure that unfolded. I’m not sure what the rules were around their play, but it consumed hours and they had fun by the bucket-load. Another time I bought one of my boys a headlight, which proved perfect for sleepovers and games of Spotlight once it was dark enough (there are a few options available at Rebel Sport, by the way).

And so it was with a head full of such lovely memories that I went shopping for school holiday inspiration. Parents wanting to encourage their children to spend some of their holidays playing outside may well make a beeline for Rebel Sport to view the many activity-related products, from frisbees to fishing rods.

There’s certainly plenty of things to entertain the younger generation on inside days. The brain box electronics kit I found at Warehouse Stationery was but one thing that grabbed my attention (got to love an educational past-time), as did (as always) the wonderful array of art and craft ideas. At NOOD alone there is a range of “design your own” kits. Create your own tutu, design your own superhero mask, superhero cape and yoyo! If/when rainy days arrive there are other great entertainers like the play doh at Warehouse Stationery (are you ever too old for play doh?) and the remote-control robot at Harvey Normans. By the way, if the kids’ music or console activity is a bit loud, check out the headphones at Harvey Normans too. I couldn’t resist including the elastics jump rope I found at NOOD – a blast from the past, as was the sticker book from Briscoes. As for why the nutribullet, also from Briscoes, is included in my line-up… holidays are a great time to get the kids in the kitchen, if not baking, then making healthy smoothies. Every kitchen should have a nutribullet, I reckon.

There’s certainly no dearth of things to buy to keep our kids occupied. Wishing you happy holidays – that’s what we all want!

|1.Brain Box electronic kit 180 experiments, $45, from Warehouse Stationery |2.Usborne build your own spaceships sticker book, $14.99, from Briscoes |3. World class ultimate frisbee, $14.99, from Rebel Sport |4. Ledlenser NEO4 headlamp blue, $49.99, from Rebel Sport |5. NutriBullet original 5 piece 600 series NBR-0507LG $159.99, from Briscoes |6. Let’s play elastics jump rope, $9.99, from NOOD |7. Design your own tote bag, $49.99, from NOOD |8. Beats EP on-ear headphones, $97, from Harvey Norman |9.Play-Doh sparkle compound collection, $10, from Warehouse Stationery |10.HERO 2 missile remote control robot, $109.99, from Harvey Norman.

Note: Prices mentioned, and availability of products featured are subject to change. If you love the look, we recommend you head in store to find out more.