A Hamilton, a teacher at The Terrace School, Alexandra, gave children in her year 7 and 8 class a challenge: plan some stimulating and low-cost (or no-cost) activities for the school holidays.
''We had a brainstorming session and the children came up with some pretty inspiring ideas in small groups. From there, we had a discussion about our best ideas and recorded them,'' Ms Hamilton says.
''The children responded to this activity with a great amount of enthusiasm and energy and I am sure there are going to be some very active households over the holidays.
''It just goes to show that children don't need huge amounts of money spent on them to have a great time.
''A little bit of time spent getting children to look at what is available to them in their own homes or local community goes a long way.''
Activities for the outside adventurer
• Pitch a tent in your backyard and go camping with a friend.
• Fishing is great fun. Go to your local sports shop and see if you can find a new spot to catch a fish.
• Use a slingshot to have some fun bursting water balloons.
• Challenge your friends to a newspaper boat competition. You are allowed one page to create your boat. The boat that stays afloat the longest is the winner.
• Get some local maps and go on a walk you have never done before. Remember to keep your eyes open - you never know what you might see or find!
Activities for indoors
• Create your own mini-business: make a product, business cards and posters to advertise.
• Have a jigsaw race. Find a friend and two puzzles that have the same number of pieces.
• Have your own read-athon. Have people sponsor you and donate your earnings to a good charity.
• Train your pets to do some tricks or put on an animal show.
• Make up a quiz. You could have rounds and keep scores.
• Clean up your bedroom - you may be amazed by what you find.
Activities for the energetic
• Use a map and plan a tour (bike, scooter, skateboard) round town for you and your friends. Break it into stages and have some time trials.
• Plan a mini-Olympics for you and some friends. Choose six activities to compete in and score points (you could make medals to add to the fun).
• Make your own mini-putt golf course in your backyard.
• Create your own confidence course, obstacle course or make some fun relays to complete. Make a map and plan out a treasure hunt or an orienteering course.
Activities for crafty kids
• Make a bus out of an old box and plan a tour round town.
• Make or sew some little toys to play with. Making clothes for them is fun, too.
• Go to Waste-busters. Choose four things and see what you can make out of them for fun.
• Make an indoor-outdoor hut that has a theme - a castle, a shop, or a submarine. Be imaginative! Make your own board - not bored - game.
• Learn to make some new origami animals and make a mobile.
• Make your own paint by numbers for someone else to complete.
Activities for performers
• Learn some new magic tricks and put on a show.
• Have a wacky hair day and create some fun hairdos for you and your mates.
• Have a sleepover and plan an X Factor, Stars in Their Eyes, NZ's Got Talent show to perform for others. Make sure you look glam. You could even film and edit your show.
• Have a dig through your dress-ups and have a crazy fashion parade. Write and perform your own play. Film it and share it with some your friends.
• Make your own musical instrument out of bits and bobs and see if you can play a tune with it.
Activities for the community-minded
• Clean out things you don't use anymore and either donate them or have a mini-garage sale.
• Offer to do some voluntary work for some elderly people who live close to you.
• Make up a rubbish scavenger hunt and go out into the community to have a bit of a clean-up.
• Plant out a garden - what could you grow that will be delicious later on in the year to share with others?
• Offer to play some games with some younger children you know. You could teach them a new game or take an old favourite of yours to play.
Activities for gadget lovers
• Make a documentary about your pet or another topic that inspires you!
• Watch some YouTube clips and learn a new skill to teach to someone else.
• Have a design challenge with a friend using Sketch-Up or a similar program.
• Make your own blog and keep a record of all the cool new things you have done in the holidays.
• Make a stop-motion movie to share with your class when you get back to school.
• Clean some files off your devices - sometimes you need to make time to do this.
Activities for foodies
• Have a muffin-decorating competition.
• Plan a dinner you could cook for your family. Make a shopping list, get your ingredients and get busy.
• Plan a breakfast in bed to surprise someone special.
• Invite a mate around and have your own Masterchef competition.
• Get a recipe book out from the library and make something you have never tried before.
• Make and package some sweet treats you could give to someone as a treat.
