Children's activities in Easter Holidays

[Barmaid]

I have my first full on holiday with the children of my new partner coming up and have taken the week off.

Unfortunately, money is a bit tight so we can't afford to spend a lot entertaining them. The additional problem is that my bf's little boy is severly autistic and has a very low boredom threshold. Anything we choose really needs to be interactive and keep him engaged.

Can anyone suggest things to do to help entertain them. So far we have planned a pizza factory session where I provide the ingredients and they make their own pizzas (I will cook them - obviously!); an easter egg hunt (which I have yet to devise!); a trip to London for the science museum or natural history museum (both free!); joining the library (free); a trip to Alton Towers (I have got some free tickets). Can anyone suggest anything else? I would love to go out on our bikes but the little boy will NOT entertain a bicycle. I'd really like to get them outdoors and let off some steam with something we can just do as a family.

[sara3]

hi Barmaid :o)

we went here a few years back. it's not huge but it's quite entertaining with lots of buttons to push!

http://www.roalddahlmuseum.org/

[zzxxee]

weather permitting nature spotting through a wood and picnic after

[shivvy]

Wrap up warm and head off to the beach Barmaid.
Build sandcastles, pick pretty shells, bury siblings, dig trenches, search for crabs - totally free and endless fun to be had.

[sara3]

burying siblings may be illegal, lol!

[Barmaid]

We like buttons Sara! That beats a trip to London cos I can't actually afford the train fare!

zzxxee - that's a good idea which I may hold back for better weather. Knowing my luck it will lash it down all week.

[Barmaid]

Fantastic idea! I love the seaside!!!!!!! Can I bury the bf?!

[karenmac60]

Check your local library too - we always run activities for the kids during the holidays. The parents can get involved in some of them and others are just for the kids but are only an hour or two long which would give you a breather and give the kids a little something different.

[momcj]

Check with your local council website. Where i live they do lots of activities in different local parks.

[annie0000]

Will he sit at the cinema? UCI and Vue cinema's (not sure about other chains) usually do a movie for a pound per person at weekends and holidays - it is usually about 10 - 10.30 am and will not be a new release, but works out a cheap hour or two if it's raining. Our stand by for bad weather is always the swimming pool - usually pretty cheap. Sport centre may have some availability on a badminton court or something.

[Schlomo78]

Sounds like you have some great ideas already! *Hastily scribbles down ideas to use with own son* :)
Just a quick note, I've read before that many autistic children don't like cycling, but he may like scootering. So if you're desperate in the future to get out on the bikes, maybe you could try him on a scooter (you could borrow one first or try on in Toys R Us to see) and then you could all go out together (albeit quite slowly). But still.
Anyway, enjoy your Easter, whatever you do! :)

[annie0000]

Oh - just remembered it's easter coming up - why not paint eggs and roll them - egg races etc.

[annie0000]

The Works shops always have cheap crafty stuff to do - the've loads of easter stuff in just now.

Something that always goes down well with my boys is making and flying paper aeroplanes. If you google, it comes up with loads of sites where you can get different plans and ideas and try them out.

This one of our favourite sites:
http://www.paperairplanes.co.uk/planes.php

[aims1202]

how old is your little boy? if you wanted to go out on bikes maybe you could put him on a bike seat, i had the one that is just a saddle goes in front of the adult and child holds onto middle of handlebars, its great for 4/5yrs you might get one secondhand
also do you have a local childrens centre? they usually do lots of free things in holidays as well as arts centres sometimes do things very cheap or free.
we are planning to go and play tennis for free at our local court as well as going to the woods and parks, we make the journey part of the outing and the fun either walking or cycling but of course the weather has to be nice!