The school holidays bring time for your child to relax and unwind, and it’s also the perfect opportunity to remind them how to go back to basics and have fun with some exciting activities.

We’ve put together some of our most favourite winter activity ideas that are perfect for the school holidays.

## Science and Craft Snow Activity

If you’re thinking of heading to the snow this season but haven’t quite got there yet, give this Winter Fake Snow activity a try…all in the comfort of your own home! Here are five different ways to make fake snow.

Baking soda and shaving cream. Mix 1 cup of baking soda with 1 cup of shaving cream. Mix with a fork. Add a few drops of water until the mixture takes on a snow-like appearance.

Baking soda and water. Pour 1 cup of baking soda into a bowl and add one tablespoon of water at a time. Use a fork or a whisk to stir the two ingredients together, adding more water as you go. When it’s light and powdery, it’s ready to play with!

Baking soda and conditioner. For this recipe, be sure to use white conditioner so your fake snow looks just like the real stuff. Start with 1/2 cup of conditioner and use a fork to stir in about 3 cups of baking soda. This snow packs very well and is great for making snowmen!

Shaving cream and corn flour. Mix equal parts shaving cream (foam, not gel) and corn flour for this recipe, which makes a dense, foamy snow.

Cornstarch and lotion. Mix together equal parts of corn flour and lotion for this crumbly snow recipe. If you’re looking for a more powdery snow, add slightly less lotion than corn flour.

Now it’s time to build your snowman! Download the activity guide here.

## Cooking in the Kitchen

Damper is a favourite in our Outside School Hours Care services and it only takes four ingredients to make.

Serves 12

Ingredients

4 cups self-raising flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups reduced fat milk
Extra flour
Method

Pre-heat oven to 220oC
Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and make a well in the middle
Pour in the milk and mix
Dust a baking tin with extra flour then place dough in the tin
Cut a cross in the top surface of the dough
Bake in oven for approx. 30 mins
 
## Board Game Challenge for the Whole Family

Indoor games are the best wet weather activity. Set up different activity stations in your home with different card and board games. For an added challenge, children can design their own games. Some of our Your OSHC services have created their own Monopoly board game, with street names from around their local area. You can create your own at home too.

## Design a Sports Round Robin

Pick a country or town to represent, take responsibility for one activity each, and have everyone pick what their prize will be if they’re crowned as winner.

Maybe you’ll want someone else to take charge of dinner, while your children might want their bedtime pushed back for one night only.

Activities don’t have to be complicated. Our favourites include:

- Fastest in sack jumper (use old garden sacks or even dust sheets tied up)
- Best dancer (we like to pick a theme)
- Most jumping jacks in 60 seconds
- Best basketball shooter

We hope these activities become popular in your house during the school holidays and for more exciting adventures, book into Rocketeers at [www.campaustralia.com.au/rocketeers](https://www.campaustralia.com.au/rocketeers).

 

We’ve put together some of our most favourite winter activities for the school holidays.

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School Holiday Fun with Winter Activities

Blog

Camp Australia

Cooking activities for kids have been the taste (pardon the pun) of the week. In Outside School Hours Care, our educators and children love to cook together, learning how ingredients combine to create wonderful tasting treats and dishes. Please enjoy some of our latest recipes from our kitchen to yours at home.

### Banana Smoothies

Delicious and easy to prepare smoothie.

Serves 3

*Ingredients*

1 banana
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon or dash of honey
1 Weetbix (optional)

*Method*

Peel banana and break into pieces
Blend all ingredients until smooth (use blender, otherwise use a fork)
Serve cold
 

### Hummingbird Cake

This cake was named after the bird because it was sweet enough to attract hummingbirds (who eat only nectar). It was invented in Jamaica in the 1960s.

Recipe makes one cake or 24 mini muffins

*Ingredients*

1 ¼ cup self-raising flour
¼ cup sugar
½ cup coconut
1 teaspoon bicarb soda
400gms tinned fruit
2 ripe bananas
¾ cup vegetable oil

*Method*

Preheat oven to 1800C
Using paper towel, lightly grease muffin tin with vegetable oil
Combine dry ingredients in a bowl
Add tinned fruit and oil. Mix until just combined.
Spoon mixture into cake tin or divide into muffin tins
Cook for approx. 30 mins
 

### Orange Muffins

Serves 12

*Ingredients*

2 cups plain flour
1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
¼ cup sugar
2-3 tablespoons orange or lemon zest
2/3 cup milk
2/3 cup orange juice
¼ cup vegetable oil

*Method*

Pre-heat oven to 180oC
Sift flour and baking soda into medium sized bowl
Stir in sugar and orange or lemon zest. Make well in centre.
Combine milk, orange juice and stro into dry ingredients.
Bake for 55-60 mins or until cooked when tested then stand for 5 mins
 

### Nachos

Nachos are associated with Mexican food. It is thought this dish was first served in 1943.

*Ingredients*

1 packet of Lebanese wholemeal bread (cut up and lightly toasted)
1 tin of kidney beans (drained and rinsed with water)
1 tin of corn (drained)
¼ cup grated reduced-fat cheese
¼ cup salsa
Use any vegetable, e,g. lettuce or capsicum as topping
Method

Refrigerate the cheese for 5 mins so that it is easier to grate
Ona microwave plate, arrange Lebanese bread pieces in a single layer
Top with kidney beans and grated cheese
Microwave uncovered on High for approx.. 1 min, until heated and cheese has melted.
Top with salsa and toppings

### Hearty Soup with Noodles

This delicious soup can contain any vegetables.

Serves 10

*Ingredients*

Vegetables (e.g. carrot, celery)
Vegetable oil
1 tin corn
1 tin tomatoes
Noodles

*Method:*

Cut vegetables into small pieces
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add tomatoes.
Stir and bring to a simmer
Add vegetables and drained corn.
Add water and stir.
Cover and cook until all vegetables are soft
Serve with cooked noodles.
 

### Australian Damper

Damper is the bush-bread of Australia. Drivers baked damper in camp ovens buried in the hot ashes of their campfires in the outback. You can also make damper in your oven.

Serves 12

*Ingredients*

4 cups self-raising flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups reduced-fat milk
Extra flour

*italic text*
Pre-heat oven to 220oC
Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and make a well in the middle
Pour in the milk and mix
Dust a baking tin with extra flour then place dough in the tin
Cut a cross in the top surface of the dough
Bake in oven for approx. 30 mins
 

### Orange Juice   
                          
Orange juice is easy to make, and contains nothing other than what’s found in oranges!

*Ingredients*
4 oranges

*Method*

Cut each orange in half
Use a handheld juicer to squeeze the juice from each orange
Pour in cups and enjoy!
 

The Camp Australia Healthy Eating Cookbook was created as a resource for our Outside School Hours Care services to enjoy these cooking activities for kids. Many recipes from our cookbook are cooked each day because children simply cannot get enough of cooking! If you’d like some recipe ideas, write to us at marketing@campaustralia.com.au.

In Outside School Hours Care, our educators and children love to cook together, learning how ingredients combine to create wonderful tasting treats and dishes. Please enjoy some of our latest recipes from our kitchen to yours at home.

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Cooking Up a Storm in the Kitchen for Kids

Healthy eating for children helps them to maintain good health, keep up their energy levels and fend off illness. Each OSHC session offers fresh fruit and vegetables and we have recently sourced from local boutique suppliers to maintain food that is of quality and freshness due to the recent panic buying resulting in a shortage of supply from our regular supplier.

Supporting your children during the COVID-19 outbreak is about understanding the most nutritious options and how to maintain good food hygiene.

### 6 tips for building healthy eating habits for children during COVID-19
Whether you want to encourage your children to eat more healthy foods or you’re concerned about food hygiene, these six tips can help.

**1. Eating together as a family**

Bringing the family together at least once a day allows you to be a role model for your children, as well as ensuring healthy food is put on the table. The [WHO (World Health Organisation)](https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/healthy-parenting) suggests allowing plenty of opportunities to educate your child about COVID-19 and being their form of guidance. If your children are old enough to make their own food choices, this is especially important right now. While they might enjoy junk food in moderation, now’s the time to make sure you’re all eating nutritious foods every single day, and as frequently as possible. Seeing you model this behaviour is important for children of all ages.

**2. Stock up on healthy snacks**

Have a variety of fruit on hand for snacks and dessert so they become the new ‘normal’ for your household. Other good options include cheese, wholegrain crackers or breads, eggs and nuts, where not allergic, of course. By providing healthy snacking options, you also ensure your children are getting some of the nutrients they need throughout the day, not just during main meal times.

**3. Disguise healthy food**s

If you’re struggling to get your children to accept some of the healthy options you’d like them to eat, try disguising it. For example, add vegetables to soups or casseroles, mash vegetables into mashed potato or blend veggies in pasta sauces. [Australia’s Best Recipes](https://www.bestrecipes.com.au/articles/5-ways-hide-veggies-food/elakxvw9) has various examples to try. With the right quantities, they’ll never guess what you’ve added but still benefit from all the extra nutritional value.

**4. Involve children in the decision-making process**

Plans to improve your family’s healthy eating works even better if everyone’s onboard. Ask your children to help you look at labels or recipes, and talk to them about the ingredients listed, and what they do or don’t contribute to a healthy diet. You could also get them to help you work out what you can substitute if you can’t get everything you want in the supermarket. Getting them excited about picking and eating s is a fun way to involve them as well. This isn’t just beneficial during COVID-19, it’s teaching them important skills for their future.

**5. Ask them to help you prepare food safely**

The CDC ([Centers for Disease Control and Prevention](https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html) say that coronaviruses are typically spread from person-to-person through the air. They don’t have any evidence to suggest that the virus is transmitting through food, but they still highlight the need to practice good hygiene. Get your children involved in food preparation and explain to them why they need to take certain precautions. In particular, they should wash their hands thoroughly before preparing or eating food. It’s also important to clean the surfaces you’ll be using. Washing and rinsing fruit and vegetables is a critical habit to develop as well.

**6. Start with a healthy breakfast**

By starting the morning with a healthy breakfast, your family has an even better chance of staying away from unhealthy snacks throughout the day. A healthy breakfast can help with better energy levels and focus, avoiding those energy dips that send us reaching for unhealthy food. You can even choose meals you can prepare the night before or in batches. Good options include boiling an egg for everyone or making scrambled egg sandwiches the night before. You can also defrost frozen fruit overnight, ready to mix with yoghurt and cereals in the morning or for the week ahead, or blend into a smoothie.

 Exactly what kind of portion sizes your child needs depends on their level of physical activity.

### Child health and the importance of good nutrition

Healthy eating is about getting the right nutrients to help our bodies grow and develop. Poor dietary choices can mean children are missing essential nutrition, such as key vitamins and minerals, that help them fight disease and stay healthy.

So, what is a good diet for children? It’s about having a balanced diet, which covers a range of food groups and allows children to get all the nutrients they need to be as healthy as possible.

When children don’t eat a balanced diet that’s rich in fruits and vegetables, they can lack fibre which may lead to nutritional deficiencies. They may have difficulty maintaining a good weight, lack energy or show problems with their physical growth. Some children experience emotional, psychological and behavioural problems, may struggle to concentrate at school or have difficulty sleeping.

It’s not always obvious what you should look out for when it comes to keeping your children healthy though. Here are some key nutrients to think about:

Vitamins and minerals from a range of fruits and veggies. Go for as colourful a plate as possible and think about this at every meal. By doing so, you’ll likely make sure your children have plenty of vitamins such as A and C, both of which support the immune system. Citrus fruits and dark leafy greens are great examples of high vitamin foods.

Protein is an essential part of the body’s repair system and so helps your child recover quickly if they do get ill. Lean meats and dark leafy greens have lots of protein.
Good fats are also good for the immune system as they help the body effectively use some of the other nutrients we eat. It’s also a great source of energy for children. Be careful to provide unsaturated fats rather than saturated. Avocados, eggs, nuts and seeds are excellent sources of good fats.

Carbohydrates are another key source of energy and they also support the body in using other key nutrients in repairing and building. Sweet potatoes and whole grains are great examples of carbohydrates.
Iron helps the body produce blood and build muscles and is especially important when your children are growing. Red meats and beans are excellent sources.

There are many important nutrients that we all need, which is why a well-balanced and varied diet is so important.

 Get the right balance of nutrients to help your child develop and grow.

### Dietary choices the Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend

The Australian Dietary Guidelines, published by the Australian Government, include  specific recommendations:

- Be physically active and choose nutritious foods and drinks
- Enjoy a variety of food from five key food groups
- Limit intake of saturated fat, high salt and sugars
- Prepare and store food safely

For parents trying to build healthy eating habits for their children, the first two guidelines are key.

The five food groups the guidelines refer to are below, as well as serves per day - which depends on your child’s age.

- Vegetables, including different colours and different types (2-5 serves per day)
- Fruit (1-2 serves per day)
- Grain-based foods, particularly wholegrain or high cereal fibre options [including breads, rice, pasta and noodles] (4-7 serves per day)
- Lean meat, fish, poultry or vegetarian alternatives such as egg, legumes/beans and tofu (1-2.5 serves per day)
- Milk, cheese, yoghurt or alternative products available [children under 2 should have full-fat milk, but older children and adolescents can have reduced-fat varieties] (1.5 - 3.5 serves per day)

The guidelines also advise parents that it’s important to drink plenty of water.

The government’s ‘[Healthy eating for children](https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/healthy-eating-for-children)’ guide, which uses the same guidelines, also explains that being healthy involves choosing the right amounts of these nutritious foods to support energy needs, growth and development. Children should have a variety of nutritious foods from the five food groups every day.

A healthy diet includes options from all five food groups.

### Foods to avoid in a healthy diet
 
Guideline 3 is about understanding what foods to limit. These foods may be high in calories, or have significant sugar, saturated fat or salt levels. While these kinds of foods can be enjoyed occasionally, the guidelines refer to them as ‘discretionary choices’ because they are by no means an essential part of your child’s diet. Similarly, the Australian Department of Health refers to these choices as ‘Sometimes foods’. As well as only having these foods occasionally, it’s also advisable to limit how much your children have.

Examples of foods to limit include:

- Lollies or confectionery
- Cakes
- Biscuits
- Desserts including ice cream
- Processed foods such as meat pies or ready meals
- Sugary drinks
- Deep fried foods such as takeaway fries

Remember that highly processed and refined foods are often stripped of much of their nutritional value and don’t offer slow, long lasting energy release like complex carbohydrates do - such as brown rice and whole wheat bread.

It’s also a good idea to get into the habit of watching out for added salt and sugar in seemingly healthy foods - such as bread, prepared soups, flavoured yoghurts or drinks and ready-made meals. Producers add extra ingredients for a variety of reasons, such as taste and shelf-life, which can hamper your efforts to provide healthy food for your children.

Helping your child make good food choices is not only important while we navigate COVID-19, it’s a critical habit to develop and maintain into the future. Check our [school holiday activities article](https://www.campaustralia.com.au/blog/6-school-holiday-activities-to-entertain-the-kids) for a healthy recipe you can make today.

Staying healthy is extra important during the COVID-19 outbreak. With the children at home, it’s important you know how to support their nutrition.

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Healthy Eating for Children: 6 Ways to Build Healthy Habits for Children During COVID-19

If your children normally get their exercise through their participation with organised sport clubs, it can be challenging to find ways to keep up their fitness at home while the restrictions during COVID-19 are easing and sports clubs have not reopened yet.

Heading outside and giving your children room to burn off their extra energy is great when you’re free. However, if you’re trying to keep up full-time hours by still working from home or , you’ll need some indoor ideas too.

Luckily, we’re used to finding ways to entertain even the most active of children in all sorts of indoor spaces. Here are our top tips for keeping kids active.

### How much physical activity do children need every day?

The government’s Department of Health recommends that all young people (5 - 17 years) get at least an hour’s worth of “moderate to vigorous physical activity per day involving mainly aerobic activities.” They do say an “accumulated” 60 minutes of exercise, so you don’t have to keep your children moving for a full hour. However, it’s a good time to start noticing how long your children spend doing highly aerobic activity throughout the day so you can adjust if necessary.

Children need at least an hour’s vigorous exercise each day.

In addition to the hour’s moderate to vigorous exercise, the [Department of Health](https://www.health.gov.au/health-topics/physical-activity-and-exercise/physical-activity-and-exercise-guidelines-for-all-australians?utm_source=health.gov.au&utm_medium=callout-auto-custom&utm_campaign=digital_transformation) also suggests several hours of light physical activity. Again, this can be made up of various different activities throughout the day, and might come easily if your children are naturally active.

However, as well as incorporating physical exercise into your child’s day, you also need to think about how you can limit sedentary behaviour. The Department of Health says we should break up long periods of sitting and keep sedentary screen time to no more than 2 hours.

Of course, if you’ve been trying to manage learning from home as well as letting your children watch their favourite shows or catch up with friends on the iPad, you might find it hard to keep to 2 hours. However, this is a good guideline to start with, recognising that we’ve been working through highly unusual times recently.   

### 8 exercises for kids during COVID-19 lockdown

Now you know how much your children need to exercise, here are our ideas for making easy.

**1. Use online PE lessons**

British fitness star Joe Wicks has become a global sensation during lockdown with his online P.E classes. While he releases [P.E with Joe](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyCLoPd4VxBsXs1WmPcektsQyFbXTf9FO) at 9 a.m U.K. time, you can always head over to his YouTube channel to grab the latest session at a more convenient time.

Another great option is connecting with your children’s usual clubs or activities. Lots of providers have found ways to move online during lockdown, so your children might still be able to practice with their usual gymnastics, martial arts or tennis coach. Not only has this kept them fit, but it has allowed them to connect with familiar faces and maintain their social routine. While restrictions are easing, most clubs are still waiting to hear from the government as to when they can reopen.

**2. Build on their natural interests**

Even if your children’s clubs aren’t online, you can still use their hobbies to encourage exercise at home. It’s also worth asking them about some of the things they do outside of the classroom at school, especially when it isn’t strictly P.E.

You might find they enjoy a visiting dance teacher and their recent lessons about the ocean, for example. Challenge them to come up with an under the sea dance that lasts three minutes, with costumes and music. Not only will this keep them entertained for quite a while, they’ll be moving the whole time too.

Of course, if they’re footy or cricket mad, then setting up a small space in your garden for practising their skills is a great option too!

**3. Take scooters and bikes instead of walking**

Not all children are fans of a long walk. Offer them a scooter or bike, though, and they’re often happy to be out for much longer. Even if you walk, they can still go ahead a little way and double back to you.

No matter which way you do it, remember to pick a route that your children can manage. Little legs can only go so far, and their current fitness and stamina comes into it too. It’s worth picking a route you can easily shorten or extend depending on how they’re doing. Start short so as not to put anyone (including yourself) off future adventures.

**4. Leave sports equipment in view**

Normally we’re fans of tidying up after every activity. But, you’ll want your children to take every opportunity to get some exercise.

Let them leave cricket bats, tennis rackets and footballs out so that the equipment catches their eye again and again. Make sure it’s easy for them to help themselves to their bike or scooter, if you’re happy for them to be outdoors without you. Show them how to access their favourite online class.

This encourages your children to choose their own physical activity, reducing the amount of effort you have to put into making sure everyone’s getting their exercise.

Encourage your children to choose their own physical activity.

**5. Design a family Games**

When you’re not busy, get involved in your children’s fitness activities. We love [at-home Games](https://www.campaustralia.com.au/blog/8-different-autumn-activities-for-children). Pick a country or town to represent, take responsibility for one activity each, and have everyone pick what their prize will be if they’re crowned as winner.

Maybe you’ll want someone else to take charge of dinner, while your children might want their bedtime pushed back for one night only.

Activities don’t have to be complicated. Our favourites include:

- Fastest in sack jumper (use old garden sacks or even dust sheets tied up).
- Best dancer (we like to pick a theme).
- Most jumping jacks in 60 seconds.
- Best basketball shooter.

**6. Calm everyone with yoga for body and mind**

Yoga is not only great for keeping us moving and building muscle, it’s also good at helping both children and adults relax through gentle movement and calming visualisations. 

A great option for children who prefer their exercise to be part of their creative play, [Cosmic Kids Yoga’s YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/cosmickidsyoga) has sessions based around Frozen, Harry Potter and many more popular movies and characters. Cosmic Kids Yoga also does mindfulness sessions, has a playlist dedicated to calming your children and offers a yoga disco.

We also like [The Karma Class](https://thekarmaclass.com/karma-homes/), who are currently offering their ‘Karma Homes’ while we’re in lockdown. They offer meditation, mindful movement, breathing exercises and plenty more.

Yoga’s a great activity for you to do with your children, and it doesn’t have to take very long.

Everyone can use a little yoga.

**7. Gamify physical activity**

Gamification is about turning activities into challenges and offering a reward. Create a chart for all the activities your children enjoy doing and have them put a sticker up every time they do one of them.

You could have columns for all the activities and total how many they do each day or record how well they do them. For example, if your child loves soccer, log how many times they scored a goal. If they’re tennis fans, see how long they can keep up a rally. Even timing your children with a skipping rope can work and Joe Wicks’ P.E classes count too!

Choose what they get a reward for - perhaps for doing more than five activities, or for improving on something they did yesterday. Then decide what kind of reward you’re offering. Rewards we like to use at home include:

- An extra bedtime story.
- Choosing Friday night’s movie.
- Extra video calls with friends and family.
- We usually avoid rewards related to food, especially sugary snacks.

**8. Set a daily exercise time**

Try scheduling a set time to work out together. This way, your kids get used to the new routine, and know that they have a certain amount of time to play before you come together.

Set an alarm a few minutes before and task your children with setting up, getting everyone’s water bottles ready. They can even make sure younger children are set up with toys before the rest of you begin. You can even create a playlist they can load up on the iPad, or let them play their favourite songs during ‘preparation time’ so the whole activity feels like a treat.

### Staying active beyond COVID-19

Making sure children stay active beyond lockdown doesn’t have to be a challenge. The key is in thinking about what they enjoy and what they actively choose to do so you don’t have to force them into it. Lots of children naturally want to move about as they play, and with our tips you can guide their play to make sure they’re keeping active every day. We know that we’ll have lots of fun physical activities organised at OSHC for when everyone is returning into the classroom.

Keeping kids active during the coronavirus lockdown is super important but it can be challenging to find ways to stay fit at home, even when the restrictions are relaxing. Here are 8 tips. 

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8 Ways to Exercise with Kids when Lockdown Restrictions are Relaxing

Having the kitchen at arm’s length during home isolation is an instant distraction for children whilst they are trying to power their way through schoolwork on a weekday. Not to mention the struggles at the dinner table when your child somehow seems too full to eat their nutritious home cooked meal!

[Good nutrition](https://www.campaustralia.com.au/blog/healthy-eating-for-children-6-ways-to-build-healthy-habits-for-children-during-covid-19) is vital for growing children, and our OSHC services often refer to the Camp Australia Healthy Eating Cookbook for nutritious ideas when it comes to providing food that will help children to thrive at before and after school care. Our cookbook was developed in consultation with Nutrition Australia and contains healthy recipes that are quick and easy and all kids approved. Ideal for encouraging children to get creative in the kitchen.

Cooking is one of the great after school activities for kids to do at home. Children love to be kept busy at home and if they have recipes to refer to, they can create some delicious snacks for themselves instead of automatically heading to the pantry for more convenient options.

Convenience doesn’t always have to come in a cardboard box or snack-sized packet. Here are some healthy snack ideas from our very own cookbook that’s been tried and tested each day at before and after school care.


### Banana Smoothie
Serves 3

 
Delicious and easy to prepare smoothie.

Ingredients:

- 1 banana
- 1 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
 

Method:

1. Peel the banana and break into pieces
2. Blend all ingredients until smooth (use blender if provided, otherwise use fork)
3. Serve cold
 

### Apricot Balls  


Ingredients:

- 200g dried apricots
- ¼ cup desiccated coconut
- 2 Vitabrits
- 1 tablespoon water
 

Method:

1. Place apricots, coconut and VitaBrits into a bowl and mash until smooth
2. Add water gradually and continue to mix until well combined
3. Using wet hands, form mixture into balls and roll in coconut
 

### Rice Bubble Hedgehog
Serves 24

 

Ingredients:

- 1 cup Dried fruit
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup cocoa
- ½ cup coconut
- ½ cup rice bubbles
 

Method:

1. Finely chop the dried fruit
2. Melt the honey so it is warm and runny
3. Add all the ingredients together until well mixed
4. This can be rolled into balls, put into muffin tins or made as a slice
5. Refrigerate until set and then serve
 
### Cheesemite Scrolls
Serves 6


This hearty snack can be enjoyed all year round.


Ingredients:

- 4 cups self-rising flour plus extra flour for dusting
- 1 ½ cups of reduced fat milk
- 1 cup of reduced fat cheese (grated)
- Vegemite
 

Method:

1. Preheat an oven to 220°C
2. Sift the 4 cups of flour into a bowl then mix in milk
3. When combined into a dough put extra flour on bench and roll out the pastry flat
4. Spread a thin amount of vegemite and grated cheese onto dough then roll from one side to the other
5. Cut into 2-3cm pieces and bake in oven for approximately 30 mins
 

### Mini Pizzas
Serves 10

Pizzas are thought to be of Italian origin. They consist of a shallow bread-like crust covered with tomato salsa. Children can choose their own toppings.


Ingredients:

- Bread (toasted) or rice cakes (not toasted)
- Salsa
- Grated cheese and sliced vegetables e.g. carrot, cucumber
 

Method:

1. Spread salsa on toasted bread or rice cakes
2. Grate vegetables and cheese then put on top of toast or rice cakes
3. Place toast in the oven till cheese melts and serve
4. If using rice cakes just add the grated veggies and the toppings
 

Keeping children busy at home is often challenging but we’ll be sure to share more healthy recipes regularly via our blog to mix it up a bit. In the meantime, if your child is a chef at heart, there are more cooking ideas in our Cooking at home guide that has been collated by our dedicated programmers at Rocketeers.

 

Camp Australia is an advocate for healthy eating and incorporates food into before and after school care sessions that is not only fresh and nutritious but tasty too. To find a location near you, please visit [https://www.campaustralia.com.au/families](https://www.campaustralia.com.au/families).

Making healthy snacks is a good way to keep children busy and their bellies full when isolating at home.

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Healthy Snack Ideas for Hungry Children

As autumn approaches, we’re starting to think about the [next activities at our OSHC services](https://www.campaustralia.com.au/families/oshc). We always pride ourselves on offering a wide range of activities and we’re determined to come up with some different activities for autumn.

We thought we’d share some of our favourite autumn activities for children of all ages for some at-home fun; something that’s extra handy while we’re in COVID-19 lockdown.

** 1. Cooking with warming Mexican flavours**

When it gets chilly outside, we usually start craving some warming foods. We like to take this opportunity to introduce children to some different foods that they might not be used to preparing for themselves but will leave them feeling super satisfied on a cold or dreary day.

This [healthy chicken enchilada recipe](https://www.cleaneatingwithkids.com/healthy-chicken-enchiladas-recipe/) is not only really popular with children, but it’s also easy to make so they can get fully involved. There aren’t too many ingredients or too many steps to follow.

**2. Painting with autumn leaves**

For something different from the usual autumn art activities, make a beautiful masterpiece by using leaves as stencils. 

Lay the leaves out on a white background and hold them in place with blue tac so they don’t rip the paper when you remove them later. Get your children to paint around the leaves using a mixture of autumnal colours. They don’t need to do it neatly - the messier the better! We also like using sponges to paint as it creates a nice texture.

When they’re done, remove the leaves and you’ll have white leaf outlines amongst an amazing array of autumnal tones. You can also put a dab of colour in the white leaves if you want to.

We think this works really well if you get your children to collect leaves that are different shapes and sizes. Depending on how big the leaves are and the size of your paper, they might need anywhere from 5 to 10 leaves.

** 3. Apple and eggshell at-home science experiments**

Mix up your autumn activities by bringing in some science. We have lots of science experiments that children love to get involved with. Here are a couple we like when we’re spending more time indoors.

For the serious scientist, cut apples into cubes and split them into several small containers - such as ramekins or empty plastic containers. Add a different type of liquid to each container so that it covers the apple and then see which set of apples start to brown more quickly. Use something like lemon juice or baking soda in one of your containers for slow browning. Leave one container open to the air to show how quickly apples brown without any protection from the air. [Here’s the experiment for you to follow at home](https://www.pre-kpages.com/apple-science-experiment/).

Another one we love is creating [eggshell geode crystals](https://sciencebob.com/eggshell-geode-crystals/). This requires a little bit of preparation but is really colourful and suits children who like to check in on their experiment over several days.

Prepare your eggshells by cracking them close to the end and removing the contents. Remove the membrane by running the shell under warm water and let them dry. Create several types of water solutions with different solids dissolved in them, and tint each with different food colouring. Fill each eggshell with a different solution, let the water evaporate and watch as crystals grow.

**4. Starting a pinecone weather station**

Did you know that you can use [pine cones to check the weather forecast](https://www.science-sparks.com/pine-cone-weather-station/)? This a fun multi-day activity that you only have to set up once.

Pine cones open or close depending on the weather. In dry weather, they open up to let the wind take the tiny seeds stored inside so more pine trees can grow. If it’s wet weather though, the pine cones close up so the seeds don’t get waterlogged and become too heavy to travel far enough away on the wind.

Take your children out to collect some pinecones, then select an outdoor window sill you can see from indoors. Blue tac your pinecones to the window sill so they don’t fall off, and then send your children to check the weather forecast every morning and afternoon.

You could also set up a chart to monitor the pine cone forecast against the actual weather, so your children can check the accuracy.

**5. Making a herbarium**

A herbarium is a collection of dried plants and flowers in a book or notepad with some notes about the species. Creating your own herbarium is a great activity because there are several parts of the process and you can spread it over a couple of weeks or more.

The first part of the process is going out to find plants and flowers in your area. Then you’ll need to press them, before finally arranging them into your chosen notebook. It pays to do a bit of research about plants in your local area first, so you can guide your children in identifying the plants you pick. If it’s too tricky for them, it could be disheartening.

When you go out to pick your plants, take a small notepad to write down your observations so you don’t have to remember the details. Your children might want to record where they found the plant, what they thought of it, how it smells and of course, the name. You’ll also want some way of knowing which plant the notes relate to - so they should either write a good description or label their specimens with numbers.

Once the flowers and plants have dried, your children get to arrange them in their new herbarium book and decide how to copy in the notes they made when they collected them. They might choose to arrange by colour, location, size, or simply by their favourites.

If you’d like to give this activity a try, check out [this guide](https://www.motherforlife.com/creative-hobbies/crafts/7095-making-a-herbarium.thtml) or [these instructions](https://theherbalacademy.com/herbarium-project-for-children/).

**6. Crafting an autumn leaf suncatcher**

Make your windows beautiful and keep the children entertained at the same time with [this activity](https://www.thebestideasforkids.com/leaf-suncatcher/). You’ll need tissue paper in colours like yellow, orange, red and brown. as well as some sticky back plastic.

Cut the plastic into any kind of leaf shape you like - perhaps a variety if you’re making a few. Get your child to cut or tear up the tissue paper and use the sticky side of the plastic to create a collage.

When they’ve covered the surface, get a second sheet of sticky back plastic to stick over the tissue paper and see the design. They might also like to make a border for the leaves out of other coloured paper you have lying around, even old wallpaper or magazine cuttings can work. Finally, stick the leaves in the window and watch the lovely autumn sunlight come shining through. You can learn how to make a cellophane suncatcher [here](https://www.muminthemadhouse.com/autumnfall-leaf-suncatcher/).

You can use the same process to make smaller leaves and string them together for hanging suncatchers.

**7. Designing a maze or mandala**

We like to get the children outside as much as possible when the weather’s dry. These activities keep everyone entertained for quite a while and can we sometimes return to them throughout the holidays .

Challenge your children to make a [maze out of fallen leaves](https://innerchildfun.com/2015/11/leaf-maze.html). You can dictate size or tell them that it must be square or circular. You might want to have them make more than one maze so they can challenge each other.

If you’re lucky enough to have a big garden, the only thing you might want to do first is spend some time raking up the leaves so they’re easily accessible before you [make a maze](https://happyhooligans.ca/leaf-maze/). If you’re doing this activity in a park, choose a space close to the trees.

Once you’ve done this a couple of times, give your children a different challenge. We love seeing what they come up with when we ask them to make a pretty pattern. With older children, you can explain what a [mandala](https://www.art-is-fun.com/how-to-draw-a-mandala) is and see if they can make their own from leaves.

For children that love action, challenge them to make an obstacle course from leaves - we suggest pop-up tunnels with hanging leaves at either end, flat leaf ladders to jump through and using the maze to finish it off.

**8. Creating leaf crowns and tiaras**

We love this [activity](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkDk6s58KNE) because you can use almost anything you have around as the base of the crown. Use spare paper or felt, for example, to make the headband so it fits snugly. We like to use a narrow band so it’s easier to cover entirely with leaves, but this depends on the final look your fairy queen or elf king wants to achieve!

Once you’ve got the base, glue real leaves to the outside, or make your own leaves out of tissue paper, more felt or any other coloured materials you have at home. Try layering extra leaves at the front to get the extra height in the middle if you’re going for a more tiara-like look. Stick some twigs to the band to make it look more natural.

If your children love getting involved with lots of activities - sign them up for Camp Australia. We tailor all of our activities to the interests of the children attending each session, helping them develop and use new skills and hobbies every day. Visit [https://www.campaustralia.com.au/families](https://www.campaustralia.com.au/families) for more information about our programs.

Don’t rely on the same activities each day. Bring in some different activities this autumn to keep your children entertained all day long.

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8 Different Autumn Activities for Children

The Summer school holidays are here, and much excitement is in the air. Filling your days with fun activities for children to keep them entertained can be a challenge but we’ve put together some ideas for you to try at home.

### DIY Puffy Paint Science Experiment for Children

A few kitchen items, very little set up and clean up time, this is perfect for little scientist-artists who are always looking for new activities and wondering how they work.

**You will need:**
- 1 tbsp self-raising flour
- 2 drop of food colouring
- 1 tbsp Salt
- A little bit of water
  
**Instructions:**
1. Combine the flour and salt in small bowl.
2. Add a little bit of water and stir until it gets smooth, thin paste.
3. Add your food colouring and mix well.
4. When happy with your masterpiece, pop it into the microwave for 30 seconds and watch your painting puff up.
5. Your artwork will be warm when you remove it from the microwave, but it will be completely set.
 
### The Science Behind It?
The key to this activity is the self-rising flour because it contains baking powder and a little salt. The baking powder is important because it is an ingredient added to pastries, bread and bakery to make them rise. 

When the baking powder is mixed with water, it releases a carbon dioxide gas.  Add the extra salt, which also reacts with the chemicals in the baking powder to release even more CO2, and you have the makings for a bubbling paint potion.

The heat plus the water in the microwave will cause the baking powder to release small amounts of CO2, producing even bigger bubbles. It’s important that you use a thicker paper that can not only support the weight of the puffy paint, but also hold up for a few seconds in the microwave.

**WARNING**: Watch the paint in the microwave. Cardboard can start to burn if left in too long. Plus, it’s fun to watch the paint bubble and puff while it cooks.

### Banana Smoothie Cooking Activity for Children
A deliciously healthy way to start the day!

**You will need:**

- 1 Banana
- 1 Cup Milk
- 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla
- 1 to 3 Ice Cubes
 
**Instructions:**

1. Take out your blender and pour in a cup of milk.
2. Peel the banana, break it in half, and add it to the blender.
3. Add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and the ice cubes.
4. Blend for about 20 seconds.
5. Pour into a glass and enjoy.

Source: [https://www.food.com/recipe/banana-smoothie-for-kids-204780](https://www.food.com/recipe/banana-smoothie-for-kids-204780)

### Fitness Activities for Children

**Wheelbarrow Puzzle Walk**
Take your average Wheelbarrow race to the next level by having your child complete a puzzle. Set-up a wooden puzzle board and scatter the pieces around a room. Grab your child’s ankles (or hips to make it a bit easier for little ones) and hold them up so they can walk on their hands to collect them. They have to bring each piece back 1 by 1 and fit it into the board until the puzzle is complete. 

 **Movement Charades**
Pretend to be your favorite animal, superhero or sports player by imitating their signature moves (no sounds allowed!). The rest of the players try and guess who they are – the first one to do so correctly, gets a point. If your kids have trouble thinking on the spot, write down some suggestions and place them in a hat to draw from when it’s their turn.

**Musical Letters**
Make pieces of paper with big letters on them and spread them around the room. Play some music while they dance and then stop it and call out one of the letters. They have to immediately find the letter and sit down on it. If they pick the wrong one, have them do 15 jumping jacks (or whatever age-appropriate movement you decide).

More activity ideas are available at Rocketeers for an epic adventure during the Summer holidays: [https://campaustralia.com.au/families/rocketeers](https://campaustralia.com.au/families/rocketeers).

The Summer school holidays are here, and much excitement is in the air. Filling your days with fun activities for children to keep them entertained can be a challenge but we’ve put together some ideas for you to try at home.

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Fun Summer Holiday Activities for Children

Hands up if you’ve realised that it’s nearly the end of Term 1…which means it’s nearly the school holidays!

How did that go so fast? It certainly was a wonderful thing that the children were able to complete a full term at school, after a challenging period of schooling from home last year for some.

The school holidays are a time for children to relax and have fun. As a parent, your experience will tell you that children can claim boredom when on school holidays, so we’ve compiled some ideas that will break up the days and give both parents and children a memorable school holiday experience.

### Autumn Themed School Holiday Activities

If variety is what your child prefers, you’ll find it easy to get into the Autumn spirit.

Autumn is a beautiful time of year, and we know children LOVE to play with leaves when we see them running through them with a giggle not far behind. These autumn activities will keep your child entertained for hours at a time and give them an appreciation for the environment. From an adventurous scavenger hunt, to building a terrarium, Autumn proves the perfect time to provide variety with so many outdoor adventures that children will enjoy.

Getting into nature is therapeutic and Autumn is the perfect time to start planting some delicious and nutritious vegetables. Even if your child’s palette steers them away from certain vegetables, there are over twenty types of vegetables listed, with some that will be sure to tickle their fancy!

### Favourite Inside Activities for Kids
 
Some other inside school holiday activities for kids include board games, creative play and cooking activities.

Indoor games are the best wet weather activity. Set up different activity stations in your home with different card and board games. For an added challenge, children can design their own games. Some of our Your OSHC services have created their own Monopoly board game, with street names from around their local area. You can create your own at home too.

Using recyclable materials, from milk lids to cereal boxes, is not only environmentally friendly but unleashes your child’s inner creativity. Let them go wild with big sculptures and colourful craft.

Who could look past cooking for the school holidays? There’s a host of kid-friendly recipes online, like this one and on this site too. Children are empowered when they are given the chef’s hat at home, and they may even surprise you with a home-cooked dinner or two that they’ve mastered.

### Rocketeers – for Extraordinary School Holiday Adventures

We welcome Rocketeers (formerly Holiday Club) to the school holidays this Autumn. With variety and adventure, Rocketeers is designed for fun and excitement. Get to know what our new holiday program is all about with this downloadable Rocketeers word search. Children will even have a second chance to participate in the national handball for kids’ competition, which has proved popular in Outside School Hours Care in Term 1. Rocketeers delivers three distinct types of experiences for children, each with extraordinary adventures to add to the school holiday memories:

- Base Camp Days - The commander and crew design a program around a special theme and tailored to your children. From Pirates to The Deep Blue, Jungle Animals to Environmental Warriors, and everything in between.
- Incursions – special projects could see children designing their own guitar, making veggie enchiladas, experimenting with exploding toothpaste and heaps more. Special guests are also invited to Base Camp, from Silent Discos, sporting carnivals and more. These special guests are experts in their field and are guaranteed to bring an enriching and fulfilling experience to Rocketeers!
- Excursions - Embark on an expedition outside of Base Camp. Every destination is different, every experience is extraordinary. From Trampoline Parks, Science Museums, Inflatable Playgrounds, Animal Sanctuaries, through to Theme Parks and more.
 
The school holidays are set to blast off at Rocketeers, our holiday program for primary school children. For added adventures these holidays, join us at Rocketeers – starting this week. To find a location near you, visit: https://www.campaustralia.com.au/families/rocketeers.

The school holidays are a time for children to relax and have fun. We’ve compiled some ideas that will break up the days and give both parents and children a memorable school holiday experience. 

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Fun Activities for Children on School Holidays

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