When your children are off school a little planning goes a long way

The key to making the most of the school holidays is planning. And those having the holidays need to have their say in the preparations. Before children start their break, grab a calendar and start filling dates.

Firstly, remember what holidays are about for everyone - rest, relaxation, fun and quality family time. Create guidelines for what will happen each day, such as an hour of quiet time, two hours of teamwork to complete a family job, then a fun activity.

Get everyone to make a list of everything they want to do in the holidays, and then decide what's possible. Activities don't have to be expensive, just check out what's happening in your area.

Beaches, parks and swimming pools are there for you to use, but there are lots of things you can do at home too, for example cooking, gardening and crafts. All those everyday activities are an opportunity for fun and learning.

Another idea is giving each child their own cooking night, where they choose the menu, go shopping, then prepare the meal.

You could also dig out the tent for backyard camping trips, or gather in a dark room armed with torches and tell spooky stories.

If there's an activity that's going to involve higher costs, get the children to earn money for it by doing chores. Create a chart that shows what the children are earning so they can see how they're working towards their treat.

Add in the unexpected for an exciting twist. Have a ‘back-to-front' day - start with dinner in the morning and end with breakfast at night. And a PJ day is great to keep in mind for rainy weather. Everyone stays in their pyjamas, enjoying indoor activities such as hide and seek, board games and charades. Include a picnic in a ‘special place' made from sheets and furniture.

Your plans could also involve other families. Arrange play dates with other parents, which means a break for you and new people for the children to spend time with.

The secret of having successful school holidays is turning any activity into a fun event, including relaxation. Allocate part of each day for ‘quiet time', and make sure everyone follows the rules. This time is ideal for children to read, draw or just play quietly.

As the holidays progress, create a book of memories. Get everyone involved in updating the book with snippets from the day. You could also add ideas, so when the next break rolls around you're ready for them.

People don't plan to fail, they just fail to plan, so get in now to make your next school holidays a big success for the whole family.

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