Keeping the Kids Entertained: School holiday top tips

School holidays kick off at the end of this week and given the endless rain, no doubt you’ll be looking for some indoor action to keep the ankle-biters entertained. Luckily there are lots of quality options in Sydney to keep boredom at bay and your sanity intact. Here are our top five picks:

Tyrannosaurus by torchlight! (Flickr: firepile)

1) Dinosaurs   Who doesn’t like dinosaurs?! Seriously. Here at Delivery Hero, obviously we have a soft spot for caped-crusaders, but dinosaurs are definitely up there. As well as old-skool favourites like Tyrannosaurus Rex and Stegosaurus, the Australian Museum has welcomed a couple of new additions to the family, including the 228-million-year-old Eoraptor – one of the earliest dinosaurs; and the Bambiraptor. Awwwww! Yes, it really is called Bambiraptor, but in contrast to its doe-eyed namesake, this dino-toddler has very sharp, pointy teeth!

2) Museum by Torchlight   If your kids (or nieces and nephews) got into “Night at the Museum” with Ben Stiller, and you’ve ever wondered what a real museum looks like after hours, now you can find out! Dinosaur skeletons, and all those taxidermied creatures, and bottled snakes in formaldehyde look that extra bit spookier by torchlight. Head to the Australian Museum on 3rd or 11th July from 6:00-7:30pm to check it out. Bookings are essential!

3) Narnia exhibition   If you’re a fan of “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”, the Powerhouse Museum is giving you ample opportunity to feed your C.S. Lewis addiction until 26 August 2012, with The Chronicles of Narnia: The Exhibition. Step into some magical scenes and check out some amazing props from the Narnia films including a replica of the White Witch’s Throne, a model of King Miraz’s Castle, and an interactive frozen waterfall. There are also mythical creatures from Narnia, swords and suits of armour, and even a working catapult!

4) The Wiggles    A hit with the 3-5 year old set, The Wiggles have been wow-ing kids for over two decades! To celebrate the 20 year anniversary of this worldwide phenomenon, The Powerhouse Museum is hosting the first ever Wiggles exhibition. There are lots of sing-along opportunities, as well as interactive, multimedia exhibits. There’s also a life-size model of Captain Feathersword’s ship; Dorothy the Dinosaur’s garden, complete with Wags the Dog’s kennel; and the underwater world of Henry the Octopus.

Origami is a great way to occupy the kids. (Flickr: kodomut)

5) DIY Creativity   If you need a day at home, another good option for keeping the kids entertained is ordering takeaway lunch or dinner and using this as an opportunity to learn about different cultures. Get creative around cuisine. If you order Japanese takeaway, use the opportunity to tell your kids a little bit about Japanese culture. You could buy some Origami paper and make paper cranes. Make a whole afternoon of it and rent a DVD of the animated film “My Neighbour Totoro” by Hayao Miyazaki to introduce the next generation to the wonderful world of Studio Ghibli. Whatever type of cuisine you order, you can add activities that match. If you order Indian home delivery, you could rent a Bollywood DVD, buy some bindis and play dress ups in saris (or just brightly coloured scarves!).

There are so many fun possibilities, tell us your tips for occupying those mischevious cherubs!