Hello!

In our house, school holidays are always something we look forward to.  However if we’re not careful, staying at home for the holidays can end up costing you more than actually going away. Movies, museums, play centres and even craft activities can end up costing you a fortune.

That in mind, we’re always on the lookout for fun and free school holiday activities.  And if those activities get my kids out of the house (and off the screens) it’s even better.

Like most children, whether it be boys or girls, my kids love bikes, skateboards and surfing (well none of them can actually surf but they love the idea of surfing because Daddy does it).  So you can imagine their delight when they gathered around YouTube with Daddy one night and he showed them this clip …

Tarp Surfing on YouTube – the big boys show us how it’s done.

Yes, it’s called Tarp Surfing and once our kids saw this clip, they immediately wanted to do it! Obviously we couldn’t replicate the YouTube clip exactly (our tarp was silver, much smaller and the kids can’t ride a skateboard well enough yet) but it was still huge amounts of fun.

The best thing about it?  It proves that fun and free school holiday activities really do exist.  Granted we already owned the tarp for camping but they are really cheap to buy (especially the light blue coloured ones)

So how to Tarp Surf?

Lie the largest tarp you have on a wide open grassy area – in these pics we were camping down at Blackfellows Beach so had lots of space.  But we have been known to tarp surf in the front yard, at the local park and even in the school playground.  Then grab one corner of the tarp, extend your arm and run diagonally across the tarp.  Keep your arm up high and move fast – the wind catches in ‘the barrel’ of the ‘wave’ creating the space where the kids can skateboard, ride or run through.

Tarp Surfing - free school holiday activities
The wave starts to shape up …
In the barrel - free school holiday activities
T-bone gets ‘barrelled’
The line up - free school holiday activities
The ‘line up’ – the kids wait for the next wave!

 

Little A takes on a 'monster wave' made by Dad.
Little A takes on a ‘monster wave’ made by Dad.

So, lots of fun and very active for everyone.  Fun and free school holiday activities do exist!

What’s your favourite free school holiday activity?

  • I would have loved this as a child and even more so if water was added!!!!

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  • IF you ran a hose through it you could slide up the side!!

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  • That’s so awesome! I think my husband will want to do that next time we go camping lol

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  • Fun fun fun ad more fun. How good is yourube for ideas

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  • When we were kids, I remember putting shampoo suds on the tarp and sliding on it.

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  • You Tube and the net are great places to look for cheap or free entertainment for the kids.

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  • What a terrific idea, safe for all ages and exercising while having such fun and all under shade as well

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  • What a great idea, sounds like so much fun. And yes, a much better option than constantly forking out money to keep the kids entertained during the holidays 🙂

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  • Sounds and looks like a lot of fun!

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  • School holidays are certinly the time to get creative thinking of free stuff to do. My kids love to go to the beach to feed the seagulls.

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  • Well it’s cost me a fortune – circus, petting farm, zoo, 3 movies. Something everyday. As well as library, park & a few birthday parties.

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  • What a creative idea with tarps. The kids would love it and it’d keep em busy for ages.

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  • I am going to show my hubby, we can get hold of some huge cotton module tarps!!!!!OMG that is too cool!!!

    Reply

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