The gift of creating memories
I remember moving house a few years ago, we moved from an old outdated house to a new property that was spacious, full of light and had a good sized garden. I loved it but my son who was 8 at the time didn’t, he wanted to move back to the old place – it was full of his happy memories.
Time is something that is hugely valuable to children. When it comes to gifts, the lasting ones are experiences that make a memory.
We’ve spent so much time at home over the past 2 years. You may have had holiday plans put on hold or scrapped altogether. It’s been a difficult time for all and children haven’t escaped the pressure.
This Christmas balance out physical gifts with experimental ones. Creating a sense of adventure lifts our spirits and boosts positivity.
I’d like to share with you my Top 10 ‘Doing’ presents around Sydney:
- Wellbeing workshops. Support your child overall wellbeing by signing them up for a kids yoga and mindfulness workshop. Even better, find a family workshop and share the experience together. For those local to Maroubra, we have a few coming up in January 2022. Many yoga studios around the city offer fun and engaging workshops that also nourish the soul.
- Geocaching – if you haven’t heard of it before, it’s like a treasure hunt. Around the city are thousands of little caches hidden under rocks, pathways and crevasse. GPS shows you where to find them. Simply download the app and start hunting.
- Camping – there are so many options from pitching your tent in a National Park to staying at a holiday park. For something easier go glamping on Cockatoo Island or put the tent up in your back yard. Having a night under the stars will create inner peace.
- Theatre – musicals and plays are a wonderful way to feed a child’s imagination. Have a look to see what the theaters have on. The Sydney Opera House always has a children’s program and they also run behind the scene tours too.
- Outdoor adventures – whether it’s kayaking around the harbor from Rose Bay, Treetops Adventure, bushwalking in the Blue Mountains, dolphin cruising in Jervis Bay or exploring a glow worm cave you can’t beat getting out there in nature.
- Museums, zoos and aquariums – Stimulate your children’s love for science, history and animals by visiting one of the many attractions around Sydney. You may even consider annual membership.
- Outdoor Movies – Both Centennial Park and Mrs Macquarie’s Chair run outdoor cinemas during the summer showing new and classic movies. Make a night of it by packing a picnic. Alternatively set up a projector in the back garden.
- Waterparks – Fun pack adventure await all that visit Jamberoo and Ranging Waters. There are also a few local water play parks around.
- Art – Get creative by signing your child up for an art class. There are plenty of art studios around town that offer wonderful workshops .
- Volunteering – the festive season is all about giving, what a great present it would be for your child to give back to the community. Organizations like Kid Giving Back offer school holiday programs and local councils like Randwick City Council offer Bushcare programs where children look after our natural bushlands.
If this has whet your appetite for Santa to include something a little different to put under the tree, jump online and find out more. The questions I would like to leave you with is this –
What memories will you create this Christmas?
“Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children.” Charles Swindol
*Please note that Inner Child Yoga has received no payment for mentioning the above activities. It is strongly recommended that you research an activity you are interested in first to see if it is right for you. Speak directly to the company or organizer if you have any questions and before making any purchasing decisions.