Ah the joys of holiday club (summer camp)! Since we got back from our summer 2021 trip to see family, the boys have been in a holiday club at a different school two or three days a week. After last summer when they spent weeks and weeks in the house, being quite while mum and dad worked, we decided that a mixture of chilling at home and doing some activities was a good idea. So we chose the more-expensive local holiday club because they do an incredible job planning something different every day. In “normal times” they take the kids of day trips – ours did footy golf two years ago and I know other people whose children have even been to a dry ski slope. Another positive of this particular club is that they feed the kids a proper snack at the end of the day – none of the “two crackers and a piece of fruit” business our school after school club does. No, they might get a bowl of pasta or (in large boy’s case) three cheese croissants (I fear he’s growing).
Anyway, back to the point of my post. One of the things I love about holiday clubs and which I really appreciated about nursery in days gone by, is that the kids get to try loads of different crafts and messy activities that I certainly wouldn’t have the time, inclination, or equipment to do with them during the days when I’m working.
The boys aren’t particularly artistically skilled, they’ll never be the next Van Gogh or Banksy, but they enjoy it and that’s far more important. So here are some bits and bobs they’ve made this summer. Definitely not insta-perfect, and that’s why I’m sharing them. They aren’t works of art fit for a museum, but they brought the boys joy and I love having them around (well the hama beads collection in my office might get reduced soon, but you get the point).
As well as these creations, there was shortbread and doubtless other things that never made it home.
Pots
Small boy just did a T-Rex that had been in a fight and got covered in blood. So yeah, a brown dinosaur piggy bank, just what he always needed. Large boy’s is a triceratops with evil eyes, also a joy.

On top of these large boy did some tiles and a plate. The plate is an utter mess of an emoji but the tiles just could have done with a more solid layer of paint. He’s done a flower garden and a moonlit night, in case you can’t tell.
Hama Beads
From large boy (who has since decided to spend £20 of his own money on a full set of his own, will I regret this?). Here we have a car and trailer (we’ll ignore the trailer wheels being much lower than the car), a paint splatter car and a minecraft world in layers.
This one might replace or at least supplement my gorgeous sunshine that small boy made me last summer:

Loom Bands
Large boy’s love of loom bands has been reignited. He got a set for Christmas last year and made loads of things, bought some second hand instructions at a car boot, got really cross with the instructions for being too complicated and then gave up because, well, Fortnite. He’s come home from holiday club with a whole bunch of ropes and bracelets and some random thing to go round his water bottle.
Have you or your kids been crafty this summer holiday?

Adorable 🥰 I love the heart! I loved doing crafts with my kids when they were still little. I wish they would do crafts with me now…
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That’s fabulous that you enjoy crafts, it’s not really my thing but they like it so I join in.
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Merci beaucoup, j’aime bien ton blog aussi.
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Cool! Mine is too young for those kinds of crafts, but we’re making playdough people or Play Mais figurines.
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I’m so with you on that–I am not a crafty mom, and I’ve long felt inadequate for that. But when other people enjoy and WANT to do crafts with my kids–by all means, go crazy! 🙂
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Ha ha ha! Yesssss, all the way
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That goodness there are others who are willing to make up for our lack. 🙂
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Exactly, I so appreciate their patience, tolerance for mess and creative ideas.
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We send our little one to nursery for the same reason. There is no way I could entertain her as they do. She loves it. I am also a huge fan of crafts and the pics look amazing.
Glad they had a good time x
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I love the crafts
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These are great! The Hama beads are amazing, but that T-Rex is pretty impressive.
Thanks for sharing your boys awesome artwork!
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Impressive is certainly one word for it!
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My girls went through a beads and loom bands phase. I still find their creations all over the house. In fact, I think we have a couple of large tubs of beads in the basement still. I’m sure I’ll find them on one of my decluttering missions! Thanks for sharing these wonderful creations.
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The loom bands seem to be pretty brittle over time and are doubtless very un-eco friendly. I wonder what we could do with them to prevent them entering the environment?
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That’s the problem with so many of those toys. They end up in landfill.
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Awww, I loved seeing their crafts – so sweet! Makes me miss being a kid 🙂 I was absolutely obsessed with hamma beads, in fact I’m sure I still have some leftover in the attic 🙈
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Who says you can’t create with them anymore just because you’re a grown up now?
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Very true!
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These look fab. I love hama beads. Sim bricks are also good as you can take them apart and build them again. x
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Oh I haven’t come across those. Off too Google and amazon wishlist them for birthday/Xmas ideas.
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This post made me smile, I love how your boys are enjoying some arts and crafts and being creative xx
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Thanks, they do enjoy it. There’s no need to be any good at it so long as they’re having fun.
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These are great! Very well shaped. I am surprised they haven’t found those little pop things that you press and they invert.
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Oh they know about them but their parents are mean and horrible and refuse to buy them. Just like fidget spinners, they’re annoying and distracting, so that’s a no from me.
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Hahahah
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Hi SS&GP,
Looks as though a great deal of fun was had – which is, of course, the objective! 🙂
I have to say that I struggle to see any difference in quality between the artistic endeavours of your boys and so-called professional artists. I don’t know if that is a reflection on them, the artists or me!
PS: I think that the the T-Rex is my favourite 😉
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Well it’s certainly not the professional capability levels of Mt kids 😂
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