Activities for the holidays

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33219, 8 May 1973, Page 6

Activities for the holidays

School holidays are for relaxing from lessons and having fun by doing the things you like best. For children who have brothers and sisters family outings or playing at home are fine. But for an only child, or the little one in a family where there is only a baby who keeps Mum busy all day, school holidays can be a bore. That means too much time with nothing to ido but get into mischief and i disfavour. The Y.W.C.A. of Christchurch knows how to keep children busy in interesting ways and has, for some years ■now, organised “Stay-At-Home” programmes for girls the May and August holidays. FILM TRIP Yesterday morning 96 girls aged from six to nine started a week of crafts and outings which kept them happily occupied on a dull, damp day. The six-year-olds were taken to see Walt Disney’s “Dumbo,” while the older children stayed at the Y.W.C.A. clubI rooms to do gymnasium exercises. clay modelling, brush or finger painting, design -printing, and mask-making. The difficulty for many of 'them was to decide what to :do first. The “sixes” had their turn lat doing hobbies and playing games in the afternoon while the older girls went to a factory, General Foods Corporation. During the week the children will also visit the Christchurch Central Fire Station, the Canterbury Museum, and have a day trip to Akaroa. Though the junior group is full, next week’s programme for 10 to 12-year-old girls still has about 30 vacancies, according to the programme director, Miss Sheila Cameron. Next week’s activities will include craft sessions as well as 10-pin bowling, sing-songs, visits to the University of Canterbury at Ham, the Canterbury Museum and the “Christchurch Star.” They will also be taken to see a children’s film and for a day trip to Akaroa. In the photograph, Deborah Beardsley, aged eight, is deeply absorbed in her finger painting yesterday morning.