Supplies you'll need for a day of kids holiday activities

There's nothing like the school holidays to remind you of the patience and determination of teachers throughout the year.

Of course, spending time with the kids is always precious, but it also pays to have something of a survival pack on hand to ensure that you all finish the day feeling awesome. So if it's your turn to look after the kids, here's what you'll need in your pack to make it through!

Snacks, snacks and more snacks

To be fair, delicious food and drink should be part of any day out, even if there aren't kids involved.

When there are, you'll need a full arsenal. This means enough for everyone to have the same snacks, but also with a few options in flavours to appease any picky eaters.

You'll want to ensure that the snacks are tasty enough to be eaten, but nutritious enough to avoid the dreaded sugar high or tantrums that come from hunger. You'll know your kids well enough to know what they like and what they simply won't touch, and you can always ask to plan ahead if you're looking after their friends, too. Aim for protein, vitamins and minerals, and calcium throughout the day - and don't feel guilty if you give in to a sweet treat a some point.

A small medical kit

Children are like magnets for bumps and bruises and scrapes and skinned knees.

To deal with these, carry a good supply of plasters, a blister pad or two, a couple of anti-septic wipes and a bandage. Most of those cuts and scrapes will be superficial and won't take much more than a distraction to turn any tears into giggles and laughter, but it never hurts to be prepared!

Games that will get them moving

One of the biggest goals for any parent is to completely wear their kids out every day.

To do this, you'll need some enjoyable physical activities to get them moving and burning up that boundless childhood energy. The simplest and easiest answer is a soccer ball - any child can create a makeshift goal or goals and start playing. If you don't have a large bag, try smaller items such as a frisbee, a hacky sack, a set of balloons to blow up and chase after or a pack of chalk to create hopscotch on the footpath.

Or, you can always pop in to an ZONE BOWLING centre near you - we've got everything you need from entertainment to food and drink to keep the kids having fun (and out of your hair). No survival pack assembly required!