School Holiday Activities in the Philippines

We are still under restrictions here in Angeles City.

Children under 15 are not allowed to leave the house.

It's been 16 months now since they have been out the front door, they go to school online so they live in a virtual world.

So other than watching more Netflix, and an excursion from the sala to the kitchen there won't be any vacation activities.

Even if they were allowed out, I'm over 65 so I can't go with them, and none of us have been vaccinated or even been contacted to get one and until we are there is no way we will be venturing out.

This is our life now, four walls, their cellphones and tv.

Andrew is right.  The politicians are determined to destroy the lives, of our children, based on false science.  The best thing for older fathers is to dye your hair to look younger and take your children to a local park after hours. 

The quarantine will be extended based on false positive tests.  Be prepared to do whatever you have to do in spite of bureaucratic BS.

Like me & the many other expats here (a few >65)...are indeed lucky in retaining most of our freedom that we still get in our deprived 3rd class province.
My simple house which sits on our large fully perimeter fenced plot on which we just had one of our regular 2-3x/mth catch-up's yesterday with other fellow expats/partners/kids in tow for some karokeying/singing/dancing/
chilling with the usual loud music & laser light display.
Yes all public schools still remain closed but the kids are still able to move around freely in the neighbourhood (as long as they slap on their face masks)
It was great to catch up & I think a few more expats may join us in a weeks time for our next gathering.

Andrew Fleming66 wrote:

Children under 15 are not allowed to leave the house.

As I have undestood it its LESS risk to get serious ill,. If so I dont understand that role .

Diksha wrote:

Finding suitable activities for your children during the school holidays in the Philippines can be tricky. We'd love to hear your tips and feedback on how to keep your kids busy during the holidays in the Philippines, depending on your finances.

If covid wouldnt make problem, there are A LOT of basketball courts.  Rural I ffind schools by look where there is a basketball court       Often used.

Rather many biger villages have tracking fields too.  Free to use ?   I have never seen anyone using them!

Back when I were kid I had no problem entertain myself.
/Running, throwing, jumping at tracking field.
/Build tree house.  (The frame I did builld when I were 11 yo are stil in use!)
/Bicycle.
/Adventures in nature leaving at morning WITHOUT bringing anything. Got fluid and energy from eatablle things I found, mainly berries.) Came back to dinner time.
/Famiily played much compeeting in things as e g cards, dart, boule, crocket... One grandfather cheated in crocket to avoid get last, I suppouse he found it to embarrasing to lose agaist a 3yo   
/When we cousins met we made own "olympic" competitions but with handicap after age so everyone could winn - except one boy, because when that age wonn, it was allways my sister. That boy, who never wonn, became profesional icehockey player     
/When I got old enough to drive (moped) to city myself, I researched ancestors at archive among only very old men    
/Football I played by myself when the others found it to hot      That was my main exersise during summer vacation at age 13-14, when I caught up in lenght, I developed from WORST in  school cllass to playing in the 10th best youth team nationaly in 1 and half season  Before that I were so short, hard to play good when ball is up too knee   
/Table tennis when having someone to play with.

And I ORGANICED  e  g football matches since iI were 8 yo.   
So I dont undertsand when  parents feel they need to activate kids . If so  they have done somehing  wrong  in upbringing of tteir kids       )(Except when  something  is to  far for them  to go by themselves. or when  something need to be booked by a grown up.)

Edit:   I forgot to tell when I were 10-11yo I asisted farmer neighbour with harvest and some with anumals  just because I found it fun.   For that he gave me planks, which I did built tree house and the bottow of table tennis table of.

Diksha wrote:

Hi everyone,

Finding suitable activities for your children during the school holidays in the Philippines can be tricky. We'd love to hear your tips and feedback on how to keep your kids busy during the holidays in the Philippines, depending on your finances.

Which activities are your children taking part in this year?

How did you enrol them for these activities, did you have to sign them up for it in advance?

How did you find out about these activities in the Philippines (via their school, by talking to other parents, through newspapers, social networks, etc.)?

Are these activities charged or free?

How many hours per day do they last? Are meals or snacks included? Is a transport service, such as a minibus to pick up the children at home in the morning and bring them back in the afternoon, offered?

Hi Diksha,

I think it would be best to re-post this topic next year around February. It's because, first, summer break is almost over and another academic year has started or is about to start for most schools, thus most summer classes / activities have ended or are about to end. And second, there's the Covid-19 situation, i.e. no outdoor activities for kids allowed. Currently, there are limited summer classes for kids, and most are online classes on improving math skills, reading, and other academic areas and other interests like coding, video making, website creation, etc.

Prior to the pandemic, there were a lot of options for summer classes available. Most are for a fee.  There are sports (swimming, basketball, soccer, Taekwondo, etc.) classes, academic enrichment classes (reading, math, Kumon, etc.), and arts, music and dance classes. Some of these classes are organized by the school, which would give discounts to their students.  Just before the end of the academic year, one can find ads for these types of summer activities.

I don't know if there are summer camps in the Philippines. But during summer, it is common for families to take a trip out-of-town to visit their hometown, see their relatives, go to beaches and resorts, do some sightseeing, etc. Some take trips abroad.

coach53 wrote:

Andrew Fleming66 wrote:

Children under 15 are not allowed to leave the house.

As I have undestood it its LESS risk to get serious ill,. If so I dont understand that role .

Children are less likely to get the severe symptoms of Covid-19 compared to adults. However, children can still transmit the virus even with their having just mild symptoms.

A relative's entire household, including her 7 year old son, got Covid a few months ago. Her son was the last one who showed symptoms, and of all the members of the household, he had the mildest symptom: low-grade fever which lasted for a few hours. It happened at night. My relative even said that if she weren't monitoring her son, the symptom could have come and gone without her noticing it.

The rule for not allowing kids age 15 and younger is not just for protecting kids in that age bracket. It's actually geared towards protecting the grown ups with whom they live.

One of the most popular outdoor activity for young boys here in the Philippines is basketball. But how can one play it and still practice Covid guidelines? You can't. And all it takes is one infected kid with barely noticeable symptoms to spread the virus to other young players who might also just get mild symptoms, who can then unknowingly spread the virus to the adults they live with, who in turn can get severe symptoms . . . and possibly die from the disease.

To @coach53, always look at the bigger picture in order to understand why these rules are implemented.

I see many youngsters playing outdoors with face masks, unfortunately the face mask is under their chins.