School Holiday Activities

What do other people do on the school holidays in Perth, W.A? These summer holidays are around six weeks long and the Christmas season sits right in the middle of them so there's plenty of time to enjoy the break of routine from homework, lunches and after-school activities. Summer is here, that's for sure, with most days sitting above 35'C. It makes sense to plan around these hot days with water activities at the beach river, fun parks like great escape and Adventure World. For those conscious of the dollars, entry is considerably discounted at Adventure World after 2pm and there's still plenty of time for rides and slides til 7pm. Vacswim at the local pool or beach is also a nice way to cool off in the October and Christmas holidays and at only $1 per day it's not going to break the bank. We've been growing tomatoes in the yard so there's plenty of bruschetta, toasted cheese and tomato sandwiches and the sweetness of the fruit can't be compared to the shop-bought ones! We also hit the ice-skating rink last Friday night at Mirrabooka and for $10 per skater for drink, chocolate and skate hire for 2.5 hours, it was well worth it - look out for these scoopon deals, they come up all the time. Here are my top 5 free things to do with kids:

1.  Masterchef cook-off- have you tried Nigella's coffee icecream or recipe for bulk pancake mix to store in your pantry, so much better than the shop-bought ones and her berry sauce is to die for?

2.  Local Library for the latest teen magazines, DVD's and of course books- we've done some amazing activities at Joondalup library over the years; hot chocolate, cookies and story time in PJ's, star-gazing outdoors with super-sized telescopes and digging for fossils

3.  Train trip into the city, see City of Perth website for school holiday specials

4.  Play date at the local park - get a group of friends together for coffee and shared morning tea

5.  Turn on the air-conditioner and watch a family favourite or Video-Ezy on a Tuesday for a $2 movie.  

Nigella Lawson's Pancake Mix
Ingredients
For the dry pancake mix
600g/1lb 5oz plain flour
3 tbsp baking powder
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp salt
40g/2½oz caster sugar
To make the pancakes (amounts per 150g/5¼oz dry mixture)
1 free-range egg, lightly beaten
250ml/9fl oz milk
1 tbsp melted butter
For the blueberry syrup
125ml/4½fl oz maple syrup
200g/7oz blueberries
Method
1. For the dry pancake mix, place all the dry ingredients into a bowl and mix well. Transfer to an airtight container, seal and store until needed.
2. To make the pancakes, add the appropriate quantity of egg, milk and melted butter per 150g/5¼oz of the dry mixture (a filled American cup measure will give you the requisite amount per batch, so you may like to use one and dispense with any weighing). Mix well to form a smooth batter.
3. Heat a flat griddle or non-stick frying pan without adding oil.
4. Spoon drops of 1½-2 tablespoons of the batter onto the hot griddle and when bubbles appear on the surface of the little pancakes, flip them over and cook until golden-brown on both sides. It should take about a minute per side.
5. Meanwhile, for the blueberry syrup, place the maple syrup and blueberries into a pan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes, until the blueberries have broken down slightly.
6. To serve, pour the blueberry syrup into a jug and take to the breakfast table with the pancakes. If you have any of the syrup left over, you will notice that it sets into a kind of glossy jam. This will keep for a few days decanted into a jar and put in the fridge, and is glorious dolloped into yoghurt or spread on bread.