For the next two weeks, schools are closed and children have a holiday. Some are lucky to have a family holiday, perhaps skiing in the mountains. Some children visit grandparents in another town for the holidays. If parents are separated and live in different parts of the country, sometimes children spend the holidays with the other parent. When a child is 5 years old, he or she can travel on a plane without an adult.
However, some flights were cancelled today in and out of Wellington because of strong winds. The Cook Strait ferries cancelled their sailings also because of strong wind gusts, up to 130 km per hour. Snow on the Desert Rd on Friday and Saturday closed roads in that area.
The cold, wet and windy weather will continue in many places for the next few days. This makes it harder to find things for children to do. Many outdoor activities have been cancelled. There are indoor activities like movies, ten pin bowling, concerts, art classes, plays and gymnastics but they usually cost money. Libraries often have free activities however, like story-telling for younger children.
The next school term finishes Friday 27th September.
Vocabulary
ferries – ships which travel between Picton and Wellington, across Cook Strait
wind gust – sudden burst of wind
term – usually 10 weeks
Note:
spend the holidays with / in . . .
school holidays – often plural