Ideas for keeping your kids occupied during the Summer Holidays
Now that we are all into the first week of the long summer holidays, we’ve been wracking our brains for ways to entertain the children, particularly when trying to work at the same time! (this Blog is a little late being published and that tells you how distracted we've been!). At team GLR we have a variety of differently aged kids among us (8 in total!), and keeping them continuously entertained can sometimes be challenging/stressful. So, to help all our sanity, we’ve come up with a few tips to help you enjoy your summer without breaking the bank.
RELAX
These days we have a tendency to over stimulate our kids. I used to feel guilty if I didn’t have a number of activities organised for my children during the school holidays until my Mum questioned me on it. When I thought about it, I really didn’t know why I felt I had to keep them so busy.
Don’t be afraid to chill out at home as much as the kids want. After all, the rest of the year they’re either being tested at school or racing around to a gazillion activities.
Let them lie in! They get up early most of the rest of the year, so let them sleep in and re-charge as much as possible.
WATCH MOVIES
Take time to sit down with your kids and watch some classics. I for one am planning a ‘Stand by me’ and ‘Goonies’ day this summer (showing my age I know). Choose some great movies appropriate for their age, grab some popcorn, switch off your phones and relax. And if you have a projector at home and want to take it one step further, take your movie to the garden and camp out for the night. This will definitely earn you some brownie points.
TEACH THEM TO COOK
In general (some teens may need coaxing) most children love to help with the cooking. Whether it’s making cakes or an easy lunch, they really do love to be involved. Find a few easy recipes and allow them to learn some new skills.
The BBC good food website always has some great ideas for Recipes
SCRAP BOOK OF HOLIDAYS
I just LOVE this idea. My super organised friend does this every year and what a lovely way to pass some time whilst creating a fabulous keepsake for years to come. Pinterest has some great ideas for layouts and we have some lovely stickers that can help jazz up your scrap book.
GET OUT AND ABOUT
If this glorious weather stays with us, there are so many options in this country. We are spoilt for choice with parks and commons, fabulous farms, beautiful beaches and outdoor swimming pools and lido’s that you can take a picnic to and while away an entire day. We live near London, so we've put up a picture of our favourite - The Millennium Bridge!
In addition, the National Trust is always a favourite in our house. With family Annual Memberships costing £120, this can really be a good option for something to do during the School holidays. Check out the perfect picnic spots recommended by them.
Also, don’t forget the simple things:
- Go on a long bike ride
- Go blackberry picking – I still remember doing this as a child and loving the pie afterwards!
- Print off a nature trail and go on a long walk
- Have a water fight with the neighbours!
Kids might sometimes need a bit of persuading sometimes but they’ll enjoy it in the end.
TIPS ON FINDING ACTIVITIES
However, if you have to work (groan 😩) or just need a few day’s rest from doing all the entertaining, check out the fabulous App HOOP for some ideas of clubs and activities in your area. All you need to do is plug in your postcode and the age of your kids and Hoop will do the rest.
Above all, please find time to relax and unwind. SATS and homework will be back before you know it and I for one think you deserve a break. So all that remains for us to say is HAVE A HAPPY HOLIDAY!
