In the UK, the summer holidays span from mid-July to the end of August or beginning of September, depending on how the weeks fall. The six week holiday is a joyful time for parents to spend with their children, but it can also present a challenge to find activities to occupy them for days and weeks at a time.
If you’re a parent faced with occupying your children in the summer holidays, here are five top tips for keeping them entertained.
1. Find an Excellent Playground
Playgrounds are fundamental for a child’s development and can teach them a wide variety of skills including balance, motor control, teamwork and enhance their imaginative playing skills.
Outdoor playgrounds need to be expertly designed and assembled to conform to strict health and safety regulations, and professionals like Creative Play are adept at designing the best playgrounds to enhance childhood development,
2. Offers on Food in Restaurants
For many restaurants and cafes, there are frequent offers on children’s meals; for many, it’s easy to find deals where children can eat for free, or for a minimal amount when an adult meal is purchased in the school holidays.
Not only does this help you to get out of the house, but it can also enable you to save money on food expenses during the week, and potentially help your children to try new foods and experiment with different cuisines.
3. Take Advantage of the Sunny Weather
The greatest advantage to the summer holidays is the excellent warm weather, so making the most of this and getting outside is a fantastic way to enhance your children’s fitness, promote team building skills and build vitamin D levels.
Why not go for a scenic walk in a National Park, or spend a day picnicking by a river? By investing in a National Trust membership, you can visit various sites across the country.
4. Hold Your Own Sports Day
When the weather is warm outside, it’s a great opportunity to hold your own sports day in the garden. Get together some games like an egg and spoon race, relay, bean bag throwing or hula hooping to maximise the fun.
Why not give out prizes for the best effort, or highest achievements? Purchase some medals, trophies and consolation prizes to ensure everyone has a great day together. You could also get the children involved in making refreshments like homemade lemonade, biscuits or cakes to share.
5. Discounted Tickets for Days Out
Sometimes the kids have to blow off some steam, and the easiest way to accomplish that is to take them out for the day.
Check out the Sea Life centre for an informative day out about fish and other sea-dwelling animals, or head to theme parks, farms and other child friendly venues for a hassle free and memorable experience.
If money is tight during the holidays, you might want to find discounted tickets for your days out through Kids Pass, a scheme that allows you to have discounted access to many different venues up and down the country for children of all ages.
Do you have any ideas for occupying children during the summer holidays? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
