School is
officially out for summer, but what do you have planned for the
little ones? Entertaining
your kids can be tricky at the best of times, but when the school
holidays arrive, many of us struggle to find something unique and fun
for the kids to do on those days where you’re not heading to the
beach or visiting the zoo. Below are some fabulous ideas to help you
entertain the children this summer:
Teach
them how to craft
You’ll be amazed at
how much fun your children can have with a little
paper, card, glue and glitter. Give them a variety of materials from
www.craftsuperstore.co.uk,
along with a list of craft ideas, and get them to choose what they’d
most like to create. Some ideas include beading, stickers, cross
stitching, making hand puppets and tracing shapes.
Create
a scavenger hunt
Come
up with a list of fun items or small prizes for your kids to find and
place them around the house or the garden. Ideas could include a
ball, a straw, a teddy bear, a penny or a lollipop. Alternatively,
get them to look for specific types of plants, flowers or bugs and
tick off the list when they have found them. You could also have them
take a camera along to capture each item.
Get
them in the kitchen
Baking can really
brighten up a rainy day so get the kids busy in
the kitchen making their own yummy treats. According to Great
British Chefs, research has found that
getting children involved with meals and cooking can
also help to improve their reading and maths skills,
reduces
fussy eating habits and increases their self confidence. Cupcakes
and cookies are super easy to make and you can all have your own
afternoon tea afterwards! Allow the children to help you measure and
mix the ingredients, supervise when you place them in the oven, and
encourage them to decorate as they wish.
Stage a play
Encourage the kids to stage a play at home. Give them a
script to follow or let them write their own and come up with a
story. They can spend the morning making their own costumes and props
and the afternoon rehearsing and delivering their performance to you
and the family!
Go on a bike ride
A family bike ride brings hours of
fun and it’s a great way to encourage your children to spend time
outdoors and exercise. According to UK based charity,
Sustrans, cycling helps
your child get the recommended 60 minutes
of physical activity per day, which one third of children don’t
currently achieve. Choose a
route where you can stop off for a picnic and make a day of it.
Fly a kite
Kites
have been entertaining kids for centuries and
today they still remain popular around the world. If
it’s a windy day, take the kids down to the local park and teach
them how to fly a kite. Don’t want to buy one? Have the kids make and
decorate their own!
