You may well just have celebrated surviving 17 weeks of home schooling, not that we are counting! Only now to find yourself with the prospect of keeping the children entertained for the 6 weeks summer holiday! If this is you, please read on…
We have put together a few ideas on keeping the children amused over July and August. Our very own Gina has tried and tested several of these ideas earlier this year with her son.
Butterfly ‘growing’
An amazing thing to do with kids. Sets are available from Insect Lore along with other well know online retailers. You buy a kit containing everything you need to ‘grow’ the butterflies, watch them evolve and then they can be released into the big wide world.
‘Chase the sun’
Why not head to your nearest beach with a gas cooker (or not) and a flask of hot chocolate and make bacon sandwiches on the beach – genuinely one of the loveliest things I’ve done as a parent. Getting up at stupid o’clock and heading off in the dark was exciting and we were back home before the beach got busy. Or why not try this in the evening with fish ‘n’ chips?
Baking
But I’m talking easy cake making, a ‘4-minute microwave cake’. To make this you need: 4 oz self-raising flour, 4 oz butter, 4 oz caster sugar and 2 eggs. Whisk it all up in a deep microwaveable bowl and microwave for 4 minutes. An easy and delicious cake the kids can do on their own!
Tie Dye
You buy some cheap white t shirts and a tie dye kit (available online) and let the children make their own t-shirts or bags or even duvet covers! We bought a large white flat sheet to use as a picnic blanket. We hung it over the washing line and flicked paint at it. You could also do hand or footprints. Definitely an activity for outdoors though!
Games, picnic in the park
Pack up some lunch and a few games, Twister, boules and skittles are great for outdoors!
Foster a pet?
Given that a lot of farms and petting zoos aren’t fully open, they may appreciate the support and be able to ‘loan’ some animals for a donation. Gina contacted her local farm and fostered chicks and ducklings. A great experience for young children.
Camping in the garden
If you can’t get away this year, why not set up a camp in your garden and toast marshmallows over a fire. You get to use your own toilet too! Also, why not cheat and bring the telly outside!
Drive-in movie
Stay safely in the comfort of your car to watch a film, and don’t forget your own popcorn! They seem to be popping up all over the place. Google an event near you.
Good luck over the Summer and we hope to continue on this path back to normality.