Keeping the kids entertained over the summer
Keeping the kids entertained over the summer seems easy enough at the start of the school holidays. A few weeks later and social media is full of parents worrying that their children keep complaining that they are bored. Boredom can actually lead to your children coming up with their own creative ideas for learning and play. However, on the days where you are tearing your hair out, here are some ideas to put the smiles back on your children’s faces.
Get outdoors
Getting outdoors is good for us and boosts our mood with that wonderful Vitamin D magic. Go for a nature walk picking up items of interest and discussing them. I used to love doing this with my Dad when I was a child and learned so much. Even if you are not particularly sporty, there are fun and affordable ways to get more active whether splashing in a paddling pool or checking out the fun-filled items from SkateHut or supermarkets.
Cook up a storm
My tween is easily bored and going through puberty which does not help his mood one bit. However, he will always respond positively to spending time in the kitchen and has ambitions to be a chef one day. We used to just bake sweet treats but these days I am showing him the joys of cooking family meals from scratch. Yesterday we made the most luscious turkey burgers for tea.. Activities like these are great for relieving boredom but also teach essential life skills.
Old favourites
Think back to what kept you entertained as a child. Was it building Lego creations or colouring in? Increasingly as children spend more and more time on screens, they are disconnected from the old pleasures of school holidays. It doesn’t have to be that way! Might I suggest you disconnect the screens instead and indulge in the pleasures of the real world for a change. Get to the seaside to build sand castles, to skim stones and to paddle. Build a den outdoors using natural resources or make a duvet fort on rainy days.
Finally check out what is happening in your local area by visiting your library and council offices.
Happy Holidays!
Kate Davis-Holmes
Award-winning writer, blogger, social media consultant and charity campaigner. Social Media Manager for BritMums, the UK's largest parent blogging network Freelance clients include Firefly Communications and Save the Children UK. Works with brands on marketing projects. Examples include Visit Orlando, Give As You Live, Coca-Cola and Kodak. Cambridge Law graduate with many years experience working across three sectors in advice, media relations, events, training and project management. Available for hire at affordable rates.
9 Comments
Jayne SMABL
Lovely ideas to keep boredom at bay! We have been doing a lot of baking the past few weeks, I just need to resist from eating the cakes afterwards!
Thanks for sharing with #MMBC.
diynige
Yes it’s fun entertaining the kids for 6 weeks great ideas Thank you for linking to #Thatfridaylinky please come back next week
Becky Willoughby (@LakesSingleMum)
I have to say that a fortnight in Wales with beaches showed that kids (and adults!) of all ages just love building things on the sand!
Emma Reed
My 4 year old has become addicted to the ipad so I have to keep taking it away and finding new things for him to enjoy. Today we went to the beach and built sandcastles and played in the sea. Bliss!
Earth Based
No screens today 🙂 we picked blackberries, played in dens, played in the garden and set up the caravan for a week away on weds. I adore summer 🙂 x
Kim Carberry
We have been doing all of these things….As I am writing this my girls are at the park.
I have struggled to keep them off electronics over the holidays and I don’t think I’ve done too bad. #MMBC
Elizabeth Evans
A few great tips there. I think rotating the activities is the key – that and boundless energy on the adults part …. ♀️
Alex Newton
I completely agree with disconnecting the screens. I very briefly allowed my toddler my iPad for kids TV shows and was completely shocked by how quickly she seemed to become addicted. It’s safe to say she doesn’t have it anymore.
#GlobalBlogging
Heather Keet
My nieces came and I gave them a huge bucket of LEGO and they were entertained for hours each day. #GlobalBlogging