Plan for an active summer

Depending on the age of your children, it is important to select appropriate activities and events. For example, a teenager will most likely want to doing their own thing and hang out with friends, although they should be encouraged to spend a reasonable time with the family as well. Those who need most attention over this period are the 4-12 year olds. The following ideas should help you keep them stimulated and enjoying themselves on holiday: Outdoors: Sports Day With all the energy the children have, it is essential to let them have a regular run around in the fresh air. Having a garden is useful, but to really get the most out of the outdoors, a nearby park could be the answer. Pack a bag of outdoor toys (balls, skipping rope, Frisbee or racquets) and plan a selection of games to play. Football and tennis improve hand-eye co-ordination and running races and skipping improve general fitness and stamina. Otherwise a nice long walk is very healthy too! Picnic The great thing about a picnic is that preparing it is as much of an activity for the children as the event itself. You could get them involved by asking them to butter the bread or tick off items from the list that you are going to need. The food you pack should be healthy and easy to eat without plates: sandwiches, fruit and yoghurt are all a great idea. For the good of the environment, bring a rubbish bag to pop all your empties into, and encourage the children to do the same. Family Outings Find out what venues and attractions are reasonably nearby that everyone will enjoy: e.g. a petting zoo, bowling alley or go-karting track. Also keep an eye out for events in your area that would be exciting to visit – the summer is often full of such events anyway. Websites such as www.visitbritain.com are a great place to start. For the Rainy Days: Even at the height of summer we can unfortunately rely on the good old English weather to offer up a day or two of bad weather, which is a great opportunity to do some indoor activities. Cinema If there is a film on at the local cinema that everyone can agree on, then this can make a nice family outing. But it can be even more fun for children to recreate that atmosphere at home. A good video, combined with homemade popcorn and dimmed lighting is a great idea, and the bad weather outside will seem miles away. Arts & Crafts Being stuck indoors is a good opportunity to get creative with paints and crafts or do puzzles. Encourage the children as much as possible to pursue artistic hobbies in general, but on a rainy day it is a very appropriate activity. General Tips: Take a Break Do not feel the need to keep the children occupied all day everyday. This is unrealistic and will simply exhaust them (not to mention you?). Some quiet time watching television or listening to music is a good way to recoup after a hard day’s activities. Let them Entertain Themselves As much as keeping children busy with activities is a good thing, it is also important to allow them to find their own ways to entertain themselves. This encourages imagination and enterprise on their part. Sharing the Burden Remember, you are not alone! Why not organise a day for a few of your children’s friends to meet, either at your house or in the park, and you can socialise with the other parents. Change the Routine As school starts approaching again, try to ease the daily routine back towards early bedtimes and rising, otherwise your children may struggle when the time comes to go off to school in the morning.