Summer is time for outdoor fun with your children. However, sometimes the days are long and your ideas are short, and it can be off putting if all outdoor activities come with a high price.
Here are some ideas to help you make sure your active ones are busy and getting lots of fresh air this summer.
Flat you
If you have paving outside, you can create a ‘flat you’. Lay down flat on the ground and take turns outlining each other. Decorate your flat selves by drawing clothing and funny faces. If you don’t have paving to spare, don’t hit the streets and get in trouble! Head down to the pound shop of your local stationers for some flipchart paper.
Fun in the garden
Your child will learn science, responsibility and have fun by planting a garden and maintaining it during the summer holidays. In fact, if you have the time or inclination, you can make all the plantings edible – blueberry bushes, strawberries, herbs, and fruit trees are all easy to maintain. Some vegetables, like tomatoes require nothing but a lot of water and sunshine to grow like weeds. Start small and see what happens.
If you don’t have garden space, you can still do this indoors in the kitchen – but growing trees might be a little more difficult!
Hoola hoops
Has your child ever tried to hoola-hoop? Show her how. Then, take hoola hoops and make a pretend circus in the garden. If you have a dog, you can try to get your dog to jump through one. You are only limited by your imagination.
Hopscotch
Teach your kids how to play hopscotch. Let them draw their own hopscotch patterns. For younger children they can write numbers in the hop scotch and practice their numeracy skills in a fun way.
Bubbles
Bubbles are always a favorite. The buble pots are quite cheap down the pound shop. If you’ve got more time, you can use a small bowl or a clean yoghurt pot to put the soapy water in, then a thin piece of wire made into a hoop to blow the bubbles from.
Take turns chasing and popping the buddles. Blow bubbles with various bubble wands to see how their shapes and sizes differ – you can even have a competition to see who can blow the biggest bubles.
Turn on the sprinklers
There’s no need to buy a pool when the old-fashioned sprinklers are just as much fun. There is definitely something special about running around in the garden through the sprinklers.
There are a lot of things you can do this summer – the only limit is our imigaination, so just go with the flow. Enjoy!
