It's very easy for the little ones to get bored during the summer holidays. We all know how it goes; you have too much to do, and kids don't have enough to do. However, with a few simple steps you can stay stress-free, keep your children happy and still have time to enjoy yourself.
Tips for Surviving the Summer When the Kids are off School
Organising doesn't have to be boring
The worse thing that could happen is for your child to be sedentary all day and spend hours in front of the computer or the TV, but it's so easy to fall into this pattern during the summer months. It's a great idea for you to sit down with them and plan out a healthy mix of that'll be fun and keep their brains active at the same time. A great idea is to try and get them to try one new activity every week, that way they'll learn more about the type of activities they like, while finding a great alternative to TV or video games.
Family friends
It's very useful to keep in contact with the families of your child's friends. There could be a few stay-at-home mums and dads who would be happy to look after your kids occasionally. You could even take turns to look after each other's kids so you both have some time off. Not only can this be a handy way for you to get to know some useful contacts, it's also a great way to expand your kid's horizons and branch out their activities. Including friends and neighbours in games and projects is a great way to help you relax, but is also a great way for your child to make new friends and strengthen existing friendships.
Why not organise a mini-Olympics or football tournament between local kids and parents in the park, or organise a trip to the beach, not only is the old saying 'The more the merrier' very true, it's also a safer way to play.
Make the most of the outdoors
Organising day trips that will stimulate your child and encourage them to leave the glowing screens behind. The zoo or the museum aren't just for school trips any more, they can be a great way for the whole family to bond, as well as a great way to educate your children about something new.
A great family project is to make a list of ten animals before you go to the zoo, then have a mini scavenger hunt to try and find each animal on the list and take a photo, or see who can find out one fact about each animal on the list first.
Family outings don't have to cost an arm and a leg though; there are also plenty of ways to keep your child active for free when the weather is good. Depending on their age, just taking them to a field to play ball games or Frisbee can make for a fun few hours.
Of course outdoor activity comes with the risk of dirty knees and stained clothes. While a quick wipe will get rid of mud on the skin, stained fabric can be harder to deal with. Find out how to remove those stubborn grass and mud stains with stain removers. Now you can spend more time with the children and less time worrying about the washing!