With spring still yet to fully emerge the school summer holiday can seem a long way off, but it will come round faster than you think. Six weeks can seem like a long time to keep your children entertained and happy but safe at the same time. Here are ideas for activities to do with your children during the summer to keep them busy and out of trouble-
Take Up A Sport
At school children take part in regular P.E lessons and typically spend breaks and the lunch hour running round keeping active. It is important to continue with this healthy habit during school holidays. Encourage your children to take up a sport or attend a class a couple of times a week. This will ensure they are getting plenty of exercise and keeping busy with something to look forward to every week.
Some great summer holiday sports include- Trampolining, football classes, swimming and gymnastics. If your children are carrying out classes such as trampolining or gymnastics ensure wherever they are doing this has appropriate equipment such as safety mats.
Join A Club
Joining a summer club means children will make new friends and have their weekly meeting to look forward to. From Brownies and Scouts to film club, there will be some great children’s clubs local to you, it’s just a case of doing some research and visiting the various clubs in order to find a club your child will enjoy. When visiting potential clubs make sure you check various things such as the activities carried out and the safety measures in place such as first aid and safety mats for activities.
Outdoor Activities
At school your children are encouraged to spend lots of time outside in the fresh air being active. During the summer holidays children can get into the habit of sitting indoors in front of the TV. Encourage them to play outside with new and fun activities that don’t have to cost a bomb.
On a hot day try recreating a pool side atmosphere. Buy a small paddling pool and fill it up. You can buy water sides cheaply too, these just slot onto the end of your current slide. Make slippery with water and a little washing up liquid. Your children will have fun running back and forth to go down the slide all day. Invest in safety mats to ensure there are no accidents when they are running around.
The key to keeping your children busy during the long summer holiday is to choose activities such as clubs and classes that they can attend every week. This way they have something to look forward to and it’s something to do every week rather than a one off!
Eilidh MacRae works for Smith Brothers who provide safety mats.
Keeping Your Children Busy And Safe During The Summer Holiday
