The summer holidays are on their way and they just stretch out for ever in front of us don’t they? I always find that the kids end up bored on the first day of the holidays, so I have come up with some great outdoor activities to help keep them busy.
1. Sand Box
Kids love playing in the sand. Buy a cheap plastic double sided sandbox. Fill one half with sand and the other with water. Add all your old kitchen utensils and some containers, and this will occupy your kids for hours.
2. Ribbon Sticks
You will need some strips of wide ribbon and some bamboo sticks – about 4 ft long each (get them from your local garden centre). Snap the sticks in half and tie a length of ribbon to one end. Make the ribbon length what the kids can handle depending on their age/size. Let them pretend to be like the gymnasts on TV making shapes with the ribbons – circles, shapes, snakes, etc.
Find a place with lots of berries (blackberries, strawberries, redcurrants, raspberries, etc) and go berry picking for the day. There are often farms where you can do this and you will have to pay for what you pick, but there are often lots of places where berries grow wild and are free to pick and use.
You could take along a book on berries so you can discuss what type of berries you pick. When you get home you can use the berries to make desserts, jams and cakes and get the kids involved in helping you with that too.
You can do this at home, in the garden, at the park or even on a walk. Hide some small items (toys or sweets) in various places. Draw maps with ‘X Marks the Spot, and easy directions.
Get your children involved with animals. If you don’t own a pet, offer to look after the school rabbit (for e.g.), or you could offer to take your neighbors dog with you on nature walks.
7. Nature Walks
All you need for this is some energy and open eyes. Make it all much more interesting by deciding on something that you are looking for, an eagle, a rabbit, or some other type of animal.
Whether you live in the city or the country, you can still do a nature walk. In the city you will need to either head out to the country, or to a local park. Where you find trees you will find animals. Where there is grass, you will find flowers, weeds and bugs. Take a book about local wild flowers, birds and/or animals with you to make it all that much more interesting. Give each child a notepad and pen to make notes on what they see then talk about it later.
Kids love camping out and the easiest and cheapest place to do this is in your back yard. Tents can be bought pretty cheaply these days or perhaps you can borrow one. You could always make your own temporary tent using a few sticks, sheets and a tarpaulin.
Give the kids snacks, torches/flashlights and sleeping bags. Warn your neighbors about possible noise and don’t lock the doors when you go to bed. At least if they need the toilet, or get a bit cold or scared, they will be able to get inside to their beds.
