The summer break from school can
seem like a very long time when you are trying to think of ways to keep your
brood entertained, without breaking the bank. After the six weeks are over,
many parents are tearing their hair out, and cannot wait for the day they start
back at school, but there are many ways that you can keep your children happy
and entertained, without having it cost the earth. Here are just 10 different
ways for you to start with…
At
the beginning of the summer holidays, encourage your children to document what
they do. This can be done either by keeping a diary, or by taking pictures of
days out, or just anything fun they did. Gradually, they can build a scrapbook
that they can then look back on at the end of the holidays. This is very cheap
to do, as all you need is a scrapbook, and their imagination and creativity.
Getting your children involved in some
supervised cooking is an excellent way to keep them occupied for a morning or
afternoon. You can get them baking cookies and biscuits that they can decorate
afterwards. They ingredients are relatively inexpensive, if you do not have
them in your pantry already, and it is a brilliant way of getting them involved
in the kitchen. Plus, the whole family can enjoy the finished product!
If
it is nice weather, take your children and go and explore your local woods. You
can pack snacks and water, and really make an afternoon of it. You can give
them a list of things that they have got to try and spot during their
adventure. If there is a little bridge and a stream, you can even teach them
how to play Pooh sticks. Not only is this keeping them active, it is completely
free to do.
Taking
a day trip to museums is not only an excellent, educational and stimulating day
out for them but many museums charge nothing for the entry. A day out like this
can become as expensive or inexpensive as you make it. Obviously there are the
travelling costs, but that can be it. You can pack a packed lunch for you and
the children and go to as many free museums as you want. The double bonus is
that walking around the museums will tire them out as well, leaving you with a
quiet evening ahead.
Plan a picnic for your children and their
friends. You can all arrange to meet in the local park, and for each person to
bring a dish. This way, you are not footing the bill for all of the food, but
it is an excellent and easy, fun day out. You can even bring a selection of
games to keep everyone entertained. This is perfect if you have children of
different ages, as they can both invite their friends, and have fun, yet you
are not paying for more than one activity.
A treasure hunt is a brilliant activity
for your children and one that is fairly easy and inexpensive to set up. You
can get hold of very inexpensive toys, sweets and chocolate, to be used as the
treasure that they are hunting for. In the morning, set up your treasure in
your garden, or even around the house if the weather is bad, before drawing
maps and writing down clues for your children to follow. This will also get
them working as a team, as they can work together to find all of the treats.
If
you are having trouble trying to find ways of keeping your children entertained
in the holidays, set up an arts and craft area in your home, and have a day
that is dedicated to just this. Get some paint, paper, and crafty items and let
your children be as creative as they want. This is a really great way to keep
them occupied, but also for you to spend time with them, without spending any
money.
At
the beginning of the summer holidays, get some plant seeds, and get your
children to plant these in the garden. They will then have to care for them
throughout the summer; otherwise they will not see the rewards. This will
encourage them to ensure that they are watered and cared for, which in turn
will keep them occupied for times. You can also encourage them to keep the area
free from weeds, as that way, they are learning all about the importance of
gardening as well.
Taking them to the local library is an
excellent way to keep your children entertained and occupied. You can either
spend a morning there, encouraging them to read, or you can set up a free
account for them, where they can take the books home to read. Encouraging them
to read over the holidays is incredibly worthwhile, as it will stimulate their
imagination and keep their mind active. Plus, it is completely free as long as
you remember to take the books back on time!
The seaside is a really exciting place
for children to be and it can keep them entertained for hours. Again, this can
be as expensive or cheap as you like. You can take a packed lunch, or a picnic
to have on the beach to keep the costs down, and some buckets and spades to
play about on the sand. Again, this is perfect for wearing your children out,
and keeping them active, so they are not just sitting at home on the computer.
Just don’t forget the sun cream!
