How to Entertain the Kids During the Summer Holidays

Most people look forward to the summer, but if you have young children you may be dreading the thought of having to find ways of keeping them entertained through the holidays. Without just sticking them in front of the TV or computer all day, of course. This is always a challenge, but even more so this year. Although we'll hopefully be fully out of lockdown by the time the summer holidays arrive, things won't be entirely back to normal. How do you entertain the kids through these summer holidays?

What's Going to Be Available this Summer?

The short answer is that no-one really knows yet exactly what will and won't be available by the end of July. The best-case scenario is that most facilities should be open, from cinemas to swimming pools to restaurants, but perhaps with some restrictions. Many facilities may well still be requiring social distancing, and that could mean they might ration the number of people inside at any one time.

The one thing that almost certainly won't be back to normal is foreign travel. If you normally take the kids on a summer holiday abroad, you may need to rethink your plans, unless you've booked for a country in the "green zone". However, the good news is that there are plenty of great holidays and days out to be enjoyed in the UK. Maybe on your doorstep.

Entertaining the Kids at Home

No lockdown can prevent you from finding activities for your kids to enjoy at home, whether indoors or in the garden. Depending on the children's ages, here are just a few:

•  Help your kids to dress up. Young children don't need anything elaborate — a few slightly unusual second-hand clothes can turn into anything in their imaginations. Perhaps you could encourage them to put on a play.
•  Cook with your kids. It doesn't need to be Bake-Off standard — half the fun is the mess they get into. And they can enjoy eating the results.
•  Organise a treasure hunt around the house and garden, setting clues that will encourage them to stretch their problem-solving skills.
•   A paddlingpool in the garden will provide hours of fun on fine days, and you can get a small, simple one for £15 or less.
•   Encourage your kids to do arts and crafts, ranging from painting or crayoning to origami.
•  The TV has its place. Why not share a film session with the kids, complete with drinks and popcorn?

Entertaining the Kids Out and About

 Hopefully, staples in your area such as cinemas, swimming pools and bowling alleys will be open by the time the holiday starts, although you may have to queue longer than usual to get in. If you want to get the kids out in the fresh air, you can take them to the park for a game of football, cricket or whatever they prefer. You could even arrange your own "Olympics" with your children and their friends and give prizes for events. If you want to go a little further afield, you could take the kids for a walk or a picnic in the countryside. Why not set them to identify as many types of wildlife as they can, so that they'll be learning as well as having fun?

Entertaining the Kids on Day Trips and Holidays

 Although most foreign travel is likely to be out this summer, there are plenty of places in the UK you can take the kids, whether for days out or longer holidays. It's not certain whether theme parks will be open, but many historical sites (such as those run by the National Trust) put an effort into making their exhibits child friendly. Bear in mind, though, that you may have to book these trips in advance. You could go on holiday to a variety of locations on the coast, or to beauty spots inland. It would probably be sensible, though, to avoid the most popular places, since being in crowded spaces is still not going to be a good idea for a while. Renting self-contained, self-catering accommodation would avoid the need to social distance in a hotel. Wherever you choose, think about what activities you can share with the kids, and plan them well. For example, you might visit a fossil-rich area of the coastline and encourage the children to search for fossils. They could look them up back at the accommodation, perhaps keeping a complete record of finds over the holiday, which they could proudly present at school.

 These are necessarily just a few of the many strategies you can use to keep the kids entertained over the summer holiday. Register with TutorExtra to find more advice and resources.