Top Tips for Summer Lazy Days
09 Aug 2019
30 Jul 2019
Get some inspiration from our helpful guide, and hopefully the 6-week summer break will fly by and the kids will have avoided all the potential boredom and frustration of having not much to do.
First of all, if you’re like most adults out there in the world of work, you simply don’t have the holiday allocation or opportunity to take 6 weeks off – if only! We suggest planning the school summer holiday weeks with military precision, what weeks are you able to take off as holiday? Can family take on the challenge with you by having the kids for a week? Do you know other parents who you can swap and share with? With some of your time off you could have your friend’s kids during the days they can’t and vise-versa. How flexible can work be? Are you able to take mornings or afternoons off and share with your partner? Consider your options and of course make sure you don’t leave your children in the custody of somebody you don’t trust 100%.
If you are worried that the kids won’t have enough stimulation to sustain them over the long summer holiday break, how about devising a plan for giving them tasks to achieve – with potential rewards at the end? Perhaps put together a chart or planner with a list of targets to help track their progress and make more fun and turn it into a friendly competition. You could use this strategy to set them about doing some work around the home or garden, but it’s important to make it as fun as possible. Throughout the holiday break you could task them to collect certain items, visit particular places, create something with arts and crafts, develop a skill or learn some words and phrases in a new language, learn to master playing an instrument, try some different sports they haven’t played, the possibilities are endless! If your children are being looked after by others during this time, get them involved too to help the kids stay engaged and to make sure their challenges go the distance until September.
Of course it’s great to be able to take your kids on a fantastic holiday adventure to somewhere sunny, but for the most part, the summer holiday break is a more local affair but don’t let that limit your horizons. You’ll be surprised by just how much around you that your kids can experience that you didn’t realise was there. Check out local free or low-cost events run by schools, churches, sports clubs or the local council during the summer. There’ll be parks, beaches, towns and villages locally that your child might not have visited yet.
There are some great activity camps around, so if your child has a particular interest or wants to have a try at a broad range of things, the chances are that there’ll be a summer camp for them. Whether its swimming, science, performing arts, archery, football, go-karts, fencing there’s plenty of choice to keep the children occupied. Usually organized by age group, these clubs are a great way to meet new friends and broaden their social interactions. There are activity camps out there to suit most budgets and some offer flexibility for parents by having early and evening sessions available.
The internet is your friend, so take some time to explore the many options to suit for your time, budget and location. Good luck and enjoy the holidays!
