Keeping the little ones busy // Summer holiday activities
Summer holiday indoor activities
It’s the Summer, a time for getting outdoors and exploring. We’re an outdoor family, always looking for our next adventure. Climbing trees, building dens, mud kitchens, climbing hills, riding bikes are all daily activities for my active bunch of little people but what about the days when it is just too miserable to leave the house? The days when it is raining in every direction possible or when we find ourselves in an unimaginable lockdown? This is when I really have to get my thinking cap on and come up with indoor activities that will keep them from climbing the walls or going ten rounds on each other (don’t you just love playing referee?!)
So, here are some of our fave indoor activities…
Rock painting. My daughter is a creative type and can often be found making or decorating something, so rock painting is right up her street. Most pens or paints can be used, finished off with a spray varnish (Amazon will be your friend with these.) Then, when you’re next out and about exploring you can hide the rocks. Most areas now have a free Facebook group dedicated to rock hiding/finding, which will help you know where to go looking/hiding. If they don’t want to hide them for others to find you could create a fairy garden instead or keep them as pet rocks.
Pizza picnic. We love to make our own pizzas, or at least add our our own toppings. If I haven’t been able to get to a shop for bases then wraps can be used, baguettes or even Yorkshire puddings! A bit of tomato puree or BBQ sauce as a base, topped with whatever we have in the fridge or cupboard then popped in the oven or under the grill. We’ve even made sweet versions before - chocolate sauce topped with marshmallows, fruit or sweets. Yum!
Treasure hunt. Think Easter egg hunt, but without the Bunny (or eggs!) Find something that you have a few of - lego, happy land figures, tea bags if you’re really desperate! You can either stick to one room or hide them all over the house, then let the kids wear themselves out trying to find them. Depending on their age they could draw their own treasure map or write down directions/hints. If you’re really into it then you could go old school and tea-stain the map or make pirate eye-patches.
Talent Show. My lot are big fans of Britain’s Got Talent and The Voice, so we like to do our own version at home. Acts could include sock puppets, musical instruments, singing, dancing, reading from their favourite book, telling jokes, magic tricks….the list is endless! You then get to sit back and enjoy the show. Gain extra points by videoing and sending to Grandparents.
Home cinema. We love a good family film and while the cinemas were closed could often be found sat in the dark with a bowl of popcorn watching our favourites on the smaller screen of home. Hot chocolate with marshmallows and squirty cream are an extra treat if they’ve been really good.
Card games. Two of our favourites are Uno and Dobble, both affordable and easy to play. They’re also great for car journeys or dinner out, keeping them occupied long enough for dinner to arrive.
Cardboard boxes. I don’t know about you, but during lockdown the Amazon delivery guy became my only contact with the outside world and like Father Christmas to the kids. Not necessarily because of what was in the smiling brown packages but because of the boxes themselves! As soon as their contents had been emptied they wasted no time in turning them into castles, spaceships, shops, trains, hiding places or even beds! You can kill a bit of extra time by giving them pens or paint to decorate their chosen vehicle before beginning play/pretend/hide/destroy that box.
A Day at the Spa. In other words, a bath with a shit-ton of bubble bath added. Kids love having a splash and making bubble beards.
Some of my tips were featured in an article for the Sun newspaper, click here to read more :)
If you’ve got some easy activity ideas for fellow parents then please do share them in the comments below.
About Rachel
Rachel is a Mum of three and owner of Authentic Baby Photography. She specialises in Simple, modern newborn & baby photography with a studio in Reading, Berkshire. Click here to find out more about her photography services.
