Speaking to my girls about what we want to do over the summer holidays has been quite an enlightening experience today. Because we live on a ‘holiday island’ our holidays tend to happen off-season so that we can enjoy the pleasures of our home summers. Even so, to combat boredom it does help to have a few ideas up my sleeves and a few trips and outings booked in advance.
Here are some of the things they’ve come up with, with a few of my own ‘reality checks’ thrown in the mix!
A Family Holiday Abroad
Since we homeschool we keep our holidays abroad out of term time, with the odd exceptions here and there. Apparently they want to go to Mediterranean with their aunts and uncles though. Well… maybe next year, kiddos. With time to plan we could choose from many superb villas in Cyprus, big enough even for the extended family.
A Trip to the Theatre
That can be easily arranged, as there are many family-friendly shows around the UK in the summer months. Many UK theatres produce superb shows to entertain children during the school break.
Arrange Play Dates with Their School Friends
Funny as it sounds, we often only see our school friends during the school holidays, because they’re at school when we’d be free to play, and home when we have classes, activities or simply have our daily home time. Summer holidays are a great time for a play date to help them stay in touch with those friends who have gone on to school.
Visit a Museum or Two
While we tend to stick to museums and other tourist attractions during term time when they’re quieter and often cheaper, we do sometimes find that, as they aren’t so busy, not all their exhibitions or activity areas are open. Summer holidays are a good time to attend the events at the museums we’d normally frequent and experience something ‘new’. As the UK features approximately 2,500 museums located across the country, I can guarantee there’ll be something for each of them.
Soak Up Some Vitamin D at a Local Park
My kids would happily spend their days playing games or watching videos on YouTube if I allow them to. However,we all know that getting outdoors in nature is essential for a healthy mind and body, which is why we regularly go to the local park or paddling pool to encourage them to stretch their legs and enjoy some vitamin D. Pack a picnic and take outdoor games along, invite one of those playdates and make a day of it.
With a few exceptions, most of these things can be done quite cheaply, if not free, too, so that’s an added bonus for parents everywhere.
