The summer holidays are always a magical time for kids, and you might have fond memories of these times when you were a child. How you would go out and play with your friends all day, and those few weeks away from school seemed to last forever.
Well, as a parent, you might not get the same excitement as your kids do over the summer season, but it’s still a wonderful opportunity to have fun with each other and spend quality time together as a family. If you’re trying to think of a way to keep your kids entertained while they are on hiatus from school, here are a few suggestions that are sure to put smiles on their faces.
Camping Trip
You might have already planned to do this as your main summer vacation, but camping trips are also excellent ways to spend a weekend as well. Getting back to nature is a wonderful way to reset your mind, and it’s perfect for inspiring a sense of adventure in adults and kids alike. If you want to try and encourage your kids to step away from computer screens during their summer break, taking them on a fun camping trip could be the perfect way to do this. You can go on hikes together or engage in other fun activities such as canoeing or fishing. Swapping stories by the campfire in the evening while you toast some marshmallows will be the perfect way to cap off the day (just don’t tell them anything too spooky if you don’t want to be up all night!) Even if you can’t get out to the countryside one weekend, you can always set up a tent in your backyard as an alternative that can be just as fun for the kids.
Theme Parks
Another great way to spend a day with the kids is by taking them to a theme park near you. Spending the day on rollercoasters and other fun rides is something that they don’t get to do all the time, so it’s a lovely, fun treat for them during the holidays. There are so many to choose from, such as big-name parks like Six Flags or Legoland for younger kids (check out these Legoland tickets for a discount), Universal Studios, or Disneyland. A lot of the larger theme parks do offer accommodation options if you need to travel to get there, and usually, your park ticket is included in this package. They will certainly sleep well after all the excitement during the day!
Water Parks
While rollercoasters are always great fun, sometimes it’s better to spend the summer heat splashing around in a pool. To make sure your kids are having fun but also keeping cool, you could always take them to a water park instead. They are just as fun as theme parks, with all kinds of twisting slides, lazy rivers, and other water games they can take part in. Just make sure you bring plenty of sunscreen with you that you reapply throughout the day, so they don’t get sunburned while they’re in and out of the water.
Scavenger Hunt
If you’re looking for something a little less expensive than a day out at a theme park, you can always find fun activities to do closer to home. A scavenger hunt is one example, and it’s great to do with younger children. You can hide clues or prizes in your backyard and create a treasure map for them to follow. This should keep them entertained for a while, depending on how many things you want them to find. You could also do this inside your house as well if it happens to be an unusually rainy summer day. And if you want it to be extra creative, consider to incorporate and do silly prank calls and use this funny soundboard which will surely make your child’s summer day awesome!. If you haven’t done a scavenger hunt before, you can find some tips on how to set one up here.
Open-air Cinema
Movies can be the perfect past-time, and watching great family movies together is such a lovely way to bond and relax with your kids. Staying at home to watch a movie or going to a cinema is all well and good, but when it’s warm outside, it’s so much better to be out in the fresh air. Taking your family to an open-air cinema one summer’s evening could be the perfect opportunity to make some memories and enjoy each other’s company. Some will be drive-in theatres, whereas others are put on in parks where you can take a picnic and find a spot on the grass to watch the movie.
Visit a Historical Site
A lot of historical sites cater to kids because they are educational resources, so these are ideal for entertaining children during the summer holidays. Not only will your kids learn something, but they can take part in activities that have been arranged by the site management teams and sometimes can even dress up in costume or browse through the gift shop at the end of a tour. You’ll all come away learning something new as well as having a great time throughout the day.
If you’re looking for ideas to entertain your kids during the summer break this year, consider the suggestions above as there should be something for everybody to enjoy.
