Keeping your children occupied over the summer holidays can be a lot to consider. While the easy options for activities usually involve travelling from attraction to attraction, eating out, and plenty of treats, the holidays can be detrimental to your bank balance and the planet. Try to slow your life down and consider spending some valuable time with your children, teaching them about the world around them and making memories. There are lots of great activities that you can do at home that are fun and important for all ages, and here are some suggestions.
Crafts
Crafting at home is an excellent way of looking at materials and using your imagination to make something unique. Setting challenges for older children to make monsters, people, or animals out of the recycling materials is a great way to encourage children to think about further uses for everyday items rather than just seeing them as items to throw away. Considering the materials around us helps build a bigger eco-friendly picture in their minds and consider what we use and how we use it.
You can find plenty of eco-friendly crafting items, from paint to crayons. Other crafts such as hand/footprint pictures, name signs for bedroom doors, or more extensive projects such as painting a birdhouse or bug hotel can become some of your most treasured possessions. Always make sure you use non-toxic materials when crafting with your children or making anything for your garden.
Gardening
Gardening with your children is a great way to introduce them to the reality of how things grow. It's also great to see all stages of a plant or flower's lifespan. Dress your children in clothes you don't mind getting dirty and let them explore everything they can. Gardening is an excellent activity for all ages, and even young babies will love exploring the sights, sounds, and textures of the world around them. Giving your children an understanding of nature and its importance is one of the greatest gifts we can give them. A love for nature can help calm a busy mind and teach motor skills to young children, such as digging, climbing, planting, and knowing when to be gentle with young plants and trees.
Growing vegetables in your garden can be a great way to show your young ones where our food comes from and encourage them to eat a vegetable they might not usually like. If they have taken the time and energy to look after a plant to its point of fruition, they may be keen to try the food they have helped to produce.
Family exercise
Family exercise can come in many forms, and this will depend on the ages of your children. While older children may already be out and about on their bikes, scooters, skateboards, or roller skates at any given opportunity, you may need to find ways for your younger children to get involved.
Getting younger children involved in activities as early as possible is a great way to build life skills and healthy habits and be a sensory treat. Pack a bag full of toys and your reusable swimming nappies, and head to your local pool for a few hours of fun that will fly by.
Going running as a family is a great way to enjoy exercise together, and even the younger ones can join in if you invest in a running pushchair which can be used from six months old.
Cooking
Involving your children in cooking can be a great way to teach them about food production and nutrition. Try going to a farm shop or market and selecting local organic produce to make a delicious meal together. Look for vegetables that will be easy for younger children to chop without needing to use a sharp knife, such as mushrooms or cucumber. Buying local fruit and vegetables may introduce you to all kinds of interesting varieties that you may not find in the supermarkets. Different vegetable varieties will cause no end of intrigue from your little ones, especially when they see all the different colours of carrots, tomatoes and radishes.
Finding activities that the whole family can enjoy while being kind to the environment is a great way to spend your time. Get messy, chatty, creative, and innovative this summer.