10 fun and affordable kids activities to do at home over the summer holidays
Worried about how you're going to keep the kids entertained over the next six weeks? Don't panic, we've got 10 fabulous and inexpensive ideas to help keep them occupied all summer long.
Ah, summer holidays. While we dream of lazy days and sun-drenched afternoons, we all know in reality that the British summer (aka rain) will inevitably dampen our plans and boredom will creep in fast, but fear not! Come rain or shine, we’ve pulled together some fun (and achievable!) activities to keep your little ones entertained from the comfort of your own home, because let’s face it, those soft play sessions, holidays camps and day trips all add up don’t they?
Build a den
Whether indoors or out, this is a sure-fire winner to kill some time and keep your little ones entertained. My two LOVE building forts/dens/under-table cafes etc… I wince every time they drag all my ‘nice’ cushions onto the floor, but I’ll put up with it for a bit of quiet time. Give them a wireless lamp or torches, snacks (obviously), a collection of their favourite books or Yoto player/Tonie box and it’s the perfect space for them to chill out in.
Make a bug hotel / hedgehog house / bird box… you get the idea
If like our kids, yours are picking up sticks and leaves at every given opportunity, this is a great activity to use their ‘collection’ to create something wonderful for all those mini-beasts in your back garden. Whether it’s using an old juice carton stuffed with loo roll tubes, twigs and leaves or an old plastic bottle revamped as a bird feeder, it’ll be fun to create, as well as watch and wait to see the wildlife use their creations. The WWT has a whole range of handy downloadable activity sheets with simple-to-follow instructions for making these at home.
Host your own sports day
If you’ve got a playdate situation and you need some ‘organised fun’ once they’ve run riot, a mini sports day is a great way to get everyone involved as well as burn some energy and for everybody to get some fresh air. Plan a few activities and create a leaderboard – we love Hippychick’s ready-made sports day kit with all the classics, from egg and spoon to sack races.
At-home cookery school
Let’s face it, you’re constantly in the kitchen anyway so why not get the kids involved in the meal prep too? It’s a great way of also encouraging them to eat things they might otherwise deem as ’suspicious’ and they’re more likely to eat it because they made it (or so the theory goes). Get them to set up a ‘fancy restaurant’ at home Bluey-style (we’ve all seen that episode right?) – they can design a menu, set the table… who knows, they may even help with the washing up if you’re lucky.
Make a sock puppet show
If you’re anything like us, you’ll have tons of odd socks lying about the house (where do they go?!) so it’s the perfect opportunity to do a bit of decluttering and put them to good use. Get your little ones to craft their own characters, maybe even some extra props on lolly sticks, and put on a puppet show for the whole family. It’ll also help keep their creative juices flowing over the summer break.
Create DIY musical instruments
Hands up, who else remembers this wholesome craft activity? Grab those dried lentils from the back of the pantry and fill up an empty coffee canister (you’ll have plenty of those over the summer holidays I’m sure…) and get crafting some shakers. You could go one step further and make your own guitar using an old cereal box and elastic bands, or perhaps paper straw panpipes and tin can drums.
Plan a cinema club
OK, so yes, this is your opportunity for a bit of chill-out time and maybe a glass of wine pre-bedtime when everyone is completely exhausted from the day’s events. However, make it more enticing than just simply sticking on the TV – get the kids to choose the film in advance for ‘movie night’ (maybe even set up a makeshift projector screen outside if the weather allows) and get them to make their own cinema poster and paper cones for popcorn during the day.
Set up a scavenger hunt
Encourage your kids to put their thinking caps on with a mini treasure hunt – you can be crafty and even make it educational; we’ve done some before where the clue leads to a phonics ‘tricky’ word they have to learn and read. Either way, give them a list with items they need to find and once they’ve found all the objects, they can receive a prize – it gives you 20 minutes or so to get on with something else while they’re occupied!
Don a lab coat and get experimenting
Doing DIY science experiments is the perfect activity for rainy days – although definitely requires parental involvement. Here are a couple of quick ideas you could try at home:
1. Baking soda and vinegar volcano:
- Build a small volcano structure using clay or playdough.
- Place a small container inside the volcano.
- Add baking soda to the container, then pour in vinegar and watch it erupt.
2. Invisible ink:
- Squeeze lemon juice into a bowl.
- Use a cotton swab to write messages on white paper with the lemon juice.
- Let it dry, then hold the paper up to a light bulb or heat source to reveal the hidden message.
3. Homemade slime:
- Mix 1/2 cup of glue with 1/2 cup of water.
- Add food colouring and glitter if desired.
- Stir in 1/2 cup of liquid starch until it forms slime.
Try rock painting
If you’ve stocked up on art supplies ready for summer but not sure what to do with them, why not go hunting for large stones/small rocks and transform them into mini masterpieces? They can paint pictures on them or perhaps write messages – you could even go on a walk and leave the stones in random places locally for others to see and enjoy.
Did you like these ideas? Have you got your own activity ideas to share? Add them in comments below for everyone to see!