Top Tips For Keeping Kids Occupied This Summer

Summer holidays can be a very expensive time for parents what with outings and events. I am always trying to come up with ideas and things for parents to do with the children that involve minimum expense, maximum enjoyment and importantly also create a sense of rest and relaxation.

A Visit to the Library Libraries are wonderful places for the holidays – full of lots of free books to read as well as some great summer activities – I remember as a child enjoying a plethora of activities, including the talent competition. Even if there isn’t a talent contest in your local library, I’m sure there will be some craft activities and possibly the odd entertainer!

Build a Fairy Garden I have the fortune of living in the aptly named ‘Fairytale Cottage’. This summer I have taken time out to build a wonderful fairy world just outside the back door. Children and their friends will love building their own fairy/pixie garden. Let them be imaginative with branches and stones, to make houses for their little friends. Children will have fun making fairy doors, pathways, fairy rings and mini ponds. If you find some inexpensive miniature fairy models and tiny dolls house furniture, this will all add to the magic. Don’t forget a liberal sprinkling of glitter.

This activity will be mostly enjoyed by the under 6’s. Boys however, will probably prefer to build a dinosaur den with volcanoes or a bug and insect garden. Planting and maintaining a miniature garden teaches kids about plants, caring for living things, and most all the fun of gardening.

Water Games When it gets too hot and children need to cool down, why not try out this wonderful cooling game? Fill your paddling pool with water or if water is very scarce in your area, a bucket will do. Put some ice cubes in and get the children to pick them up with their toes. This is lots of fun and very refreshing and you don’t need to worry about wasting the water, as it can be used for watering the flowers afterwards. If you don’t have water pistols, you can fill squeezy bottles with water for plenty of wet fun. Note: this is not the most quiet and relaxing of exercises!

Cool Drinks and Treats If you live near the countryside, children would love an afternoon strawberry picking. Here is a simple recipe for a berry milkshake that the children will love to help out with. Fill the blender with 2 cups of ice cubes, 2 cups of milk, 2 cups of berries, a spoon or two of honey and a dash of vanilla extract. Blend until smooth. Delicious and very cooling! If you are looking for an alternative to sugar-filled lollies, you could try simply freezing strawberries, grapes and bananas (cut the bananas into pieces first).

Scrap Book Children of all ages generally love making things. You may like to encourage them to make a summer scrap book/diary, where they can write and draw about the summer holidays. The scrap books could be an on-going project and be pulled out every few days to add new entries and stick in summer memorabilia.

Relax Kids Magic Corner If your children have a few spare moments and would like to do something relaxing, they are always welcome to visit the Kids Magic Corner where there are games, colouring sheets and even a fairy godmother problem page!

Relax Kids Meditation What better way to end a busy day than a mediation, which parents can read to their children:

Relaxing on the Beach… Close your eyes, be very still and imagine you are lying down on the beach. Feel the warm sand underneath your body. You can hear the waves of the sea. Now very gently you are going to relax each part of your body. Start with your feet, let your toes completely relax and become soft. Let this feeling spread gently through your feet. Now squeeze your legs and gently let them go. Feel all the tension in your legs being released as they become relaxed and soft. Squeeze the muscles in your tummy and let go completely. Stretch your back as long as you can and relax. Can you feel your back sinking into the sand? Now let your shoulders and neck become soft, as all the tension melts away. Squeeze your arms as tight as you can and let them go. Allow your arms to feel heavy as they sink into the sand. Squeeze your fingers into a tight fist, and now uncurl them slowly and rest them on the golden sand. Scrunch your face into a tiny ball and let go and relax. Let your head completely relax: relax your eyes, your ears, your cheeks, your forehead. Become completely still and relaxed. Feel the warm sun on your face and body as you sink further into the powdery sand. Stay there for a few more moments, enjoying the feeling of being completely relaxed. Say to yourself – I am peaceful, I am peaceful, I am peaceful, I am relaxed, I am calm, I am quiet.

Extract from The Wishing Star and Nature CD

About the Author –
Marneta is founder of Relax Kids – UKs leading expert on children’s relaxation. She is author of 2 books and has produced a range of over 20 relaxation products and has appeared on BBC Dragons’ Den. Marneta is editor of RELAX – a monthly online magazine and trains parents and teachers to help children to relax. www.relaxkids.com www.relaxschools.com.