The summer holidays are approaching fast. The kids are all excited! But what’s a mum to do, right? A day out here and there is all well and good but all these trips can get a bit tight on the old purse strings! Well, I’m here to help. Not every day has to be an adventure day. So let’s get started with some ideas for indoor activities with the kids! Let’s go…

Staying in?

1. Board games session – Get out all your old board games, sort out all the bits and bobs and play as many as you can. Play with Lego bricks or counters.

2. Arts and crafts – Buy or gather lots of materials. Poundland’s a good start. Cut up old birthday cards, scrunch up tissue paper. Spread out loads of newspapers and put out your pens, paints, glitter and glue and get crafting! Print out some summer pictures to colour in, or get crafty with washi tape. Google and Pinterest have got loads of craft ideas for more inspiration.

3. Teddy bears picnic / dolls tea party- Write out party invites, make paper hats and cut out and colour paper plates. You can also make a lovely picnic for your kids (and their toys) to enjoy. Jam sandwiches, a bowl of crisps and a plate of biscuits will keep the kids happy at lunch time. Maybe even invite a friend or two over for an hour – the other mums may even return the favour and you can enjoy an hours peace …. or catchup on the housework!

4. Afternoon disco – My daughters go nuts for an afternoon disco! Get out your old tapes or CDs (the spice girls is a firm favourite in our house!) decorate the lounge, shut the curtains, dim the lights and have an afternoon disco with glow sticks! One way to wear the kids out! Your kids could even invite a friend or two and you can serve a fun fruit juice ‘cocktail’.

5. Memory box/ scrapbook – You can either help your child make a memory box or scrapbook from when she was a baby, or you can make them for other people or places. For example, a scrapbook of where you went on your last summer holiday.

6. Make your own play den – A great idea for refreshing a boring afternoon. A mattress, cushions, old blankets, use what you can find and voila! You own soft lazy area. Lay them down on the floor or even outside if the weathers nice enough. Cover any hard edges, grab some books and enjoy lying around, have a snooze or get creative and look for pictures in the clouds.

3 ways to get your kids helping with chores!

Chores don’t go away just because it’s the school holidays. By using a summer holiday planner you can still schedule them in … and get the kids helping to!

1. Housework – Have a quick tidy up in the morning and then again after tea. Slot these ‘tidy up times’ before and after play. Allocate each child a job and – if your kids like to be competitive – set a timer so they can race each other to the finish!

2. Laundry – Children from a young age can help with sorting clothes colours. My daughters love matching the socks after a wash. A washing up bowl with a few suds and an old t-shirt will delight a toddler whilst you sort the never-ending laundry pile.

3. Cooking – As long as your patient and don’t mind a little bit of extra cleaning up afterwards, cooking with the kids can be one of the most rewarding activities to do together. Make sure you know what you’re cooking beforehand and assemble all the ingredients together before calling the kids in to help. You could even make treats like little biscuits or full dinners.

And relax …

The school holidays can be EXHAUSTING. So make sure you schedule in some downtime with the kids, doing absolutely nothing.

Try …

1. A duvet day – stay in your PJs, borrow or swap some new DVD’s, stock up on popcorn and chocolate and relax. From experience, it might be best left till later in the week when the children have started to unwind and are less likely to argue.

2. A long lie in – if you don’t fancy a duvet day, why not have a lazy lie in instead. All snuggle in bed with a pile of books or a DVD. Bring breakfast upstairs and don’t get up until you’re ready.

3. Babysitting swap – ask a friend if she’d like to swap a half days childcare with you so you each get a half day off. Book the dates then take yourself off to a cafe with a pile of magazines. Even an hour or two will do the trick.

Do you have any brilliant ways of entertaining the kids – or parenting hacks you swear by – in the school holidays? Why not share them in the comments section below.

Happy adventures

nay nay x