One of the best things about the summer break is being able to make amazing memories with the kids, but you don’t have to spend a fortune to have a wonderful time. Check out our top 5 ideas for keeping the kids amused in the holidays on a budget.
Den Making
It’s an oldie but goldie, den making is a marvellous way for the kids to go on an adventure when home is the only destination. Simply pulling the sofa cushions off, digging out those cardboard boxes, and ripping off the duvets and bed sheets will have their imaginations running wild! They could play knights and build a fort, be princesses with a castle, or even fight aliens in a space station, the sitting room is their oyster! You could even schedule in a picnic when it’s all built. Sure it takes a little cleaning up at the end of the day, but it’s guaranteed to keep them amused all day and for zero pounds!
Picnics
If you’re desperate to get out and about, why not have a stroll down to your local park and have a good old-fashioned picnic? It’ll make an exciting change for the kids instead of sitting at the table, and you can even get them helping out in the kitchen prepping their alternative lunch too. Why not make some super simple and affordable mini pizzas out of muffins, tomato puree, and their favourite toppings? Or make their own fruit kebabs? Their lunch is sure to taste even better knowing they’ve made it themselves. Don’t forget to pack a football and frisbee too! There’s nothing better than a family kick about in the park. It’s sure to tire them out for the rest of the day as well. Bonus!
Obstacle Course
Why not set the kids a challenge this summer and set up an obstacle course in the garden? It’s a fab way to get them out in the fresh air exercising, and it teaches them how to concentrate and problem solve too. Firstly, to make the exercise extra fun and give them something to do while you build, get your kids to make up their own warrior names for the competition. There’s loads of cool ideas to make, for instance; hanging up balloons for the kids to crawl through, weaving around pots and buckets, balancing on planks, and jumping over planters. The ideas are endless!
Model Making
There’s nothing better than getting those creative juices flowing on a rainy day. It’s well known by many a parent that much of the time, kids are more amused by a cardboard box than they are an expensive toy, so why not dig through your recycling and get them making models? They will be able to spend time being artistic, making everything from rockets to dinosaurs. It’ll give them something new to play with after and is sure to give you some amusement too. If you have a few pennies to spare, why not hit your local The Works, Hobbycraft, or Wilko and pick up some sequins, feathers, and felt tip pens to make their modes look extra spectacular? Download the Reward Me Now app and you’ll be able to save up to 7% making this activity even cheaper.
Put On A Show
There’s no better way for the kids to bond with their siblings and friends than by creating a show to perform to parents. I don’t know about you, but some of my best childhood memories were making up dances with my friends in the sitting room. Give them the challenge of writing their own script and songs, then get them to perform it at the end of the day in front of the parents and younger siblings. You could even dig out that coloured card and old material so they can make their own costumes as well. It’s sure to create some hilarious life long memories for both you and the kids too.
Written by expert Megan Fife from AMS