As the long summer holidays appear on the horizon it’s time to give some thought to how you will entertain your little ones. It’s easy when the sun is shining, and they can head outside to play, but what about those inevitable rainy days?
Here we have some fun ideas to keep everyone entertained this summer.
Home Cinema
Watching a film is a treat for everyone – the children get some screen time, and you get a bit of peace and quiet. Putting in some preparation can elevate a movie afternoon into a full-scale cinema event, so you get that warm fuzzy feeling of doing something holistic as well as time to enjoy a cuppa – the holy grail of entertaining kids indoors.
Grab some bean bags and blankets, turn down the lights, and get some bowls full of popcorn (extra parenting points for making it yourself). Then comes the hardest part – agreeing on something that everyone wants to watch. We suggest asking your kids to take turns to choose the film – they will learn to compromise, and you will feel good about making movie night a regular event. Or put it to a vote with ballot tick sheets to be ultra-diplomatic!
Den Building
All kid-friendly homes will have at least one den under construction at all times during the school holidays. Sofa cushions, clothes airers and a big pile of blankets and bedsheets are essentials in the best dens. And, once you have those in place you can get creative with fairy lights, flags and bunting. Serve a picnic lunch and snacks in the den, and the kids are sure to be delighted.
Bake-Off
Baking with kids can be messy and the results are often unreliable, but there is also a lot of fun and learning to be had. When the rain is lashing down outside get your children into the kitchen for a family Bake-off. Find a simple recipe for them to follow – shortbread, flapjacks and cookies are often the most straightforward, and depending on their age try to let them be as independent as possible when it comes to the reading, measuring and mixing. When everything is baked you can then have an afternoon tea party, offering constructive and positive feedback on each bake.
Indoor Treasure Hunt
It’s a classic activity that gets your children thinking and moving. Plant some clues around the house so that each one leads to the next, and if you hide a sweet or coin with each clue, it will incentivise your kids even more. Think of fairly simple clues, such as this one for a pair of trainers – ‘I’ll run with you and protect your feet, find me for something yummy to eat’.
Fashion show
Putting on any kind of show is always a winner. The children get to make tickets, choose a soundtrack of their favourite songs and best of all, design some costumes. Fashion shows are brilliant for engaging children’s imaginations and the best part is that they are completely free – they can just search through their wardrobes (and yours too if you dare!) to create this season’s hottest collection!
For more advice about family living and to browse our beautiful new homes in Yorkshire take a look at our homepage.