- Plan the next days activites the night before. If you leave it to the last minute it's not as likely to happen.
2. Plan to do 3 "special" activites a week and mark them on the calander (not my idea, read it on another thread and had to include it, thank you to whoever suggested it )
3.Take it easy in the mornings and run them ragged in the afternoon.
4. Don't be afraid to let the children get bored sometimes - it helps them to use their imagination.
5. Save lots of bits and pieces for art and craft activities for rainy days. Knowing your British summers there are are bound to be loads.
6. Get a family pass for one of your local popular attractions (theme park/farm/bowling/whatever) so that you can head there for an hour or two whenever you want.
7. Make yourself a timetable of regular events that are on locally so that when you're stuck for ideas you can check it for last minute ideas (eg floatable sessions at the swimming pool, story sessions at library etc).
8. Give each family member a challenge for the summer (eg learn to ride a bike, learn breaststroke, etc) with a reward for achieving it.
9. Don't be afraid of being ruthlessly organised with some playdates - "I'll have all the kids for Tuesday afternoon, you have them for Thursday afternoon" - make sure that you get some me-time too.
10. Do school uniform early - don't label it and you can swap it at the start of term if necessary. Shoes need to be later but not too late.
11. One week allocate a day to each person where they get to choose what you do all day (within reason) including meals and make sure you get a day too. Minimal moaning if they know they get a chance to dictate the day too.
12. Go and buy all the school clothes your require,bags, pencil cases etc now.. they put the prices up at the start of August for the mad-rush!! (we are into our 2nd week in Scotland...1st week was bad 2nd week is bit better).
13. Get some new DVDs ans boards games in.
14. Arrange a few play-dates now before they break up from school (if already not done so)....
15. Keep your eyes open for ad's at the library, or local newspaper for council organised events
going on in your area.
16. Make sure you have basic baking ingredients handy.
17. Introduce some age appropriate daily chores such as sorting/pegging out the washing.
18. Take advantage of some of the sales now - eg Waterstones 3 for 2 on books.
19. Get a variety of day thought out - eg most places are much better to visit early in the morning, as MUCH quieter, so get everything ready the night before, get up, and go. HOWEVER, if it's apicnic in the partk, then leave it to them to help you.... we will go and do xyz, when you've put your clothes away / done our music prac / unloaded the dishwasher / etc., and let them be involved in making the picnic, gathering the rug and the football and the suncream, etc. - all fills another hour, and teacher them that these things don't happen without preparation.
20. Leave lots of times free for them to accept invitations from friends, invite frineds round, or just learn to entertain themselves.
21. if you have a garden, however small, use it. Give toddlers and older a bit of their own garden for sewing seeds and watering the shoots that result. Water play is a great way of getting younger children to kill a couple of hours, whether it is making 'soup' out of water and sundry weeds or 'perfume' out of dead flower heads. Paddling pools likewise can chew up a hot day. Setting tasks such as clearing a bed of weeds, or cleaning a patio will be taken on with pleasure by younger kids or can be a way of earning spending money for older ones. Also eating in the garden saves a lot of clearing up and 'picnics' are always more exciting than eating indoors.
22. Emergency time-filler: Treasure Hunts. Younger kids love them, doesn't have to be Easter (or chocolate-related) and if its raining, you can do them indoors, or a mini-version using eg dolly mixture in a dolls' house. Get them to take it in turns to hide/find.
23. Even the tinest of gardens can support a den. Whether it's a tipi made from garden canes, or a blanket slug over the washing line, building dens appeals to a wide range of ages and then they disappear inside for hours...Let them make a picnic to eat as well.
If it's chucking down, let them make an inside one. By the way, pegs are a great way of fastening blankets together for dens!
24. Make and freeze some fairy cakes now (or buy and freeze some shop ones) they can be brought out and iced for a low mess 'cooking' activity on a rainy afternoon
25. Check and see if your swimming pool do any special offers on reduced fees over the summer, many of them do
26. recyclesome old DVDs or swap them with friends, make some pop corn and have a movie afternoon, when it pours with rain.
27. Go into town on the bus and join the library!
28. Beg some large boxes and let them make a tardis in the guarden