To be dreading the summer holidays

Do you have a garden, OP? Asda have loads of cheap outdoor toys, last summer I bought giant outdoor snakes and ladders, a game where you throw beanbags at a target and a bubble machine. We tend to go out somewhere in the morning (park, library, cinema, swimming) then in the afternoon if the weather is nice I just get all the plastic tat out in the garden for them to play with, or fill up the paddling pool, and leave them to it. If it rains then they can watch a film, do some crafts or play with toys. If they complain that they're bored I get them to do jobs for me! I don't entertain them constantly, they need to spend some time playing independently.

It can feel very overwhelming OP! Last summer I was on maternity leave with DD2 and had DD1 (age 5) to entertain, I was quite anxious about balancing both their needs and making sure DD1 was suitably entertained. In reality it passed really quickly, we did a lot of walks to the local park where invariably she would meet someone she knew from school and would play for a good while. We had trips to the library where they would have scavenger hunts or other activities which filled in some time. Give yourself a bit of a break, you're doing your best and you might find that your son is quite happy to have some chilled days at home playing, reading and snacking! We also played quite a lot of scatch and swingball!

This year I'm back at work, DD1 is doing holiday camps, DD2 will be at nursery and I'm feeling quite nostalgic for the slow days of last year.

Invite his friends over and hope they invite him back. Gives you a bit of a break.
can his dad take any time off to have him?
And don't be afraid to utilise screen time!

Day out with the kids is a good website for ideas

Totally agree with this. I was a very creative kid and me and my brother and friend used to think up some brilliant games and crafts on days that we were home and not ‘being entertained’.

They are actually some of my fondest memories! Plus it made the ‘days out’ even more special because they were treats scattered throughout the holidays rather than an every day thing.

This. Take a picnic and it's a cheap day out (if you have membership).

We would have a trip into town at the start of the holidays and choose a big scrap book. Then we saved everything from whatever we got up to (tickets, leaflets, leaves, bits of grass, shells etc) and at the end of each day would glue them in and I would assist in the writing of a short paragraph (sometimes dictated, sometimes child would write it) saying what we had done. I still have the scrapbooks now - it's lovely to look back on them.

Oh God I have 4 and I'm dreading it
They don't play together, they fight and whinge that they are being followed 🤣
Taking them out is a military operation (I don't drive)
And they hate walking for xyz reasons
So trying to catch a bus to go anywhere is usually started by 40 minutes of pure whinging (times this by four children and my head is fried before we've even left the house)
They have loads of toys but everything ends up broken and wrecked so easily

I don't try to entertain them every minute of every day, that helps! At 6 he should be able to play independently for a bit? I find creativity often comes out of "boredom".

Not sure how you feel about this but sometimes churches run play schemes for a reasonable cost during school holidays on our area; is there anything like that where you live? Even a morning or two would help.

Some free/ cheap things my kids liked:
Large pavement chalks (used on patio)
Painting the garden fence (with water and old house paint brushes/ rollers)
Writing letters to grandparents. When tiny these were drawings. And walking to post office to post them
Pressing flowers between heavy books from walks and then making cards.
Library and library challenge
Helping with all the chores, cleaning, shopping, laundry etc
Parks, esp with scooters and a picnic
Our local very small town museum had free or cheap activity mornings
Some TV
Swimming
Any craft stuff
Our church did the odd morning of kids stuff

We also did the odd expensive day
Train to London
Cinema
Soft play/ trampoline park
Farm type places
The zoo

A lot of cities are doing trails of things to find. Bristol has Wallace and Gromit this year. Depends where you live.
But if you can afford a tenner there are downloadable quiz type trails from Treasure Trails for a huge number of towns and cities i did one of my local town with mine at that age and learnt stuff I didn't know about where I lived! But we have also done loads of others and taken bus or train rides.

I would pay for one thing, like swimming, up front, and go a lot. One year I took my kids almost every day with a membership. The other days we went to the library. A wonder around town, maybe a bus ride. Nothing expensive. Between that, the odd playdate, walks in the woods, local parks, out on a bike. I find the time fills up really quickly. You don't have to do a different thing every day.

At least it's only 7 weeks and not 9 like here in Ireland!! I think 6 weeks is more than enough. It's far too long. I find as the weeks go on it gets more enjoyable, the first few weeks are the hardest- getting into a routine. After that you get used to the laid back days , doing things at your leisure. I would plan to do something 3/4 days per week and take it easy the remaining days.

OP

When I was teaching (teenagers) I used to get things from Baker Ross. They have some free crafts too

www.bakerross.co.uk/

If you live near some national trust places I’d consider getting a membership. It’s really cheap and some absolutely great places to visit with lots going on over the summer holidays

Given the number of replies, I can't be certain whether someone else has mentioned this already, but just in case you don't know: there is a nationwide Summer Reading Challenge for children in every public library every year during the summer holidays. This year, it's called "Story Garden".

The aim is to read, or have read to you if you cannot yet read, six books over the summer (any sort of book, whether fiction, non-fiction, audiobook, e-book, e-audiobook, graphic novel, library book or your own book). For each book read, the child gets a sticker; for six stickers, the child gets a medal and certificate.

And, in a twist this year, stickers can be earned by the child doing a reading-related activity (e.g. making a piece of artwork inspired by their book or attending a library event) as well as by reading a book.

By the way (for other parents reading this) there are no upper or lower age limits. Even babies can be read to, and secondary school pupils can participate if they wish to, though most joiners are primary age.

Have fun!

I always used to envy those who had two or more children close in age. One doesn’t have the same guilt telling them to amuse themselves.

I agree with a PP. If I had my time again, I’d do some work in the holidays… a page of maths/some handwriting practice and reading. I think you’d probably both enjoy this if you didn’t make it too long.

And play dates are your friend here.

https://www.summercampsinla.com/post/creative-summer-camp-themes-that-will-keep-kids-excited-and-engaged

In case anyone is looking for ideas for ‘themes’. Lol… some of these look harder than others.

Op you don't need to prep him busy have some planned stuff and then let him be! Potter around, think, and get a bit bored.

Think like a teacher and ‘lesson plan’. Be as structured or loose with this as you want. I’m really not suggesting a full timetable or anything but something you can grasp on to for ideas. Each week come up with a theme and try to come up with related activities to the theme. Notice that most of these things won’t take the full day but it’s enough to keep things interesting while also keeping time open for him to keep himself occupied.

Example :

Outer space
M- go to the library and get books about outer space
T- make something https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/menu/solar-system/
W- watch a sci fi movie
TH- visit a planetarium (yeah have no idea if you have one near you)
F- make ‘moon cheese’ ketokookin.com/recipe/cheese-pops/
S- stay up late and look for constellations

The next week may be ‘camping’ or something with a library trip for camping books, learning knots, making s’mores, telling ghost stories, etc.

Look for events that may be happening throughout the summer and build theme weeks around those events or just put them in the calendar so you don’t forget about them.

While you’re at it come up with a list of filler activities- park, pool, bike riding, play dates, whatever. Plug the list into something like this… https://spinthewheel.app/wheel-of-fun so you can be told what to do when you get stuck 😁

I totally understand where you are coming from, I used to dread the long summer holidays when my DC’s were young.
I didn’t drive then so couldn’t go very far.
For several years we couldn’t afford a holiday away so there wasn’t even that to break the weeks up.
A lot of good ideas from other posters.
oh, and when mine were young it was long before iPads and computer games so didn’t even have that to help!!

I agree,it's not good for children to be played with and entertained every minute of the day. So something in the morning - park, swimming, visiting family or friends , play date and then he can watch telly and play at home by himself.

I don't get the whole holidays off but I pre plan everything. I find it easier to manage what we are doing and not miss anything or do the same thing too many times. It also means we spend less money over all as everything is budgeted for including the small ice creams here and there/lunch out etc.
I split time between big days out (only one or two a summer), days at home and simpler activities (free or low cost). Try not to put two the same days next to each other otherwise DS gets bored quickly.
Look at local council activities or local area activities. Even some of our local pubs are doing activity days for children.
Facebook what is going on locally - events or local town notice board groups are good.
Look at local country parks and play areas.
Kidspass or VIP days out do offers for 1 month for £1 I think. You can get discounts off alot of places to make days out cheaper.

Example - my full week off this year is:
Mon - Home day - Screen time (more than normal) plus garden time (pool if the weather is nice etc). Football. We might bake as its also my birthday later in the week.
Tues - Seeing a friend not at school together. Will cycle to see them.
Wed - Big day out (Harry Potter Studios this year - I budgeted and saved over the year for this one). Picnic lunch.
Thurs - Council run free sport session and maybe swimming at the local leisure centre.
Fri - Seeing family friends who also have children. Lower cost day out at a local farm (cheap entry). Picnic lunch. We usually go to a country park on the way home too.

I do also have a day off the first week which is purely a do nothing day. Stay at home. Watch a bit of TV and potter. DS usually helps with whatever I am doing or just goes and plays by himself. Sometimes has a nap.

Send him to beavers. We would run day events in the summer and often they’re either free (you just provide a packed lunch) or a couple of quid for a bus etc.

Check out pawprint badges
Pick out something that he enjoys. Download the PDF and order the badge if you think he'll want it. I usually do one or two per holiday. We are a scouting/guiding family though so quite like earning badges for our blankets.
I also have a National Trust membership. Mine is around £13 a month but for an adult and child it's less. Entry fee is usually around £14 an adult do I easily make it back if I do several during each school holiday. We rarely do the houses and just enjoy the grounds and the activities they put on in the holidays.
I also do something that the kids ask for each holiday- we call it park crawl. We pick three locally and go to them (we are rural so have to use the car), take lunch and snacks and be out most of the day. There is a playground app that you can download which is good for finding the obscure ones on new housing estates.

Parks, parks and more parks! I looked after children for years and they loved simple things like eating lunch at the park and going for an ice cream. It doesn’t have to be spending money all the time - I used to take them to the river to paddle and collect stones. We’d take them home and paint them. Let him paint in the garden - you can hang his works of art on the line to dry - no mess in the house.

Go to the library for books and read with him. You don’t get these years back - enjoy them without spending a fortune.

And for your own sanity meet up with other parents - they’ll appreciate adult company just as much as you while the kids play.