To be dreading the summer holidays

I used to spend entire summers at the local library. There will be lots of free activities for you, go to your nearest childrens centre, community centre, library etc.

Just seen Cornwall, sorry

I think at this age 2 children who happily entertain each other are much easier than 1. Suggest offering to host lots of playdates or even all day. Could look at reciprocal where you take their child/children for a day and they return the favour so you get a day 'off'.

Don't worry too much about screen time, potentially create a wish list together, would he like to learn a new skill e.g. baking, or could you get him involved in making dinner/snacks; write a list of all the local/less local, free, cheap, indoor and outdoor things you could do. Could you emulate a forest school type thing once a week etc? But also have lazy days with movies and popcorn and 'too much' screentime.

Rough geographical area please, we'll make suggestions

I get it OP, it's hard with just one. All very well saying leave them to entertain themselves, but that's a lot easier when you've two or more. You said he gets bored easily - what would HE choose to do? Does he have any particular interests you could join in with and encourage?

Great time to learn how to relax at home

As much as it’s good for children to entertain themselves twelve hours is a long time.

There is nothing wrong with breaking the day up by leaving the house and I hate it when people make out you’re doing something wrong or bad or over indulgent by going swimming or to the park for a while!

Plan a day out each week - beach, swimming somewhere different, country walk, steam train
Involve him - ask him what he'd like to do
National trust properties
Library
Swimming
Bus ride somewhere
Train ride somewhere
Play dates
Visit relatives
Museums
Castle
Holiday club a few times to allow you to work
Cheap cinema morning
Films, lego, paddling pool
Tent in the garden
Bike rides
Lunch out even if it's just McDonalds
Lots of walking so it takes a while to get places - avoid using the car
Nature spotting walks - we did birds & night time walks

Honestly for us, we don’t keep them entertained everyday. I let them be bored sometimes, it doesn’t kill them.

Also, pool pool pool. For my kids, they love the pool! Paddling pool, the sea, local swimming pool, sometimes I take them to a different pool that has a slide or something. Pool with Nan, pool with uncles and cousins, I get them to the pool or a body of water as much as possible as it’s the best way to tire them out.

As for parks, I sometimes drive to different parks. If I see a good one on the way somewhere I’ll make a note of it and try and fit it in to our plans. There’s one really good park (the kind of park that makes you wish you were a kid level of good) about 30 mins from us so sometimes I take them there as a day out and bring food and games ect.

Which part of Cornwall are you (without being too outing)? Was just thinking that if you guys are into beaches, some are busier than others.
Was also going to mention the National Trust - I pay just over £8 a month for an adult & up to 2 under 17s ( I think!) Might be under 18s! If your DS isn’t into the houses etc, there are some lovely gardens & play areas.
Boat trip?
Have a carboot or tabletop sale & let your DS have the money if he sells stuff he doesn’t want (within reason obviously!)
Themed picnics - is your DS into anything in particular?
Disposable BBQs are cheap
Denbuilding
Camp in the back garden
Big cleaning session of all his toys, including his bike. Fun & practical!

Church holiday club was always really cheap but dc loved it. Even sports activity weeks are pretty cheap compared to nursery/childcare costs. Get out the house every day and google activities.

i also found that bringing out a box of toys didn’t work but setting up the trains the night before, they’d walking in and get stuck in playing for a good amount of time.

Start planning now.

Last year I printed out a summer calendar on big A3 sheets and drew some stickers for things we did a lot like bus to different town, library, park, swim etc. Stuck one thing on every day and mixed that up with free local activities or planned days out a couple times a week. Got them to help
so they’re invested in it. At least I never woke up in the morning dreading what to do.

Fill up the craft cupboard with easy stuff you can grab and isn’t too messy for those hours before/after going out. And a bit of set telly time daily to give you a breather.

Just let him play at home with his toys / in the garden every afternoon... No need to organise and entertain.

We visit at least 3 different libraries a week. Summer Reading Challenge including audio books. Museum once a week. Picnic dinners at the park. Always invite other children as the more there are, the less they want an adult. Movie night with popcorn. We have a dog so walking can take up a far proportion of the day if we choose.

If I was you I would use the holidays as a chance for your child to learn how to entertain themselves at home. Films, colouring, crafts, Lego, dolls, cars, trains etc essentially all the toys I bet they have they need to play with. Paddling pool in the garden, water pistols, football etc.
I have 1 week off with my child in the summer hols and I will plan 1 maybe 2 activities, rest of the time we will be at home, with trip to the park or trip out on bike or scooter to the shops

Join local Fb pages for ideas on what to do & where to go. The local libraries often have free play sessions with arts & crafts etc

It’s because children are supposed to be playing with other children. It’s quite normal for an adult to find it tiring (and boring!) to play constantly with a child, even their own! They need their peers

I know you say your work is flexible so you can work after your child has gone to bed. But I would suggest scheduling in maybe a day or 2 a week where you do actually work in the day and he has to entertain himself to a degree, if possible.

Keeping himself occupied is a useful skill to learn and you need some down time too so you’ll get a couple of evenings back.

If you are in receipt of benefits and/or your DS qualifies for free school meals, Google and check if your local authority runs a HAF (Holiday Activity and Food) programme as this provides a free programme of multiple activities plus lunch every day for eligible children. My friend runs the programme in a nearby area and she says there are always dozens of unfilled places every Summer as parents do not know about it. There is often some flexibility even if you don’t fully qualify.

Completely understand the struggle to keep a 6 yo occupied. DS is 10 now and thankfully we’ve always been able to send him to football camp and usually book a holiday for a week or two. It’s still a struggle to fill the time.

Jigsaws
Board games
Gymnastics (hurdling piled cushions in the lounge/on the lawn)
Cricket with a plastic set
Water fights
Nature rambles
Building Brio train tracks
Cooking for budding newbies
Using paint brushes and water to produce art works on the patio
Crafting with A…n boxes
Zooming off to the shops on his scooter as you cycle alongside
A bus ride (which can be unusual for his age)
Blackberry picking

See what council run/free stuff might be on. Also just reach out to some of the mums to see who might be up fkr a meet up out somewhere. And ask who he might want to have over to play. Don’t be shy about it. 2 children can sometimes be less work than one if they play well together

Our local council put on loads of free or very cheap sessions nearly every day. Granted they are spread across the whole city and vary from a session at a library to arts / crafts to a fun fair.

Have you checked what’s on in the local area..I never knew about all our sessions till a friend mentioned them. It could be worth ringing your local children’s centre to ask

Children don’t need entertaining every minute of the day. They should be able to amuse themselves. Do kids not play out anymore.