To ask what your summer holiday plans are

[NicolasFlamel]

particularly if you're at home with youngish children so I can steal your ideas!
I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed thinking about keeping them entertained and not having our daily routine of school runs and groups etc. My son starts reception in September and I want to have a really nice summer with him beforehand but I must say we're both creatures of habit what with his additional needs and my anxiety, we can struggle with no routine.
Will you have a daily routine or be quite chilled? Lots of outings or more home time?

SOS!

I'm trying to have something on the calendar for each day, but I hate to feel like I'm stuck at home without a plan.

I've also been looking for regular things to book in to keep mine from getting bored! signed my 2 (7 and 4) up for swimming crash courses in the local leisure centre. There is similar for gymnastics I think I'll book them in for later in the holidays, that and park/soft play (if raining) a couple of times a week with friends will hopefully keep us sane!

I've actually printed off a day by day calender (just a free one online) and myself and the 4yo are going to fill it up over the weekend.

Luckily we are quite central and have loads in walking distance so we are going to do library and picnic lunch one day, farm and park another day, splash park another day, feed the ducks at big duck pond another day, walk along the river another day etc....

Even just books / activities and lunch in the park kills a few hours.

We are also going to have craft afternoons / movie afternoons for when weather is crap.

We home ed so is life as usual here.

Beach, park, see friends, chill in garden, picnics, castles, farm parks, family, swimming, camping etc. Bike rides, sailing, film afternoons.

Nothing wrong with keeping a routine, do what works best for you!

I would have been bored out of my mind if I had spent all my holidays at home, so I am trying to take mine away as much as possible. Life is so much easier for the whole of us when we are not at home, maybe because they don't have time to get bored in a new place.
It doesn't mean it's the best way for everybody, there's countless threads from people hating going away with young kids.

My kids do need to run around and let off steam (or they drive me insane) so they need to be outside for a few hours everyday.

I would just look at everything that is available in your area, and make a rough schedule, weather dependent. For example, our local children center organise "fun days" 3 or 4 times in various local towns, libraries have crafts, local parks have splash parks...

We are fortunate that we are away for 2/6 weeks so that will help.

In between we will be doing swimming, library, park/walk with picnic, farm visit, seeing various relatives and generally relaxing.

My little boy starts school in sept aswell so am so looking forward to holidays he finished nursery today. Ive got a wall calander and made a plan. We live at the coast so have a few different beaches to go to and lighthouse which is good for rockpooling. We have planned a few days out to get the train and go out for full days. Our council does lots of activities they run some little sessions of dancing, artventures, messy play so we will go there. They also do activities at the parks like games on the green, picnic in park ect. Our children centre and libary run free things and we are planning to get the ferry across the water a few times for days out. Then going to some big parks further away. We are glamping for a few days aswell. Then museums have different activities on their so we have a few trips planned to visit . If you look on websites they will tell you the activities they have on. Hope that helps. Im planning on mostly taking picnics to keep costs down. Hope you have a brilliant summer holiday and fingers crossed the weather is decent for us all.

Thank you! I'm going to look for a planner online to print off, that's a great idea. We've signed up for a few things at our children's centre and their dad has a few odd days off so that will be nice. It just feels a bit daunting but I also really want to enjoy it! Last summer wasn't that great but my son has come on in leaps and bounds in terms of his meltdowns in unfamiliar places and things so we can do more now.

Ive found a planner really helpful as have got a idea for everyday. We are also having a few days at bigger parks a bit further away we get metro then spend the day at the park that gives us a bit of change from local park some near us have paddling pools/ splash parks. Always good for nice weather and free! Im sure you will have a brilliant time

My P is from another country so we will be spending at least 4 weeks there(he can work whilst we're there). Some days in the city but more on the islands. Various relations & their children will be around in the same area so the children will have others to play with.
It's all very chilled with swimming, sailing, walking, time on the beach, picnics and BBQs, everyone mucks in with food & childcare so P&I will get some time together.
We all love it and it does all our language skills so much good too. Just counted & this will be our 8th year doing this. We have a family holiday at Easter / half term.

Thats sounds lovley and relaxing stripey. What a nice way to spend the holidays

I'm in a similar situation, eldest starts school in September and I also have a newborn. I can't handle staying in all day with them as it goes so slowly!

My plan is to create a weekly routine based on what cheap/free local activities there are. And do one 'thing' outside the house each day, the rest of the time will probably be filled with craft, Lego, board games and too much TV. As much as possible I will walk to things and also stop off at the park, library, shops, that way a 1 hour activity will fill the entire morning.

So far I have Mondays- local walking group (free). Tuesdays- singalong session at soft play (£5). Wednesdays- baby group (free). Thursdays- DD1's swimming lesson (prepaid). I don't have a regular thing for Fridays so that will probably be the day I arrange to see friends and family, or do something completely different like a 'proper' day out.

As mentioned, the local children's centre, museums and libraries have special events on so I can either do both things one day or miss the 'regular' thing, but there's only about 4 events I'm planning to go to so it definitely helps to have a plan for the rest of the time!