What to do in summer holidays with preschooler

[CurlyCabbage]

LO is starting school in September. I didnt realise nursery and most activity classes dont really run in the Summer once schools break up.

What kind of things do people do with their kids over the Summer holidays aside from an actual holiday? I think there will be nearly 8 weeks of nothing organised. Childcare not an issue really as ive luckily arranged work duties and annual leave to be free most of the summer.

I dont have much of a village around me and no mummy friends. No NCT or baby groups were running when LO was born in covid.

Meet up and go out with nursery friends to playgrounds.

Thing is once they are in school you probably do that sometimes with school friends when the weather is warm and not raining.

If your kid can't ride a bike then spend the summer - an hour or so per day - teaching them.

Meet up with new school friends.

Parks
museums
Swimming
Library - often have events

Cooking, baking, painting, colouring, Lego, water play, sand play, jigsaws.
Read every day.
Can you advertise on FB for other mums in the same position?

It will be a long August, to be sure!

There does tend to be quite a lot on, there should be various events promoted if you look at social media. We have park visits planned of course and swimming, role play cafes, soft play when the weather is bad, lots of playing in the garden …

Post on your local FB group asking about groups that run through the holidays – most of the church-run ones near us are still on (and they’re not usually religion-led, just a nice place for a chat and a cuppa while the kids play and do crafts).

Otherwise a lot of picnics and beach days! They’re better if you can meet up with friends, does you LO have nursery friends you can try to meet? Catch the parents if possible before the end of term to swap numbers.

Are there any school meet ups prior to school starting? If dc could spend some time with those who will be in his class that would be helpful.
I work 2days per week in the hols so not exactly the same, but my ds starts school this sept and dd already there. We will have a rough routine for the three days at home, usually straight out after breakfast to a playground or nature reserve, play and walk, home for reading/ drawing/ playing and lunch (too ££ to eat out all the time), afternoon playdate or short outing eg bus trip to cafe, library, we have membership of a nearby garden (would love to have a zoo or pool with membership nearby or a beach but c’est la vie). Then 4:30 tv while I have a bit of peace. If rainy something like board games, craft etc. I also try to focus on life skills like basic cooking skills, table manners, making beds etc as well while we have time. Is there somewhere you can join and go regularly? Or a relative you can visit every Thursday etc? I find a bit of routine and structure and we all enjoy it a lot more - good luck!

Post on your local fb group to ask if other nursery parents want to meet up. Or other parents if new school starters.

Check your local library they often run activities through out the school holidays
My daughter started school in September and a mum organised a WhatsApp group and we had a couple of park trips before they started school.
Get the train or bus to places it turns the journey into an adventure too. We went to a museum into the city this week and it involved an hour break in the train station and my daughter had a great time people watching and having a wander around the station. We were out of the house from 9 until 4 with 11-2 in the museum including lunch. It would have been a 45m stressful drive and a pain parking if we had gone by car.

Mine is going to some day camps that accept from 3 or just turned 4. A few days with her childminder. Trips to the park, out scooting, biking, farm park, sculpture trails round cities, paddling pool, swimming, visit family.

Go to the beach
Out on his bike
Trips to the library and cafes
Swimming
Picnics
Visiting friends and family
Trips to farm parks etc.

The new school will be hosting some play sessions in the next month so i suppose its a good opportunity to make some plams with people.

Thank you all. Great ideas from everyone. It will be a long Summer. I just hope we have enough sunny days to get out and do things as there only so much crafting you can do!

We went exploring all over London - all the museums and parks, splash areas, free festivals and family events, giant soft plays, pools, play cafes, city farms, libraries, trampoline parks. No shortage of things to do really, and we were out from 9am every day.
Quite a few of the regular activities ran over the summer, including children's centres.
Day trips like seaside and theme parks we mostly did at weekends, as DH liked to have a family day out plus it was just easier having 2 adults on longer trips.