How Do I Keep My Kids Entertained During The Summer Holidays?

I’m currently a teacher so I fondly look forward to the school summer holidays as they are definitely needed. Now that my daughter attends school too, we don’t have as much time together in term time as we used to when she only went to nursery part-time. This means that the summer is such a wonderful time of siblings together all the time again (her younger sister will love this!) and the time to do activities which we’ve just not had time nor energy to do in term-time.

What is a Summer Bucket List?

A summer bucket list is a list of ideas for activities over the summer. It’s a list of activities that the kids want to do and it helps focus the mind to plan everything into your summer with them. It gives each day a meaning so you don’t just fall into the habit of staying at home every day and not spending the days to the best of your abilities.

How To Create A Summer Bucket List

Get your family together and take ideas and jot them down on a big sheet of paper. Do this well in advance of summer so if you need to book anything, you can start looking for deals. Discuss whether all their ideas are actually realistic. Then, take any suitable ideas and split them into categories based on price and activity type (e.g. all food activities together and day trips together). Split the activities list over the number of weeks you have of summer and create a plan like that. Some ideas may be used in multiple weeks whereas some will only be a one off. If there are any days out that need booking in advance, do that now so that they don’t get sold out.

Last summer, I created theme weeks for us and grouped activities like that. For each week, we had a food activity, an outdoor activity, a trip somewhere, a craft activity and any other activities which fitted the theme. My then-4-year-old daughter loved this and would ask when each week was coming?

How Can I Help With Your Summer Bucket List?

I have compiled a list of activities for kids of different ages during the summer holidays.

First off is toddlers and preschoolers, then 5-9 year olds and then 10 years+.

Obviously everyone has different budgets and interests so some may be more appropriate to your family than other ideas so simply pick and choose suitable activities.

Top Tips For Saving Money Over The Summer

Do not compare your summer to anyone else’s. Some families have grandparents who help with childcare some have to put their kids in summer school, some parents are on parental leave or maternity/paternity leave, some parents do it all themselves, some parents have lots of money, some don’t. There is no point in comparing your family’s situation as you will just make yourself unhappy.

Take a packed lunch and flask of drink with you whenever you go out. There is no need to buy anything from cafes. Buy multipack snacks, pack fruit, buy own brand crisps, a sandwich and a bottle of squash. AS an adult, put your hot drink in a flash and have that instead of the expensive coffees that you find out and about.

Some areas have, in the past, given out free lunches for children during the holidays so keep an eye out and check whether you are eligible.

If it’s not in your budget, don’t let the kids have ice creams from the ice cream van every time you’re out. Buy a carton of ice cream, some flakes, sauce, cones and sprinkles from the supermarket and tell them to wait until you’re home.

You don’t have to do everything in the summer. Save some activities for the cooler months when prices may be lower or other deals may be on.

Tell your kids before you go out that you won’t be buying anything from the shop.

If you have space in your car, take another family with you to share petrol and parking costs.

Follow local attractions on Facebook or Instagram and keep an eye out for special offers.

Enter competitions for local attractions to win a day out for free.

If you don’t drive, have a look in your local area for any public transport offers that may be on for the summer.

Don’t go over budget. There is no need to do an expensive activity each week just because apparently everyone else is. If you can’t afford it, don’t go into debt for this. Your kids will be fine.

Share childcare with other parents. Take turns to have the kids on days off and save childcare costs.

Summer Holiday Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers

Make and decorate biscuits. Depending on budget and time, you could bake or buy biscuits and then decorate them with icing made from a mixture of sifted icing sugar and cold water. Add food colouring, if desired, and sprinkles.
Go out for a picnic. It could be in your own back garden or at the local park. Pack a picnic blanket, flasks of cold drinks, a packed lunch and some outdoor toys and off you go. Plan to meet up with friends to make it even more fun.
Visit your local library on a weekly basis to make use of borrowing free books and getting your child into reading as a past-time. Libraries near us have held Summer Reading Challenges for the past few years too so see whether there’s something like that on near you. It may be for older children but you could adapt it for your own child and see whether the library would accept your entry as usually they give out prizes at the end of the summer. Have a look here at our favourite summer reading books for toddlers and preschoolers.
Make your own playdough. – By making your own playdough, you can choose the desired colour and scent. Then use the playdough to practise rolling and cutting and stamping out shapes.
Blow bubbles. Bubble wands are so much fun! My two-year-old and five-year-old love them and it makes such a difference when they can run around with them and you don’t need to worry about them spilling the mixture! A top tip for bubble wands at home is to tape them to a pole in your garden or the side of a gazebo so that the child can go back for top-ups and can do this independently as we all know toddlers want that independence! Blowing bubbles will help with their speech too as the process of blowing uses certain muscles in their face which then help with speech.
Go on a Balance Bike – Go to your local park or just in the back garden and get riding.
Painting – Get an apron, a mat for the floor and table and let them have a paint.
Themed Food Nights – Let them help make some food for a themed night.
Dressing Up – Provide a selection of dressing up clothes. Who are they going to be today?
Set Up an Ice Cream Play Tray – provide either real cones or plastic cones, ice cream scoops and shaving foam and bits of coloured paper cut up to be sprinkles. Just remind them that it’s not to be eaten!
Create a mud kitchen – Use old saucepans, bowls and utensils outside. Find leaves, sticks, stones, grass and anything else suitable for kids to play with outside and provide a source of water such as a jug of water. Let the kids have fun making potions or foods and making mess and memories.
Visit a farm or safari park – If you have one local to you, consider a trip to see the aniamls.
Water Table Play – If you have a specific water table or a play tray on a stand, fill it with water and add some plastic animals, some cups and tubs, spoons and ladles and let them have a go at splashing and pouring and scooping.
Painting with water – Give the kids a bucket of water and a thick paintbrush and let them “paint” the garden.
Playing doctors – Imaginary play is greta for little ones. Who will they bandage next?
Chalk drawing on the floor outside – Have you go a patio or some concrete outside that the kids could draw on with chalk?
Colouring – Get a colouring book of their favourite character.
Stickers – Great for fine motor skills.
Drawing – Get some pens or crayons out and get drawing.
Indoor play kitchen – What “food” can they make for you? Maybe set up a play cafe too.
Colour sorting – this could be with pom poms which can be found in the craft section of shops like Poundland, The Works or The Range.
Go and watch the trains or planes – If you live near a railway bridge or station or near an airport, make a day of it and go and watch. Have a guess where the people are going to.
Go to the beach – obviously only if you live near one! We don’t, but sometimes places will create an inland beach for you to visit.
Sensory bins – Place coloured rice in a shallow box. Put different toys in there for your little one to play with. Give them scoops and pots to play with too.

For more ideas for a toddler summer bucket list, read my blog post here.

Summer Holiday Activities for 5-9 Year Olds

Make a cake day – Design, buy and make a cake all in one day.
Mini spa day – Find recipes for home-made creams, get some cucumber slices, add warm water to flannels, get the nail varnish out and enjoy a relaxing afternoon.
Movie/Cinema day – Pick a film and have a day based around that film.
Junk modelling – Get your recycling, use masking tape, newspaper, glue and paint to make a creation.
Picnic at the park or in the garden – Pack a blanket, a packed lunch and some drinks and head off with some outdoor games for an afternoon of fun.
Games night with family – Pick your favourite family games and play with family and friends. Put on some food, play cards and have fun.
Visit the library – If you haven’t already, get yourself a free membership to your local library and make use of their facilities. Ours lets the kids borrow 20 books at a time with no late fees.
Write and perform a play/puppet show – Write a play, make or find some puppets and put on a show for family.
Go on public transport – Take a ride on a bus or tram and experience something different if this isn’t your usual mode of transport.
Blow bubbles – Get a bubble wand and a large bottle of bubble mixture. Refill your wand from there so there’s no need for multiple wands.
Go out on bikes or scooters – Have a day in the fresh air, maybe somewhere new. Don’t froget your helmets for children and adults.
Have a crafternoon (craft afternoon) – Ask the kids what craft they’d like to learn and buy a set from The Works or Hobbycraft. Help them master this new craft.
Painting – Provide watercolours or acrylic paints, a canvas and paintbrushes. Take inspiration from an artist or from a photo or from something in front of them and watch them create a masterpiece.
Themed food night – Pick a theme – be it a country or a film or a colour. Get the kids to help you make the food for it.
Go bowling – sometimes there are special offers for morning bowling so have a look what deals your local bowling alley has.
Tie dye – Buy a kit from Amazon and some plain t-shirts and just have a go.
Pound shop challenge – Set a budget and a task – it could be to buy snacks for a party or a present for a family member. Your child has free reign in buying whatever they like within that budget.
Arrange playdates with their classmates
Go swimming
Play with water – this can be having a water fight in the garden on a hot day or splashing in a paddling pool with bath toys in the garden.
Go litter picking in your local area
Dressing up
Go fruit picking – Find local farms which allow fruit picking or towards the end of summer, find a local park with blackberry bushes and pick for free.
Go to a summer festival
Make smile stones – Smile stones are stones which make people smile. Find or purchase some stones as big as the palm of your hand and get the kids to paint them. Write a positive quote on or just leave it as a picture. Seal with a sealing spray and take them out on your trips and leave them in random places for others to find. It might be worth writing on them that the next person re-hides and then the stone will bring joy to multiple people.
Lego – complete a kit or free play their won designs.
Have a campfire and roast marshmallows or make s’mores.

Summer Holiday Activities for 10 Year Olds+

Make a cake day – Design, buy ingredients, bake and decorate a cake.
Mini spa day – Research home-made creams, make cucumber slices and get some warm flannels and nail varnish and have a pamper day.
Movie/cinema day – Pick a film, set the lounge up with comfy blankets and
Junk modelling – Design something to make from recycling, make it and paint it.
Picnic in the park or garden – Plan, buy, make and pack a picnic for the family.
Money making project – Give your child £10 and make it their mission to make more money from that without asking other people to help them
Visit the library – Make sure you’re a member of the library ad join in any reading challenges they run over the summer.
Do a summer project on something that interests them – Take photos, do research, create a project in any form to present to the family at the end of the summer.
Have a crafternoon (craft afternoon) – Get the kids to pick a craft that interests them and buy a kit from Hobbycraft or similar and make an afternoon of it.
Go on public transport – If you don’t usually travel on public transport, challenge yourself to go on as many different types of transport as possible.
Go out on bikes – Go from your front door or why not try a bike trail at a country park?
Painting – Provide a canvas and paints and leave them to it.
Themed food nights – Pick a country or another theme and plan, buy and make foods along that theme.
Go bowling
Tie dye – Buy a kit off Amazon or similar and some plain t-shirts and see what beatiful patterns you can make.
Learn a new board game – Search games suitable for your age – either traditional games or a newer one and make an afternoon of learning it.
Go on Duolingo every single day – Duolingo is a free language learning app. It’s easy to download to a phone or tablet. Challenge them and get them to keep a tally of how many days they can go on there over the summer. They choose the language as it’s got to be something they want to do.
Go climbing/tree top walking – Places like Go Ape or Bear Grylls offer tree top climbing with zip wires or why not try a local climbing centre for some climbing and abseiling.
Go canoeing – If there’s a river near you, see whether there is an outdoor activity centre which runs sessions for beginners.
Make a movie themselves – write it, plan it, make props. It could be live-action or a stop-motion film using an app.
Make friendship bracelets – Get some coloured thread from a craft shop and some free freindship bracelet patterns off the internet and make a little gift for friends.
Arrange a meet up with friends
Go swimming
Do some gardening – Choose some new plants for the garden and prepare and look after an area of the garden to take care of these new plants in.
Go litter picking in your local area – Find out whether your local council will provide litter picking equipment (ours did!) and go out for an hour or so either down the road or to a local green space and litter pick. It’s so nice when passers-by thank you and you can often chat to several people this way.
Learn to sew by hand or by machine
Make your own bread
Carry out a science experiment – Go on Pinterest and find an experiment that is easy to do at home.
Write a letter to a penpal in a different country
Make your own ice cream
Paint with watercolours and salt
Camp out – Either in the back garden or go camping for the weekend –
Create a Powerpoint of your summer activities so far using amazing fonts and animations –
Hand the budget over – Give your child a budget for the week and a list of tasks/activities that must be done within that budget. They are not allowed to stay at home the whole week!
Visit a trampoline park
Go to a science or history museum
Plan a BBQ and invite friends round – if you haven’t got a barbecue, you can buy the disposable ones and pop them on some bricks in the garden and host your own BBQ.
Fly a kite – pick a windy day and find a large open green space to have a go at kite flying.
Go to a summer festival
Go to a theme park
Be a tourist in your own city – Take a camera or smart phone and take the most artistic photos of where you live. Ask an adult to post on Tripadvisor or Google and write reviews of the places you visited.
Have a 24 hour digital detox – No phones, internet, game stations, computers, tablets allowed.
Do a Random Act of Kindness – Make someone else’s day by doing something kind for them. Maybe hand out flowers or write a card to someone, send a little gift in the post to someone else or make a cup of tea for someone. There are lots of ideas to be found with a little thought and research.
Play Adventure/Crazy Golf
Watch the sunset – Find somewhere picturesque to watch the sun go down.
Create your own magazine with features on family members, interests and a crossword or puzzle page.
Go to an observatory and learn about the stars –
Go bird watching – get a bird book from the library and some binoculars and go out to a local nature reserve to see what you can spot.
Go to a funfair
Have a campfire – roast marshmallows or make s’mores.