Beating the boredom over the long summer can be a challenge for some parents. I promise you are not alone! The lure of unlimited screen time can easily lead to weeks of lethargy and inactivity for a lot of kids. It’s understandable, parents need to work and get things done and the kids may be wiped out after a hard school year.

If like us, you home educate and don’t especially observe term times, it can still be tricky to get through the summer. Many home ed activities do take a break until September, and the higher crowds at parks, museums, the beach and so on, can sometimes result in home educators feeling trapped at home in order to avoid those crowds. I jokingly refer to school holidays as hibernation time for our family! After all, why brave the crowds on a Saturday in August when we can go any other time and enjoy a bit more peace and space?

If you’re stuck for ideas on how to keep the kids entertained at home this summer, these are my top suggestions.

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1. The Water Blob!

Seriously, this is so cool! On a hot day, getting outside and making the most of the rare British sunshine is a must. The water blob is basically thick plastic, sealed at the edges and filled with water. This outdoor water bed-come-trampoline-come-slip-and-slide is fun for the whole family.

The above video shows exactly how to make it, including adding food colouring to make it bright. You can also put these battery powered LED lights or outdoor rope lights underneath to light it up at night!

2. Spray Painting

Not the graffiti kind. Take a water gun, fill it with watercolour paint, or water mixed with food colouring. Pin up some sheets of paper and let the kids go wild! It’s a chance to coax them into being creative when they might not otherwise want to be. I first came across the idea on Fireflies and Mudpies.

3. Pavement Chalk Art

In a similar vein to the spray painting, chalk gets kids outside and expressing their artistic side, all while playing and having fun. I remember countless days playing hopscotch and drawing on the paving in mine and my friends’ gardens. Let your kids’ imaginations run free with this open invitation to create and play.

4. DIY Sprinkler System

Fantastic Fun and Learning has this terrific list of home made sprinklers, from simple to elaborate. You can turn your garden into a full on water park if you’re feeling ambitious and crafty! That should keep the kids entertained for a whole afternoon. But if quick and simple is the order of the day, then try this water bottle sprinkler idea by Housing A Forest. Take an empty plastic bottle, pierce holes in it, tape a hose to the neck and turn on the tap! You can as easily use a skewer rather than a drill to make the holes.

5. Writing or Journalling

If the weather isn’t so great, or if it’s too hot to be outside for long, then having a few indoor activities to fall back on is a good idea. Summer is a great time to get kids journalling. Invite them to write a little about their day, their hopes and dreams or try their hand at creative writing. This epic list of summer writing prompts is sure to keep them busy.

Your child could also try scrapbooking and save their favourite memories from the summer along with doodles, notes, photos and stickers.

The options are endless, but hopefully, these ideas have given you somewhere to start. Check out my Pinterest boards for more ideas!