Being outside is great for kids’ health, development, and learning – plus it’s somewhere where they can be as noisy as they like! As I work from home most days, I swap the Office furniture for some garden furniture and turn the garden table into my desk. So when summer hits, get the kids soaking up that Vitamin D (with an eco-friendly sunscreen, of course) with these top tips for keeping your little ones entertained all day long.
- Paddling pool
Possibly the ultimate in summer entertainment, paddling pools are both cheap and worth their weight in gold. Splashing in the pool is fun for kids of all ages – add some toys for extra fun, or water guns for slightly older children.
- Sandpit
Kids love to make things with their hands, so why not give them a space to build whatever they like? Making sandcastles (or digging holes, or making a pile of sand) is great for building hand-eye coordination and motor skills for little ones, and can keep bigger kids entertained for hours. Sandpits don’t have to be expensive, and can easily be built DIY-style – or simply buy a bag of sand and put it in a washing-up tray.
- Gardening
While they’re in the garden, try putting them to work. Give them a flowerbed all of their own, or help them to plant crops which you can eat (radishes and carrots are a good bet). If their digging skills aren’t up to scratch yet, grow cress seeds. Either way, they’ll be learning about the natural world.
- Spot wildlife
No matter how small your garden is, there’s bound to be a wide variety of insects and birds that your child can spot. Get them to record what they can see by drawing pictures. You can track changes over time, or – if you have more than one child – make it into a competition. Who can spot the most?!
- Get artistic
Gardens are the perfect place to get messy. Let your child’s imagination run wild with paint, clay, or papier-mâché sculpture – no idea is too big. Use pavement chalk to draw giant pictures on the floor, or even on the walls of your house (it will hose off when you need to clean up).
- Go camping
Take a micro-holiday and go camping in your garden. If they’re old enough, your children can help to set up the tent, and kids of all ages love toasting marshmallows (if your garden isn’t big enough for a fire, you can use a candle) and staying awake as the night falls. Sing songs around a light (fire/candle/lantern), and spend a night under canvas.
- Blow bubbles
Either buy bubble liquid, or Google a recipe and make your own – try making giant bubbles! This will keep younger kids entertained for hours.
Just to mention, the gorgeous outfits that the boys are wearing are both from Lindex. A brilliant sustainability focused brand and the quality of the clothing is impeccable. It’s all unisex (so no boy or girl secion) and even if I’m biased, they look super cute!
