Summer Holiday Activities For The Whole Family

The summer holidays present ample opportunities to spend quality time together as a family. Instead of using this time to laze around, there are lots of affordable and family-friendly activities you can incorporate into your school holiday routine. The task of creating a list of activities that don’t break the bank can feel like a chore. Not sure where to begin? Take a look at our list of 16 summer holiday activities for the whole family.

Go on a picnic

Involve the children in making delicious picnic snacks and taking them to the bottom of the garden for lunch. If you’re up for venturing further afield, try a different park than the one you usually visit. Expert tip: remember to pack a ball or frisbee, sunblock and a blanket to sit on.

Enjoy water activities

Kids are always happy to splash around in the water, whether it’s a swimming pool, the sea, a lake or even the garden sprinkler! For added fun, include floating toys, water balloons or water pistols. If that’s outside your budget, why not make paper boats instead and have a race with them?

Visit your local library

Allow the kids to choose age-appropriate books that appeal to them, then make time to read together. Most libraries will also have DVDs and audiobooks, and special readings of popular children’s books.

Explore nature

This could include planting flowers in the garden, collecting rocks to paint, making a bug hotel, climbing trees or planning a nature trail or scavenger hunt. Suggesting a ‘walk’ isn’t the best way to keep younger children excited and enthusiastic about the activity.

Get crafty

Doing arts and crafts together is a fun way for the kids to get their creative juices flowing. Depending on their age and what art supplies you have available, you could use things you’d usually throw away, like egg boxes or toilet roll holders, to make new toys.

Board game tournament

Playing board games together as a family is a great way to keep the kids entertained! Choose games everybody can play and turn the fun into a tournament. You could draw up a tournament sheet and hang it on the wall to keep track of weekly games and who’s winning!

Watch movies

It’s the summer holidays, but you won’t want to spend every waking moment outdoors. When it gets too hot, take the kids out to the cinema. And if that’s outside your budget, choose a Netflix favourite, make some popcorn and have a movie day at home.

Camp in the garden

Pitch a tent and spend the night in the garden. If your children are too young, you could bring them in right before it’s time to sleep or join them. To add to the fun, get some glow sticks or toast marshmallows by the fire.

Visit the local farm

Go to your nearest farm and pick strawberries or other seasonal fruit and vegetables together. Once you’re home, you can enjoy a bowl of fruit or make a salad with vegetables.

Have a treasure hunt

Create a list of objects (sticks, leaves, flowers, etc.) which you can write out or present in picture form, depending on the age of your children. Alternatively, arrange a treasure hunt with directional clues. Another option is to theme your treasure hunt around different colour items or objects beginning with certain letters.

Visit the beach

If you live near a beach, plan a day out! Build sandcastles, swim in the sea, throw a frisbee and play pirates. If the beach is too far away, why not build a seaside diorama instead? Grab a large tray and fill it with sand and water to make a mini-beach.

Get sporty

There are lots of sports activities you and your kids could enjoy out in the garden or local park: Make obstacle courses, do hopscotch, skipping, hula hooping or kick (or throw) a ball.

Make colourful pizza

Who doesn’t love pizza? Chop up a selection of colourful vegetables and let your children create their own pizzas. Then enjoy them at the dinner table.

Learn something new

The summer holidays are the perfect time to learn something new! Whether that’s learning to swim, ride a bicycle, rollerblade, skateboard, write, draw, or cook. Other exciting things to learn include learning a new language or food recipe.

Take time to rest

No matter what you choose to do during the school holiday, make sure you’re carving out time to rest. Read together, watch a movie or cuddle up and enjoy quality time together.

Make a photo diary

This is the last item on our list because, no matter which activities you choose to do during your summer holiday, you’ll want to remember them. A photo diary, whether printed or digital, is a special way to keep track of all the fun activities you and the family have done together.

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