The school holidays are just a few weeks away and there’s one important question on all us parents/nannies mind’s. How on earth do we keep the little ones entertained during their school break, that won’t cost an arm and a leg?

So, we at Great British Nannies wanted to share some of the tricks that we have up our sleeves for you…

Life hacks for school holiday activities…

A trip to the farm

Kids love animals so why not let them get their hands dirty at the farm? Perhaps you can arrange with the farmer some activities to get them involved in, such as milking the cows or grooming the horses. The kids will love it and won’t stop talking about it for days.

Write a story 

Create a holiday timeline for with them. Let them write all the activities that they take part in during the week. It’s fun and a great way to get them to practice their writing skills. Ipad time? What Ipad time?

Visit a Museum

Ever noticed how much kids love to ask questions? Ha, of course you have, Why? Why? Why? Give your little bundles of joy a little trip to a museum or exhibition for the day. That way they get to learn some fun and new facts, and you secretly get to visit a museum you’ve always been meaning to go to, but tended to prioritise other things.

Paint

Kids love colours and mess so why not let them paint until their little hearts are content. A great way in the summer (weather permitting of course) is to set them up in the garden, I mean what does it matter if you end up with rainbow finished lawn at the end of the day? The kids will have had fun!

Take them to an indoor playground/jungle 

We all love those play centers where we can have a little gossip while our little ones release their energy and have fun with other children in their age group. Plus, it gives us a nice excuse to snack on a few goodies, so disappointed that such places are yet to jump on the health bandwagon.

I need a h-h-h-holiday!

Cake day, bake day make a milkshake day!

Your children can have all the fun helping you (aka doing all the hard work) mix everything while you deal with the hot side of baking – safe guarding first! Or if that seems a bit too much like ‘hot and bothered’ in the summer heat the milkshake/smoothie options are endless. We love to decorate our glasses too, extra tasty and extra fun! I’ll have a banana, chocolate peanut butter please!

Movie day!

Why not make a day of it? Take your little ones to see a nice film at the cinema and ask them about their favourite parts along with discussing yours, once you’re back home and you’ve had a chance to have a nice cup of tea, how about reenacting your favourite scenes and filming them on your phone for giggles! Fun for all the family!

Camping out in the garden

A fun and inexpensive way to go camping. Let the kids build a camp, or put up an existing tent if you have one. They’ll enjoy building it and they can take their toys in and invite their friends over for a day of fun. You can be their waiter and take their lunch to them and let them order, set them up with a little bell or a walkie talky and let the fun and games begin. It will certainly keep you on your feet but it will feel like a day out for your kiddies. And, if they tidy up nicely they might get a little treat, perhaps in the form of ice cream!

Water Park

How about a fun day at the water park? This is always a winner with the kids and admit it, you love it too! Why not take a few friends with you, so you can take it in turns to climb the mountain stairs when the older legs get a little tired. I don’t know about you, I’m into fitness but the way the kids can speed around those water parks is unbelievable!

Interior design

Why not let them have a go at re-designing their room, you don’t have to go out and spend lots of money, how about re-arrange some of the things already in there or buy some arts and crafts goodies and let them decorate a lampshade or make their own pillow, low cost and lots of fun!

Sports day in the garden

This one is so easy to arrange and so much fun! Boil the eggs, fill some bags with beans and get the slippery slide out! The kids can make their own medals from cardboard and ribbon and they’ll love the three-legged race, who doesn’t?


We hope you enjoyed our Top 10 activities for Mums and Nannies alike! If you have any fun ideas for the summer get in touch we’d love to learn some more! Happy Holidays!