This summer seems to be flying past so quickly and there are just a few short weeks left before schools start up again and our own little “big girl” starts at playgroup for 5 mornings a week. I can’t believe she is already old enough to be eligible for her 15 hours a week of pre-school!
We have been having lots of fun both indoors and out. Our budget for the summer is fairly low so we’ve been trying to get as much fun as we can for not a lot of cold hard cash! With two weeks still to go to pack in the fun, here our favourite activities for low-cost summer fun:
Outings to the park / local woods
When it’s just me looking after them, we head to our local park loaded up with drinks & snacks, to play in the sun. A cheap pot of bubbles to chase and pop (frequently refilled using washing up liquid), a ball to run around after, and the kids are amused for ages. They love the slide, the swings, and the roundabout too.
If it is the weekend and the weather is good, we take them to different parks further afield with large play areas, or to the Lickey Hills country park which has lots of woods to explore.
Crafting & baking
Georgie is old enough now to do some basic craft activities and so we have been doing a few easy childrens kits that I picked up for £1 each in one of the local shops. We did have a decent stash of craft materials but unfortunately they were destroyed in the house move (something leaked!) and so we need to start building up a collection again. In the meantime, crayons, felt tips, colouring books & craft kits have been keeping the girls amused. Lydia loves to scribble away but cannot be trusted with felt tips so it’s not always a relaxing activity for me!
Baking is another of our regular activities that we really enjoy doing together. Savoury snacks can be as fun to make as sweet ones; I’m hoping to make some cheese straws with them next week – James’s favourite, yum… and one I’m sure the children will enjoy too.
Garden fun
We have spent a LOT of time in the garden this summer. With a new trampoline and the ball pit that we’ve had for a few years but haven’t had out since before the move, the girls are drawn outside to play. I have been slathering them up with factor 50 but even so we have all spent so much time outdoors that we all have tanned and Lydia’s hair is bleached even blonder.
Our slide was super cheap in the end of summer sale last year, and we have had loads of fun pouring water down as they slide down. The turtle sandpit we bought cheap at Asda last year has been used as a paddling pool this year, as our garden isn’t huge and it only takes a small amount of space. It’s big enough for Georgie to do lots of splashing though, so she is happy enough with it.
Chilling out
In the afternoons, exhausted from a morning of play, Lydia goes down in her cot for a nap and Georgie “rests” indoors. This usually involves quite a few cuddles, either on the sofa or in Mummy’s bed. A snack & drink to hand, and quiet amusements with educational apps and games on the iPad and a stack of books to read together. I love these few hours of peace and quiet, and sometimes even manage to get some work done while Georgie plays quietly.
Well, that’s how I intend to spend the next few weeks… chilling out & enjoying playtime with the kids. We were send some BN biscuits to try out and enjoyed them at home and at the park as snacks. We tried the chocolate and the raspberry flavours and although we all liked both the raspberry ones were the clear favourites! I will definitely be buying them again when I fancy a treat for both the kids and the adults.
This post is an entry for 42 Days of Summer Linky Challenge sponsored by McVitie’s BN. Learn more at http://bit.ly/1mRpMCL.
Great ideas! Forests and baking are two of our favourites too x
Good old-fashioned tips that really work. Love the photos. Commenting for myself @kateonthinice and on behalf of BritMums and thanking you for taking part.