10 Fun Summer Activities for Kids
Summer is here! Bolster Community’s Family Support Team have come up with 15 fun, cheap & cheerful ways to keep the kids entertained at home this Summer!
1. Bubbles
Everybody loves bubbles! They provide endless fun indoors or outdoors, are so easy to clean and are guaranteed to have your little one running around for hours on end trying to pop them. Tired kids= happy parents! You can find bubbles for around £1 from bargain stores & some corner shops. Bolster’s Bubble Party was a big hit!
Catr
iona’s Top Tip: Save your bottles and wands! It’s super easy to make more bubble solution- all you need is dish soap and water. Shake it together and you’re good to go. The kids will enjoy the endless fun, and simply recycle the plastic your blue bin when the part’s over!
2. Snakes and Ladders Activity Game
If you’re looking for a no-screens, offline activity, this one’s great. Like Zak, kids can write their own questions and have freedom to design their own board game. This game is great for bringing the whole family together & allowing children to express themselves!
What you’ll need: A4 sheet of paper, a pen, 2 (or more) counters, a dice
3. Fruit Salad With Joey
Watch Joey and his Mum Jena’s tutorial on how to make the perfect healthy summer snack: fruit salad! Have you had your 5 a day today?
You’ll need: your favourite fruit, a chopping board, a knife, a big bowl, a spoon
4. Arts & Crafts
One of our go-to activities at BEST Club (especially when the rainy weather means it’s best to stay indoors! )- arts & crafts can be anything you want it to be! Collect old magazines and newspapers throughout the year and let the kids design their own mood board. Paper and colouring-in pencils or crayons are a must- with other items like craft paper, card, colouring-in pages and scissors , kids can create anything, like these crowns fit for a princess, or moulding shapes from play dough. Some benefits of arts & crafts include stress relief, confidence boosts and expressing yourself. Get involved!
5. Make Your Own Lava Lamp!
Be a scientist for the day and experiment with effervescence (fizzing!) Watch water and oil react with each other and don’t mix! Your child will be fascinated watching the ‘lava’ rise, and this fun activity can double as a science lesson.
What you’ll need: a chopping board, glass jug, food colouring, some water, some oil, an Alka-Seltzer tablet
6. Obstacle Courses
This one is great if you have a bit of a garden at home. There’s a lot that can be done even with a small patch of grass! Speed is essential, so to avoid any falls it’s better to play on the grass. Check out this obstacle course designed by the kids at Narrow Water Equestrian Centre as part of last year’s Summer Scheme.
You will need: a timer (or a phone with a timer), any objects that can be used as obstacles on the course- we like to use cones, a hula hoop, a bucket with water
7.Teddy Bear’s Picnic
Inviting all teddy bears! Bolster Buddies Ivy, Renee and Joey’s Mum lovingly made some sandwiches and apples for a healthy snack, and some juice to wash it down. A perfect way to enjoy lunch on a sunny day!
What you’ll need: a picnic blanket, your favourite snacks, teddy bears
8. D.I.Y Bird Feeders
Feed the birds! This activity encourages your child to be kind and think of other living beings, which is a huge part of our Friends Resilience Programmes. Zak shows us how he makes his very own bird feeder with a few simple ingredients.
You will need: an empty cardboard toilet roll holder, peanut butter, a spoon, bird feed, a piece of string, a plate
9.Draw Your Feelings
Another perfect rainy- day activity. It’s always a good idea to check in with your child and have a conversation about feelings and emotions while encouraging artistic expression. Have a look at these super drawings from the kids in our Friends For Life Programme.
10. Moon Sand
What you’ll need: Flour, Oil, Food Colouring, A Bucket
Gemma says: ‘This is a great sensory activity for kids. They’re able to explore their senses, it supports children’s development of fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination and promotes creativity and their imagination as well.’