Your child has waited for weeks for the summer holidays to begin, and now that they’ve arrived, they tell you they’re feeling bored. If you’re unable to take them on holiday or day trips, try this list of at-home ideas to keep them feeling motivated and happy during the long summer break.
Set a Reading Challenge
If you don’t have enough books at home, take your child to a public library and get them to choose a pile of exciting new titles. Set them a challenge to read a certain number of books each week, and think of a suitable reward when this number is reached. Perhaps you could take them to the cinema, or out for an ice cream as a treat. Not only will the reading challenge keep your child occupied through the summer, but it will also help develop their reading skills and ensure they’re ready for their new year group in September.
Explore Outdoors
You can buy a magnifying glass for just a few dollars on Amazon. Demonstrate how to use it (and give your kid a safety talk about magnifying glasses and the sun), and then set them free to explore in the garden or local park. Most children will be fascinated to study plants and bugs up close. You could even set them the challenge of writing a report for you, explaining all the things they’ve observed outside. If you ask for some detailed illustrations (and perhaps provide a lovely new set of coloring pencils), your kid will be occupied for hours. Children love sharing knowledge and telling adults about the new things they’ve learned, so writing a report is a great way for them to demonstrate their knowledge.
Learn About History
If there is a laptop or device in the house that they can use, set your child the challenge of learning about a new history topic. Whether it’s the Romans or the Vikings, many children love learning about the past. If you have a local museum, you could promise them a trip there once they’ve read up on their new subject. This will act as motivation and help them feel like an expert historian once they’re explaining everything you look at in the museum together.