TOP 10 ACTIVITIES YOU CAN DO WITH YOUR KIDS THIS SUMMER
Although our lives seems to have come to a pause since the Government advice to stay home whenever possible, what persists is the ever-changing passing of seasons. It’s true that British Summer is rare and capricious but since lockdown started, Mother Nature has showered us with sunny days - perfect for spending some time in the fresh air with your kids, in your back garden or a local park!
As schools won’t reopen until September, you still have a couple of months of quality time to spend with your children. Need some inspiration for keeping them entertained? As expert fun-makers, this is the Big Smoke’s top 10 activities to do with the kids!
Star Gazing– Did you know? Since quarantine air pollution has dropped drastically, which also means we have clearer night skies and you will be able to spot stars and constellation from your garden! Make a scavenger map of the sky with the NASA star finder! Download the current month’s star finder, print it, cut it, and then follow the directions to make it into a cootie catcher.(link to instructions) Pick a number, then follow the directions that will lead you to a constellation in the sky.
Movie night in the secret fort - Nothing beats memories of building forts with our parents and siblings. Drape old sheets over trees (if you have a garden) or in your children’s room, stock up on snacks, fairy lights and choose a movie that will please the whole family. Get comfy on the cushions and enjoy an evening spent in relax immersed in nature and family love
The Stuck At Home Scavenger Hunt- No garden? No problem. We have an apartment friendly Scavenger Hunt that is free to download and will keep your kids busy for hours! In the PDF you will find 12 challenges made of riddles, quizzes and photos & videos to action - the key word is creativity! Over the past few months we had lots of children, adults and families alike trying our Scavenger Hunt and we had lots of fun looking over the content we’ve been sent!
4.Host a brunch picnic - Sundays are made for brunching in the garden, terrace or kitchen table! Kids love getting their hands sticky with delicious foods so make sure you involve them in them in the baking process. On BBC goodfood you can find over 60 yummy recipes to make your brunch party a success! Healthy, filling and eye-pleasing food that will please not only the youngsters, but also the parents. Bon Appetit!
5. Go on a bike ride - Whether you live in the countryside or in the city, there’s tonnes of things to see on a bike adventure around your area or to a local park - the good thing is that as traffic is reduced at the moment, you’ll spend less time dodging cars. It’s still the road though, so this is a great opportinuty to teach your kids the Green Cross Code! So grab an helmet and jump in the saddle! Is a great family activity and way to enjoy the outdoors and get some endorphins pumping!
6. Play Firefly tag – During my childhood in Italy, one of my favourite childhood memories is playing this game at night with my brother and mother. Choose one person to start as the firefly “catcher.” Everyone else gets a flashlight and hides. The hiding fireflies must flash their light once every 30 seconds. The catcher tries to find all the fireflies. The last person tagged is the next catcher - A nice evening game to get tire everyone out and get ready for bed time, all you need is a bit of space in the garden and a couple of torches!
7. Play Giant Board Games- Bored of table games? Go big this Summer and set up some giant board games in the garden or park. On Amazon you can find affordable giant sized board games like chess, jenga, connect four and noughts and crosses. They are a party game-changer and will keep you all entertained and have you howling with laughter for hours! Build memories (and jenga towers) with friends and family and let your competitive side shine!
8. Light acampfire - Looking for more ideas to get cosy in the evening? By now we’ve all run out of things to watch on Netflix and our eyes (and backs) are imploring us to take a break from the screens! As we might not be able to go camping this year, why not light a little temporary BBQ in the garden and roast some marshmallows? If the real thing is a no go for you, then wrap some fairy lights around some logs and roast the sweets on a grill - this way you’ll achieve the same enchanted atmosphere without bothering the neighbors. Get some campfire scary stories ready and you’re good to go!
9. Have a dress-up tea party - We’ve been living in joggers, pajamas and hoodies this past couple of months, and although we love being comfortable we still miss the feeling of being dressed for an occasion. There’s nothing kids love more then playing dress up so have a wander around the wardrobes and get tea-party ready! If you can’t make it to a tea shop you can bake some scones together and host it in the garden or terrace.
10. Take part in a Remote Scavenger Hunt- Are you bored of lockdown? Are you itching to get back outside into the summer sun? Our Summer Scavenger Hunt is the ideal experience to get you enjoying the outdoors in a safe way. It is made of 30 fun-filled challenges where in teams you’ll have to take pictures, action videos and solve riddles in just two ours! Our bespoke race against the clock can be played from anywhere in the world which means that your children can still play against their friends whilst being remote!