Summer is here, which means it’ll soon be time for the kids school holidays and the visits that come with it. But the real question of the summer holidays is, what do you do with the grandkids when they’re over? Well, we scoured the internet in order to find some activities that will have both you and the grandkids entertained for hours at a time.
Hunt for treasure in an ice block
This activity requires a bit of prep, but is guaranteed to keep younger grandkids busy for at least an hour. Simply buy some toys from the pound shop – things like plastic dinosaurs, plastic dress up accessories and rubber balls work well – and freeze them into a block of ice. Then get your grand kids to chip away at the ice block with different tools.
Go pond swimming
Swimming is a lovely, healthy way for both you and the grandkids to exercise during the summer – as well as a refreshing way to cool down. If you’re looking for a nice new take on swimming though, to try and keep the grandkids interested, why not try pond swimming?
There are plenty of freshwater ponds, lakes and streams near you to go swimming in – all it takes is a bit of gumption! If you’re not sure what’s nearby, check out Wild Swimming, as they have a large list of places to swim.
Night time bowling
If the kids are awake after dark, why not try out night time bowling with them? All you need to do is put some glow sticks in bottles of water, and they can throw the ball and try to knock them over. The darkness makes it that little bit harder!
Treasure hunt
A treasure hunt can be a nice easy way to get the grandkids out in the garden, whilst you relax and watch from the sidelines if you need to. If you haven’t got a large garden to hide clues around, try and combination of indoor and outdoor locations. Alternatively, you could try a nearby park or an easy spring walk.
This activity can also be useful for those summer showers. If it’s raining, why not do an indoor treasure hunt? Simply print out some clues – you can find some great ones on Pinterest – and hide them around the house for the kids to find. You might need to implement a no running in the house rule though!
Backyard Water Park
Kids are endlessly amused at water parks, but they can often be expensive to get to, and incredibly noisy. Instead, why not create a stripped-down water park in your own back garden? Simply drill some holes in basic plastic tubing and assemble in any way that you like. Then just attach a hose and let the grandkids play. Don’t let them have all the fun though, get your bathing suit on and join in too!
Did you try out any of the activities on our list? Or are we missing a family favourite? Drop us a line on Twitter and let us know!