Summer activities

Park and garden summer activities 

Make sure you’ve got a few inexpensive outdoor toys etc up your sleeve. The big supermarkets stock a wide range of good value items. A few that are popular in this house:

• • Bubbles/bubble wands
  • Football
  • Badminton set
  • Skittles set
  • Quoits
  • Cricket set

National Trust membership

I bang on about this quite a lot. However, it is so cost-effective when compared to other days out. Whether heading for somewhere new or visiting an old favourite, my girls love it. There’s always a new trail or activity to do even for seasoned visitors and they put on a lot of summer activities.

National Trust ahoy!

Picnics

There’s something about a variety of cold picky foods eaten from the comfort of a picnic rug that seems to pique the appetite of the kids. They can’t eat enough and never get bored of them. Be warned though, picnics aren’t usually an easy meal option. I always find they can take a while to prepare. If I’m not driving I add in a bottle of Prosecco. Holidays are for mums and dads too Wisley Gardens are a favourite place of ours for picnics.

The Pub

Check out your local family-friendly pubs. It’s a win win really. Many have great outdoor stuff for the kids; one of my locals – The Woodman – has a massive sandpit and outdoor games. Others in the area have climbing frames etc. Here’s a great list for those living in Surrey.

Paddling pools and water features 

Lots of parks have paddling pools and water features. Check out your local ones as water is always a massive hit. We recently headed to Tooting Bec Lido in South West London and had a great time (children under five go free). Also pay a visit to the local duck pond; there’s usually a cafe nearby.

Hidden gems

Do a bit of research to see if there are any attractions/hidden gems near you. I recently discovered that we have beautiful lavender fields on our doorstep. We’ve now visited three times in the space of five weeks!

Dens and gazebos 

In the height of summer our garden is a suntrap all day long, which isn’t as good as it sounds. Last year, we were in desperate need of shade so I bought a £20 gazebo from Homebase along with a few cheapo cushions. Old toys get a new lease of life if played with underneath the gazebo and eating there sat on cushions on the floor is ‘like camping.’ Last year, the girls even enjoyed just relaxing under it with a drink (and they never relax). Alternatively, you can just make a den with sheets and table clothes.

H2O

From running in and out of a sprinkler and playing with water pistols to aqua tents, paddling pools and simply floating things in it and tipping it from one container to another, water never fails. Get them cleaning the car, watering the plants and generally cleaning stuff. If it involves using a hose they’ll be all over it. Try not to completely waste it though. One of my friends sings the praises of the Crazy Daisy. I’m yet to purchase one, but it’s a matter of time…

Outdoor messy play

• • • Footprint pictures with paint
    • Chalk pictures on the patio.
    • Sand play – Great fun and brilliant for aiding your toddler’s development. Make sure you invest in the slightly more expensive play sand. You can get 10kg for £3 at Sainsbury’s. It’s totally safe and doesn’t completely stain clothes (I’ve heard some horror stories about builders’ sand!).

Cooling off  

Invest in some ice-lolly moulds. They’re cheap as chips, toddlers, pre-schoolers and older children love making them and eating them, they’ll be a lot healthier than shop-bought ones (we do pure fruit juice watered down a little) and you’ll save an absolute fortune in the course of the summer!

Please share any of your summer activities below and don’t forget to check out Diary of 43 Days of School Holidays and my Summer Holiday Challenges for more inspiration.

The post Summer Activities for the Kids appeared first on The Parent Social.

Sand play is fantastic in aiding a toddler’s development and it’s such a fun activity to boot.

Outdoor play is a natural and fun way to keep busy and it helps in all aspects of a child’s growth and education. It is something that comes naturally to all children and they love it, so we need to keep encouraging it in as many ways as possible. A great way to do this is through sand play. It is a fun and unique activity that can be enjoyed by everyone… parents included! Amongst its many therapeutic benefits, sand play has a very beneficial influence on the coordinative, interactional and creative aspects of your child’s brain.

Sand play benefits coordination

Playing with sand develops and teaches bilateral and hand-eye coordination. These are the two critical coordination skills that you use every day; it’s something we learn in the first few years of our life. When your little one is first learning the ropes you will notice how clumsy they can be and how over time they learn, improving with every step.

So how can sand play help? When playing with sand, the basic activities usually revolve around creating. This can either be filling buckets and making castles or drawing and writing in the sand with sticks. Doing these activities will train and encourage the use of hand-eye coordination otherwise known as visual-motor integration. In the long run this helps your child to read and write, play sport and even tie their shoelaces.

Through grasping, moving, holding and lifting, and many other movements developed through sand play, you will begin to introduce hand-eye coordination at an early and vital age. But it doesn’t stop there! These activities also teach bilateral coordination. This is the ability to use both sides of your body symmetrically. When your child rolls a rolling pin over dough or lifts themselves up with both hands, they are using bilateral coordination; it is the skill of applying equal pressure and moving both arms and legs together. It is something that we take for granted but without it we would all be incredibly clumsy.

Why not introduce tools to your sand play sessions to help the development of these areas? By digging and lifting you will not only help aid coordination but help muscle growth and motor skills…and it’s also a lot of fun!

Encourage interaction through sand play

Interaction is another important aspect of our life. It not only helps us to communicate but also changes how we look at the world. For a child interaction is completely new, and as soon as they start to talk they start to learn rapidly.

There are different stages to a child’s interactional development: seeing, questioning, reflecting, doing and learning. It’s actually a process that we use in all areas of learning. I am sure you have all been bombarded with questions as your children start to look at the world around them, and it is because they are so analytical. They use this same process when learning to communicate and make judgements with and towards others.

Sand play is often not a solo activity. It can be enjoyed with parents, siblings and friends. Whether at the local playground or a play date at the beach, it is a great way to socialise and it teaches more than just interaction.

Sand play with other children teaches both cooperation and teamwork, usually when children play it is imaginative and based around role-playing. Sand offers a world of imagination for a child and through the use of jobs and goals they will learn basic skills that will prepare them for the future.

Artistic creation is everywhere!

Art is all around us, and children can see it. From the trees to the plants, there is a never-ending supply of artistic influence and opportunity for creation. It’s vital to encourage your child’s artistic skills and allow them to express themselves as much as possible.

There are many ways to do this, not just through play but in everything you do with your little ones. Sand is a great material to use with your art projects, you can add glue, food colouring or water and make structures and portraits. Why not add shells and other materials found at the beach to liven up your creations?

So is play important?

I would like to stress the importance of play in a child’s routine. Not sitting in front of the TV or playing games on a console but getting outside and being active. It means fresh air, nature and fun! There are many ways to do this and sand play is just one of the possibilities. If you would like more tips and ideas or have any questions about the benefits of sand play then feel free to leave a comment or email me on simon@gardengames.co.uk

Visit my sandpit website for more advice relating to sandpit safety and for help buying a sandpit for your garden.

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