40 Summer Holiday Activities for Kids

Fill a bucket, pair up, step back after each catch. Endless.

Cones, chairs, hula hoops — run through the sprinkler between each.

One feather, one round stone, one yellow flower, one heart-shaped leaf.

Freeze small toys in a big block of ice. Give them warm water + spoons.

Whole driveway. One theme (undersea, jungle, space).

Blanket, sandwiches cut into shapes, juice in a teapot.

Bikes, scooters, doll prams. Buckets, sponges, hose. Hours.

Magnifying glass, notebook. Draw every bug they find.

Blend berries + yogurt, pour into moulds. Ready by teatime.

Two chairs, one sheet, all the cushions, a torch, a stack of books.

Dim the curtains, pop popcorn, one film they've been asking for.

Scoops, sprinkles, small bowls. They 'run' the shop for the family.

Our Tiny Wonders printables + iced squash + a fan on. Instant calm.

Pop the tent up indoors. Sleeping bags, torches, biscuits.

Let them pick a recipe from a book. They do as much as they can.

One big puzzle on the kitchen table, left out for the whole day.

Old socks, buttons, glue. Perform one show after dinner.

Every empty box from the recycling. Tape, paint, one hour.

Sign up for the summer reading scheme. Free, and it's brilliant.

Bucket, spade, snacks, one big towel. No agenda.

Aim for somewhere with a slice of cake at the end.

One you've never been to. Take a picnic.

Most are free. Pick one exhibit and really look at it.

Strawberries or raspberries. Eat more than you bring home.

1 cup salt, 1 cup flour, ½ cup water. Bake, paint, keep forever.

Pick flowers, press in a heavy book for 3 days, glue to card.

Smooth stones, acrylic paint. Give each pebble a name.

2 cups flour, 1 cup salt, 2 tbsp oil, 1 cup water, food colouring.

Draw pictures on paper-cube nets. Roll, tell a story from the faces.

Empty Amazon box + windows cut out + a cushion. Cat optional.

Fold A4 into 6 squares. One story, six frames.

Beanbag, fan, snack, three books. One hour, no interruptions.

One postcard, one drawing, one line. Post it that afternoon.

One page a day: weather, one plant, one bird, one drawing.

Any story, any building. They'll sit there for ages.

Ten minutes of cosmic-kids-style stretches. Great before dinner.