What are we going to do with the children?

Believe it or not, the school summer holidays are upon us at the end of July. Finding new ideas to keep the children entertained can be a challenge, especially after having them at home so often over the last year. Thinking ahead, doing a bit of research and creating a plan or timetable of activities to keep the kids occupied can help to take some of the stress out of this time. Read on for fun ideas you could try and enjoy a stress-free summer holiday with the family.

Get outdoors We’ve all experienced the blessing that is the great outdoors during the lockdown, and with the weather looking good, getting out and about over the summer is a no brainer.

• Make packed lunches and take the kids on a nature hike. There are activity sheets you can download online to help get the kids hunting. • Create a treasure hunt in the garden or check out geocaching.com – both fun activities for zero cost. • Get in touch with your local Friends of Park group and take part in a community litter pick. • Get together with friends and organise a mini sports day followed by a group picnic.

Get crafty For those days when the weather isn’t too great, it’s good to have some ideas of activities you can do indoors. • If you’re planning a mini sports day, get the kids making medals, score sheets, and maybe some bunting out of leftover fabric. • Kids often have their own unique sense of style so customising their old clothes can be a fun way to let their creativity loose. This can be enjoyable for kids of all ages – and adults too! Search for upcycling tips online. • Get the kids making temporary tattoos out of paper, perfume and water – you’ll find loads of tutorial videos on YouTube to show you how.

Get adventuring With many places reopening with limited numbers, it pays to plan a trip in advance. Theme parks and zoos can be an expensive day out for a family, but there are ways to cut some of the costs.

• Travel by train. Check out daysoutguide.co.uk/uk-days-out for various deals. • Look out for discount vouchers on products in the supermarket. • Bring the zoo to you with Chester Zoo’s official YouTube channel. Create that fun adventure vibe by setting up a blanket in the living room and having a picnic lunch.

Whatever you do, remember to take the sun cream (and the raincoats – after all, we are in England!) Christians Against Poverty (CAP) is a UK charity with over 580 services across the country delivering debt counselling, money management education, job clubs, life skills groups and more. Visit capuk.org to find out more.