School’s out? How to entertain kids in the summer holidays with ease

6 ideas to prepare your home & garden before the end of term

The long school summer holiday is just around the corner and if you have children - or grandchildren - to entertain, now is the time to start preparing your property and garden with maximum stimulation in mind. Here are 6 ideas to get you started, suggested by Grosvenor’s estate agents and letting agents in Surrey.

Set up a bird feeding station - it may take birds a week or so to discover a new source of food, so set up a bird table or some hanging feeders now in time for the height of summer. Children will love watching the birds flock to your garden. Why not borrow a bird-spotting book from the library so you can identify the different species?

Prepare a ‘rainy day’ craft kit - sadly we can’t always bank on British summers but the disappointment of wet weather can quickly be dispelled with a box arty tricks. Rather than use items you already have, fill a box with brand new things your children have never seen before to capture their interest.

Add a fire pit - adopt some boy scout spirit and add a fire pit to your garden. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can build your own or simply buy a ready-made metal one from a garden centre. Pull up a chair for stories around the campfire and some marshmallow toasting.

Plan for some cake baking - ensuring you have store cupboard full of ingredients and the right equipment will make sure any impromptu cake-making requests are fulfilled. Kids love to go crazy with decorations, so stock up on sprinkles, icing and food colouring.

Get den ready - younger children love building indoor dens, so stockpile blankets and be ready with chairs and clothes horses so everyone can have fun creating a hide-away at home. Don’t forget, dens make great places to have an indoor picnic when the weather isn’t so great.

Create an activity timetable - “I’m bored” and “What are we doing today?” are two phrases no adult wants to hear repeatedly during the holidays. Brainstorm as a family ahead of the six weeks so you have a bank of ideas, activities and days out that can go on a wall-mounted timetable.

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