BONUS CONTENT

Designate Daily Outdoor Time: Make nature your playground.

  • Remove Screens from Bedrooms: Create a tech-free sanctuary.
  • Cultivate Creativity: Dive into arts and crafts, storytelling, and imaginative play.
  • Focus on Developmentally Rich Activities: Encourage playing outside, physical activity, unstructured play, and time with friends.
  • Encourage Independent Play: Let kids solve their own boredom and discover their creative passions.
  • Tech -Free Meals: Make all family meals screen-free zones to encourage conversation and bonding.

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What to do when they say “I’m BORED!” – let the BORED JAR do the talking!

Find a lovely jam jar and decorate it with glitter and other crafty things and then get your kids to write on some slips of paper lots of fun, simple, inexpensive ideas for things to do to pop into the jar.

So, when they moan. ‘I’m bored’ they can pick out something from their jar and voila – they have something to do, make or play.

You can include – building a den, going to the library, playing badminton in the garden, go mini beast hunting, painting a rainbow, planting potatoes in the garden, jumping on the trampoline, going for a bike ride, having a picnic in the park, baking biscuits, playing with Lego, reading a book, climbing a tree, making up a puppet play, making an obstacle course, feeding the ducks, to walking the dog.

You get the idea!

https://sueatkinsparentingcoach.com/2023/09/what-to-do-when-they-say-im-bored-let-the-bored-jar-do-the-talking/

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Are You Dreading The Summer Holidays?

I always remind the families that I work with that the Summer is a wonderful time to build memories with your children that will last a lifetime.

I have some wonderful memories of going with my Mum and Dad to Camber Sands and rolling down the hill, getting sand in our sandwiches and splashing in the sea with my Dad.

It’s all about YOUR attitude and mindset and with a little bit of planning what a wonderful time you’ll all have together.

You don’t have to be a Butlin’s Red Coat – constantly on the go – plan some simple but fun things throughout each week and have some stay at home down days that balance your week out.

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Making The Most of The Kids Holidays

The school holidays are upon us, and I hope you’ve had your Butlin’s Red Coat dry cleaned and aired for the next few weeks of entertainment! The school break is a time for relaxation, recovery and re -cooperating energy but it can also feel like a burden of responsibility and an expensive nightmare if you don’t get clear about how you’d like to spend the next couple of weeks with your children. If you think of school holidays as a trial to be endured then they will indeed feel like an ordeal because you get what you focus on, but if you take just a little bit of time and make just a little change in perspective you’ll enjoy them far more.

The school holidays are a lovely opportunity to build memories that will last a lifetime with your kids so think what you’d like them to be saying 10 years from now and how you’d like this time to be remembered.

Keep the fun simple – play cricket in the garden, make your own ice lollies and spend just a half an hour with your kids and watch all your relationships flourish.

Here are some practical tips to keep you positive, upbeat and raring to go!

Be creative. Think of some fun activities that are cheap and easy to do at home. Bake a cake, teach your 15 year old to cook spaghetti bolognaise so they will never go hungry, have picnic under a tree in your garden, ride a bike together, walk the dog, look for fairies under stones or try a new game (see the end of this article for ideas).

Set a personal goal. Perhaps your child would like to swim a width, run in a local charity fun run, help do the local shopping or get the paper for an elderly neighbour or make a collage out of their holiday snaps, or work at the local hospital radio for experience? Just let your child‘s imagination daydream for a few moments and see what they come up with – it will keep them motivated and busy. Perhaps you could do the same!

Delegate. Get the kids involved in jobs around the house as it teaches them responsibility- so get your 15 year old cutting the grass or your 8 year old laying the table or your toddler putting away their own toys.

Be playful and lighten up! Enjoy this special time with your kids and bounce on the trampoline or the bouncy castle, paint a rainbow or watch “Shrek” again and become more childlike in your approach to life. It will put a spring your step and you’ll laugh and giggle more which is really good for you!

Get outside more. Read in the spring sunshine, let the kids play with leaves and mud and water, paint water pictures with paintbrushes and water so the pictures dry up quickly with no mess, get a sandpit, let them water the plants with watering cans, make perfume from rose petals, grow sunflowers from seed, get them practising their golf by putting into a hoop or just have friends over to make up games with.

Chill out. Be more flexible in their routines and their getting up or going to bed times, be watchful but more flexible in the TV time or computer time. Have the odd treat to eat.

It’s a time of replenishing, breaking the rules and having more fun so relax, chill out and enjoy it!!

Here are a few ideas of games to play:

Digging for Treasure – Your kids can pan for silver and gold right in their own back garden with this summertime sandbox activity.

What you need: 20 or so small rocks + 1 teaspoon each of silver and gold acrylic paint + Waxed paper

Time needed: Under 1 Hour

To set it up, first place 20 or so small rocks and 1 teaspoon of silver acrylic paint in a sealable container. Shake the container to coat the rocks, then set them on waxed paper to dry.

Next, rinse out the container, add another batch of rocks plus 1 teaspoon of gold acrylic paint, and repeat the process.

After the rocks have dried completely, bury them in your sandbox and send kids out with toy shovels and sifters to find the treasure.

Four Square Game for 9-12 year olds – A tap and a bounce keep you in this volley.

What you need: Pavement or driveway +  Chalk + Ball

Draw a 6- to 10-foot square on a paved surface, such as a driveway.

Divide the larger square into four smaller squares, number the squares 1 to 4, and have each child stand in a block.

The player in square 4 serves the ball by bouncing it in his square and tapping the ball into another square.

The player in that space must tap the ball (after one bounce) into another kid’s area, and so on, until someone misses the ball, lets the ball bounce twice, or sends it out of the grid.

The player who misses the ball steps out and the remaining players rotate up through the numbered squares. If you are playing with more than four players, a new player enters the game at square 1.

The player who is out waits in line to re-enter the game once square 1 is open again.

Whoever is now in square 4 serves the ball to resume play.

Relax, tap into your child’s world and have fun !

It’s from this blog that needs reformatting! 

https://sueatkinsparentingcoach.com/2023/05/making-the-most-of-the-easter-holidays/

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How can I make the Summer Holidays fun, relaxed, interesting and happy – building childhood memories that last a lifetime?

Where can we go that’s interesting?

What can I teach the kids that’s inspiring – how to cook, how to bake, how to paint, how to garden, how to build?

How can I get the balance right between activities and restful times ?

Here’s some of my articles I wrote about things to do in the holidays to inspire you.

Let me know how you are getting on and how I can help.

https://sueatkinsparentingcoach.com/my-special-day-with-david-bellamy/

https://sueatkinsparentingcoach.com/looong-summer-hols/

https://sueatkinsparentingcoach.com/making-the-most-of-the-easter-holidays/

https://sueatkinsparentingcoach.com/holidaying-with-teens-10-things-you-can-do/

 

Here are some great sites for ideas, activities and things to do with your kids !

http://www.whatson4littleones.co.uk/

 

Bonus Content for a Screen-Free Summer

Maximise your family’s screen-free summer with these additional tips and ideas to keep everyone engaged, creative, and connected.

  1. Designate Daily Outdoor Time: Make Nature Your Playground

Explore the great outdoors and make it a part of your daily routine. Fresh air and physical activity are essential for overall well-being.

Bonus Ideas:

  • Nature Journals: Encourage kids to keep a journal where they draw or write about what they see in nature each day.
  • Geocaching: Try this modern-day treasure hunt using GPS to find hidden containers around your area.
  • Nature Crafts: Collect leaves, sticks, and rocks to create nature-inspired art projects.
  1. Remove Screens from Bedrooms: Create a Tech-Free Sanctuary

Transform bedrooms into restful, tech-free zones to improve sleep quality and encourage relaxation.

Bonus Ideas:

  • Bedtime Stories: Establish a nightly tradition of reading stories together.
  • Dream Journals: Encourage kids to write or draw their dreams each morning.
  • Soothing Sounds: Use a white noise machine or nature sounds to create a calming bedtime atmosphere.
  1. Cultivate Creativity: Dive into Arts and Crafts, Storytelling, and Imaginative Play

Encourage creative expression and imaginative play to foster artistic skills and innovative thinking.

Bonus Ideas:

  • DIY Craft Kits: Create homemade kits with all the supplies needed for various craft projects.
  • Storytelling Sessions: Take turns creating and telling stories as a family.
  • Themed Dress-Up Days: Have fun themed dress-up days where everyone creates costumes from items around the house.
  1. Focus on Developmentally Rich Activities: Encourage Playing Outside, Physical Activity, Unstructured Play, and Time with Friends

Engage your children in activities that support their development and social skills.

Bonus Ideas:

  • Outdoor Obstacle Course: Set up a fun and challenging obstacle course in your backyard.
  • Fitness Challenges: Create family fitness challenges like jumping jacks, running races, or yoga poses.
  • Playdates: Organise regular playdates with friends to encourage social interaction and cooperative play.
  1. Encourage Independent Play: Let Kids Solve Their Own Boredom and Discover Their Creative Passions

Support your children’s independence by providing opportunities for self-directed play.

Bonus Ideas:

  • Boredom Buster Jar: Fill a jar with ideas for independent play activities that kids can draw from when they need inspiration.
  • DIY Projects: Provide materials for do-it-yourself projects like building models, knitting, or simple woodworking.
  • Creative Stations: Set up different stations around the house with various activities such as a reading nook, art corner, and building area.
  1. Tech-Free Meals: Make All Family Meals Screen-Free Zones to Encourage Conversation and Bonding

Use mealtimes as an opportunity to strengthen family connections and enjoy each other’s company.

Bonus Ideas:

  • Family Recipe Book: Create a family recipe book where everyone contributes their favourite dishes.
  • Cultural Nights: Choose a different culture each week and prepare traditional meals together.
  • Conversation Cards: Use a deck of conversation cards with fun questions and prompts to spark interesting discussions during meals.

Additional Resources:

Summer Reading Lists: Curate age-appropriate reading lists for your children and plan regular library visits to keep them excited about reading.

Community Events: Check out local community calendars for family-friendly events such as farmers’ markets, outdoor concerts, and festivals.

Volunteer Opportunities: Look for ways to give back to your community as a family, whether through park clean-ups, food drives, or helping neighbors in need.

By incorporating these bonus ideas into your screen-free summer, you’ll create a richer, more engaging experience for your entire family. Embrace the opportunities to connect, learn, and grow together while enjoying the best that summer has to offer.

Bite-Sized Banter: 30 Fun Conversation Starters Instead of Screens

  1. If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?
  2. What’s the funniest thing that happened to you today?
  3. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and what would you do there?
  4. What’s your favourite book or film, and why do you like it so much?
  5. If you could invent something that would make life easier, what would it be?
  6. What is one new thing you learned recently that surprised you?
  7. If you could have dinner with any historical figure, who would it be and what would you talk about?
  8. What animal would you choose to be for a day and why?
  9. What’s your favourite family tradition and why is it special to you?
  10. If you could build a new amusement park ride, what would it be like?
  11. What is the silliest food you’ve ever tried, and did you like it?
  12. If you could switch places with anyone in our family for a day, who would it be and what would you do?
  13. What is the best thing about being your age right now?
  14. If you could rename the colours of the rainbow, what would you call them?
  15. What is your dream job and why does it appeal to you?
  16. If you could time travel, would you go to the past or the future? What would you want to see?
  17. What is the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?
  18. If you could create a new holiday, what would it be and how would we celebrate it?
  19. If you could only eat one type of food for a whole month, what would it be?
  20. What is something you’re really good at that you’re proud of?
  21. If you could have any fictional character as your best friend, who would it be and why?
  22. What would you do if you woke up one day with the ability to talk to animals?
  23. What is your favourite way to spend a rainy day?
  24. If you could create a new sport, what would it be like and what would you call it?
  25. What is something kind you did for someone recently, and how did it make you feel?
  26. If you had a magic paintbrush that could make anything you draw come to life, what would you draw first?
  27. What’s a place you’ve never been to but really want to visit, and why?
  28. If you could change one rule at school, what would it be and why?
  29. What’s the best dream you’ve ever had? Can you describe it?
  30. If you were in charge of planning a family day, what activities would we do?

PROMOTE MY BOOK FOR KIDS and use the extra images from Amazon 

Like to nurture and develop your kid’s confidence and self esteem this summer? 

The Can-Do Kid’s Journal: Discover Your Confidence Superpower!

This journal will help kids feel more confident, relaxed and happy in all aspects of their life. Adorned with fun illustrations, it is designed to develop a can-do attitude that encourages ‘having a go’, accepting that mistakes might be made along the way. From this, kids can develop the mindset to take the small steps needed to make big dreams come true.

Full of practical techniques and fun activities, from drawing and colouring, to thought-provoking questions, this journal from parenting expert Sue Atkins will empower children to build resilience and a growth mindset. It is the perfect tool to help kids find their superpowers and put small changes into practice that will make a big difference to their lives.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Can-Do-Kids-Journal-Confidence-Superpower/dp/1787752712