The summer holidays are about
fresh air, travels and a break from school, but it’s also a perfect time to spend
quality time and make memories with your kids with fun, educational and mindful
activities.

Three educational activities for children
at home:

1.
Shopping Spree

Equipment cost: £1.50 +

Equipment required: Paper, Pen/pencil, Money, Treats

According to a recent study, almost
a third of UK adults (31%) say they wish they had learned more about managing
their money in school, so why not help educate your little ones on the topic at
home this summer, by creating a “fake”shop. Turn a section of a room into a
makeshift shop using items you know they would love such as their favourite
toys and snacks, and give them some money to play with. This money could be
real or fake, it is entirely your choice! Price all the items up so it
encourages the child to engage in simple maths and work out if they do or do
not have enough money for certain items.

Giving yourself a really cheap
shopping experience, with a lot of the equipment prices being your choice, it
could cost as little as £1.50.

2.
Word Snap

Equipment cost: £2.25
+

Equipment required: Paper, Pen/pencil, Coloured Pencils

Everyone loves a game of ‘snap’, so why not make
your own version to help improve memory and vocabulary? Choose a mixture of
words depending on the child’s age and vocabulary range and write the words
onto DIY cards. Once all the cards are ready, lie each card face down and get
the children to pick a card. Encourage each child to read the word from their
card out loud and then choose another — if the two cards do not match, put both
cards back down again and try until all pairs have been found!

3.
Treasure Hunt

Equipment
cost: £1.50 +

Equipment
required: Paper, Pen/pencil

To help improve map-reading and
navigation skills, why not hold a treasure hunt in your home or garden? Create
a map of your garden or home showing different area points they can find clues
which will eventually lead them to the treasure. This activity is highly
stimulating as it will improve communication, teamwork skills and encourage
‘out the box’ thinking. It will also result in a sense of achievement so don’t
forget X marks the spot!

This fun activity could take some time depending
on age and ability but it will only cost £1.50.

Three mindfulness activities for children at home:

Understanding a child’s
emotions and needs is crucial as learning can often be overwhelming for kids.
It has been found that anxiety disorders are estimated to affect five-19% of all
children and adolescents with around two-five% of these children being younger
than 12 years old.

The ability to be mindful is
excellent for lowering tension and can enhance future learning. There are a variety of calming
activities that children can engage in to reduce stress and anxiety levels.

1.
Nature Art

Equipment cost: £1.85 +

Equipment required: Paper, Glue

Studies have shown
that a significant 92% of UK school pupils say they enjoyed lessons taught
outdoors more, with 90% sharing that they were left feeling happier and
healthier. With this in mind, why not help to relax your child’s mind by taking
them outdoors into the fresh air for a lesson.

We all know how curious kids can be so combining
the outdoors with crafts and making nature art is a great way to stimulate the
brain. Let them explore and gather a variety of different materials such as
leaves, grass, rocks, sticks, etc that can be found outdoors and create a piece
of art or self-portrait. It keeps them busy from any worries whilst feeding
their curious nature.

2.
Five Senses Challenge

Equipment cost: £1.50 +

Equipment required: Paper, Pen/pencil

This tends to be a common method to help relieve
someone from anxious thoughts, and is perfect for practising with children as
they can also put their senses to the test. Take your child for a walk and ask
them to hone in on their own senses by observing their surroundings. Get them
to record what they see, hear, taste, smell and touch by either writing or
drawing them. This allows them to explore how their body functions in a fun and
educational way.

3. Cloud
Catching

Equipment cost: Free

Equipment required: Green space

Have them lay down with them and look up at the sky
and encourage them to say what they can see “hidden” clouds, pointing out any
shapes and images that their mind may create. Also ask them to mention any
changes to the clouds as they move along.

This is a free activity that
can be great for harvesting creativity and even developing their story-telling
skills. All you need is green space to enjoy this activity.