Fun-packed summer play challenges

Hang up the uniform and put those school shoes away… The summer holidays have arrived and it’s time to swap the classroom for adventure, ditch the routine, and get ready to play!

The summer is full of opportunities to let children’s imaginations run wild and have playful adventures. Whilst we can’t guarantee six weeks of sunshine, we can offer plenty of fun, stress- and cost-free ideas to inspire children’s play, come rain or shine.

Why not make it a fun challenge to see how many of these ideas your family can tick off during the holidays? Choose a few, revisit your favourites or just pick one that fits with your day. They are all designed to encourage children to use their imagination, have fun and stay active – without costing a fortune!

Things you can do at home or in the garden

1. Invent an awesome new superhero (or super villain!)
2. Make squishy play dough
3. Have a sunflower growing competition – see whose gets the tallest by the end of the holidays!
4. Make and fly your own kite
5. Create a colourful nature collage
6. Learn a new dance routine for your favourite song
7. Make and act out your own sock puppet show
8. Make your own giant bubble wand with sticks, string and homemade bubble solution (using water, washing up liquid and sugar)

Things you can do out and about

1. Go on a rainbow colour hunt
2. Take a walk in the woods
3. Play Grass is lava (collect leaves to use as stepping stones)
4. Visit the beach and collect shells, pebbles or sea glass
5. Climb a tree
6. Turn your local playground or park into an obstacle course and see how quickly you can complete it
7. Go to a free event in your local area – like a Playday event
8. Go on a scavenger hunt around your local village, park or woodland

Things you can do by yourself

1. Learn to juggle with rolled-up socks
2. Make a fairy garden
3. Build a den
4. Paint pebbles (and then hide them on your next walk)
5. Make parachutes for your toys and find somewhere you can throw them
6. Watch the sunset – how many colours can you count in the sky?
7. Make a pots-and-pans drum set
8. Make your own game of noughts and crosses (painted stones are handy)

Things you can do with others

1. Draw and play a game of Twister on the ground using chalk
2. Invent a new game
3. Play hide and seek
4. Draw a map and go on a treasure hunt
5. Create a mini obstacle adventure with cushions and chairs
6. Make your own ice lollies
7. Have an outdoor picnic (or indoors if the weather’s poor).

So, how many can your family tick off the list?... Whether you are building dens, hunting for hidden treasure or inventing a brand-new game, there are plenty of ways to keep boredom at bay this summer. No fancy equipment, no big budget – just a little imagination and a sense of fun.

Pick a challenge and give it a go!