Take a dip
Find an outdoor pool the whole family can enjoy from swimming laps to paddling about. Don’t forget to lather on the sunscreen as you dry off poolside and stay hydrated with plenty of iced water.
Visit a children’s farm
Local farms are a great way to educate kids about animals and the world around them. Many combine petting zones with outdoor playgrounds that can fill an entire day!
Camp in the backyard
If your little’ uns are too small for a serious camping trip, set up a tent in your backyard with loads of soft toys and light blankets. Stargazing and telling ghost stories by torchlight will give you a whole new perspective on being outdoors.
Set up some shade
If you don’t fancy spending a whole night outside, build a fort between two sturdy chairs. Use safety pins or pegs to keep your blankets in place and take it turns to get some respite in the shade.
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Relieve your youth with hopscotch
Get out the chalk whilst the weather is dry and teach your kids to hop a long to the age-old game. It’s great for all ages and fitness levels, so put your trainers on and join in the fun. You can hose everything and everyone down to finish!
Go on a nature walk
Explore the critters that inhabit your local neighbourhood on a warm evening. Fans of The Gruffalo can wander the trail in Colin Glen Forest near Belfast. Admission is £8 a child. Adults go free so book in advance to ensure you don’t miss out.
Fly a kite
Fly a kite along the beach promenade or around your local park. Keen flyers should head to the Portsmouth International Kite Festival from 13-14 August that attracts spectators from around the world.
Make alphabet pebbles
If you’re lucky enough to be by the seaside, collect the prettiest pebbles and glue paper to the surface. You’ll soon have an alphabet and numbers to keep the kids educated and entertained for hours.
Go sailing
Making your own sailboat is easy: cut a hole in the top of a milk carton, create a mast with a drinking straw, and a sail from colourful paper. Sail your boat down local streams or a paddling pool.
Get fit gaming
Get active with the video games you and your kids love. Pound the pavement with Pokemon Goor challenge them to a lightsaber face-off.
Read a book
Pack a picnic lunch then read to your kids in glorious natural sunlight. The really bookish should head to Edinburgh for the International Book Festival from 13-29 August.
The Summer Reading Challenge is on at your local library throughout the school holidays. Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain is taking part with her kids. Her go-to book is "Some Dogs Do" by Jez Alborough. Her kids love reading so much, they inspired her upcoming children’s recipe and story book, "Nadiya’s Bake Me a Story".
Feed the ducks
Make friends with the local ducks and geese who are busy raising their own brood in summer. Purchase some wild duck food from Amazon (£4.40) to ensure they’re getting a healthy and well-balanced meal. They’ll soon flock to you!
Sell lemonade or set up a car wash
If you’ve got a natural born entrepreneur, encourage them to set up a local store. Refreshing homemade lemonade is bound to be a hit in the hot weather. Along with a car wash if your kids have energy to burn.
Catch a film
If you’re seriously over heating, retreat into the air-conditioned comfort of your local cinema. Odeon Kids and Vue Kids AM start from £1.99 and run throughout the summer.
Make ice cream
When all else fails, invest in an ice cream maker for about £30. You control what goes in the mix so it’s easy to avoid additives and allergens like nuts.
Need more inspiration? Check out the Persil Wild Explorers app which has over 100 outdoor activities for kids. The free app lets you filter by location, age and weather condition.
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