30 Easy Ways to Entertain Your Children at Home This Summer

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Long summer days have a lovely way of stretching out in front of us… until about 10am, when someone announces they’re bored.

The good news is that entertaining children doesn’t have to involve expensive day trips or elaborate Pinterest-worthy setups. Some of the happiest childhood memories are made with a cardboard box, a mixing bowl, a handful of crayons and a little imagination.

Whether you’re looking for five-minute activities while you drink your coffee, projects that fill an afternoon, or ideas your children can get on with independently, here are plenty of simple ways to keep little hands and busy minds occupied this summer.

Creative & Crafty Ideas

1. Nature Paint Brushes

Head into the garden to collect grasses, herbs, feathers, pine needles and leaves. Tie them onto sticks with string and create your own homemade paintbrushes.

2. Cardboard Box Creations

Save delivery boxes and let your children transform them into:

• Castles
• Shops
• Rocket ships
• Fairy houses
• Animal homes
• Cars

A little masking tape and imagination go a long way.

3. Homemade Playdough

Mix up a batch of playdough and set out loose parts like buttons, shells, pasta, beads and natural treasures.

4. Junk Modelling Station

Keep a box filled with toilet rolls, cereal boxes, yoghurt pots, bottle tops and paper scraps ready for creative building.

5. Window Art

Washable window pens or chalk markers can keep children entertained for ages, and they wipe straight off afterwards.

6. Friendship Bracelets

Perfect for older children and a lovely quiet afternoon activity.

Easy Baking Projects

Children love baking because they get to measure, mix, stir… and of course sample everything along the way.

Some easy favourites include:

• Flapjacks
• Chocolate chip oat squares
• Banana breakfast bars
• Fairy cakes
• Cheese scones
• Homemade pizzas
• Pizza scrolls
• Fruit crumble bars
• Decorated biscuits

Bake a double batch and freeze some for future snack times.

Outdoor Adventures

You don’t have to leave home to enjoy the outdoors.

7. Garden Scavenger Hunt

Can you find:

• Something smooth
• Something rough
• Three different leaves
• A feather
• A tiny flower
• Something that smells nice

8. Mud Kitchen Café

Old pots, spoons, herbs and water can provide hours of imaginative play.

9. Water Painting

Give children a bucket of water and a decorating brush and let them paint fences, patios and walls. It magically disappears as it dries.

10. Mini Olympics

Create simple races using:

• Egg and spoon
• Sack race
• Obstacle course
• Bean bag throw
• Wheelbarrow races

11. Build a Bug Hotel

Collect sticks, bark, pine cones and bamboo to create a cosy home for insects.

12. Cloud Watching

Sometimes slowing down is the activity.

Lay out a blanket and see what shapes appear overhead.

Independent Activities

Sometimes you simply need twenty minutes to answer emails, fold washing or enjoy a hot cup of tea.

These are brilliant for encouraging independent play.

Sticker Books

A classic for a reason.

Audiobooks

Pair an audiobook with colouring, LEGO or magnetic tiles.

Puzzle Basket

Keep jigsaws, Sudoku, maze books and word searches together in one basket.

Reading Picnic

Spread a blanket indoors or outside and let everyone enjoy books with a snack.

Colouring Station

Leave pencils, paper and colouring books permanently accessible.

Children are much more likely to create when supplies are easy to reach.

Sensory Play

Sensory activities don’t have to be complicated.

Try:

• Rice with scoops and containers
• Water beads (with close supervision for young children)
• Coloured pasta
• Oobleck (cornflour and water)
• Ice cubes with hidden treasures
• Shaving foam painting

Free Activities

The best things in childhood are often wonderfully simple.

• Build a den with blankets
• Make daisy chains
• Go on a rainbow colour walk
• Watch butterflies
• Create a family talent show
• Write and perform a puppet show
• Have a dance party
• Make paper aeroplanes
• Start a nature journal
• Camp in the garden
• Collect pebbles to paint
• Learn to skip
• Make paper boats
• Wash the bikes
• Watch the sunset together

Keep an Activity Basket

One of my favourite tricks is keeping a dedicated “I’m Bored Basket.”

Fill it with things like:

• Craft supplies
• Colouring books
• LEGO challenges
• Activity sheets
• Puzzles
• Sticker books
• Card games
• Playdough
• Pipe cleaners
• Pom poms
• Tape
• Glue sticks

When boredom strikes, simply hand over the basket and let them choose.

Remember…

Children don’t need constant entertainment.

Moments of boredom often become the birthplace of creativity, storytelling, imaginative games and wonderful inventions.

So don’t feel pressured to fill every minute.

Slow mornings, muddy feet, homemade cakes cooling on the side, cardboard castles taking over the living room and children who are free to dream… those are often the moments that become the memories they’ll carry long after summer has ended.

How are you keeping your children entertained this summer? I’d love to hear your favourite low-cost ideas in the comments below.