Play outdoors

If you’re running out of ideas to keep your little ones entertained, why not step outside, get them to find a stick and see where their imagination takes them. Because it’s never just a stick. Today it could be a magic wand, an air guitar, or a bow and arrow.

You could even ask them to draw with it on the ground – the possibilities are endless. You’ll never get stuck with a stick!

For a free outdoor game when you’re out for a walk together, ask them how many colours they can spot along the way. Red, orange, you name 
it  - there’s every colour in the rainbow out there!

This game is perfect for letting little imaginations wander, no matter the weather. For each colour they notice, give them a point. And if they manage to see a real rainbow, that’s 10 bonus points!

A fun way to distract little ones when you’re out and about is to ask what sounds they can hear. Whether it’s water, birds, cars or rustling leaves – there are so many exciting sounds out there. Was that a motorbike? Or an airplane?

You could even make an unexpected sound to keep it fun - “ROAR!”

Speed up any slow walk when you’re out and about by trying this quick and easy game. Just say ‘go’ to get your wee ones walking quickly, then suddenly surprise them by shouting ‘STOP!’

Why not take it in turns – wee ones will love bossing around a grown up!

Playing in the rain is lots of fun too. Pop on their wellies, raincoat and get out there! They’ll love splashing in puddles as they skip down the street.

Why not ask them how high they can jump to make an extra big splash?

Want them to take a break from screens? You could go for a woodland walk. Ask if they can spot any bears behind the trees!

Pretend you’ve seen a bear – “GRRRR!” They’ll run, run, run as fast as their wee legs will go!

Conquer boredom by building a den in a woodland or local park – it’s a great way to let little imaginations run wild. They’ll have fun balancing sticks, tying branches to form a roof and deciding whether to leave a gap for a door! No big sticks? How about asking them to gather small twigs to make a fairy house instead?

Some fresh air by a local stream or river can really help to give you and your little one some amazing breathing space. Why not get them to pick up a stone and splash it into the water? Which types of stone makes the biggest splash - smooth, flat, bit or small?

For extra fun, show them how to skim a stone by spinning it underarm across the water and count how many times it skips across the surface.

If your little one is feeling antsy, why not get them to look for beasties? Wee explorers will love if you ask them to see what different bugs they can find in different places - search in grass, mud, trees and even cracks in the pavement.

To keep them entertained for longer, you could even ask them to count how many of each creepy crawly they can find.

If your little one is climbing the walls in the house, why not take away the walls by climbing trees instead?
 It’s a great summer activity for kids. What else can they find to climb - steps, logs, or little slopes?