For those of you who aren’t aware, as well as running Your Nanny Friend Recruitment, I’m also still an active Nanny based in Harpenden. You may have seen me around, say hello if you do.
With the summer holidays just around the corner, parents and carers are busily planning ways to keep their children entertained. Not every day needs to be jam packed with expensive outings and activities, as children also love and need a little down time. Here are few of my more budget friendly days out and handy rainy day activities to have in your back pocket. Because if today’s anything to go by, we may well need a few of these.
FREE / BUDGET FRIENDLY – DAYS OUT IN AND AROUND HARPENDEN
Stockwood Discovery Centre – During the school holidays Stockwood Discovery Centre is open 7 days week. The perfect place for a day out, with plenty of open space to explore, museums and a play area. You can take a picnic or have lunch at the café. This year they’re collaborating with Sundown Open Air Cinema, showing some kiddies’ favourites such as Matilda, Sing and Encanto. Check out the full details here Stockwood Discovery Centre | THE CULTURE TRUST LUTON
Dunstable Downs – A firm favourite of mine, with so much open space for children to run far and wide and have a sense of freedom. Plenty of sun cream if it’s a super hot day, as there’s not a great deal of shade. Perfect for one of the cloudier summer days. Pack up the kite, frisbee and bat and ball. Don’t forget to see who spots the most gliders. From the 22 July to 3 September, you can take part in the Summer of Play at Dunstable Downs. No booking required just turn up and have a go at one of the several fun sporting activities available. Summer of Play at Dunstable Downs | National Trust
Highfield Oval – Great spot for a picnic with its 47-acre site, perfect for bikes and scooters, a woodland walk, playing field and a lovely café.
Rothampstead Park – I spend a lot of time here with it being the main local park and play area in Harpenden. But on Wednesday 2 August, Harpenden’s Teddy Bears’ Picnic will be held here. This is a free event with lots of fun activities and entertainment. Pack a picnic, bring along your favourite teddy and enjoy the fun. I will definitely be there! Teddy Bears Picnic (harpenden.gov.uk)
Hawkswick Lodge Fruit Farm – Harpenden – Right on the doorstep, your very own fruit picking farm. Such a gem of a place, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and more. Spot the snufflers on the way around with their little strawberry beards. It doesn’t feel like summer until I’ve taken a trip here and come home with more strawberries than I know what to do with. Hawkswick Lodge Farm | Pick your own soft fruits (hawkswickfruit.co.uk)
Grove Farm PYO – Ivinghoe – For one reason or another I haven’t been here for a couple of years, but back in my early days of nannying this use to be a yearly group outing with friends. The wheelbarrows are a great hit with children. Fruit picking a plenty and fields full of lovely wholesome grub to take home for dinner. Pull up those carrots and dig up the potatoes. Grove Farm PYO
Tring Natural History Museum – Although a lot smaller than the London Museum, it’s still packed full of the smallest insects to the largest of mammals. Check out the different events happening over the summer from fossil fanatics to insect enthusiasts. After you’ve worked your way around, enjoy a play and picnic in the courtyard, and just over the road there’s a small nature reserve with paths to explore and steppingstone fun. What's on at Tring | Natural History Museum (nhm.ac.uk)
Clarence Park – If you’re based in Harpenden like me, why not get the train there and make if feel like a proper little day trip. I have this one planned in the diary already and my mini people are excited about a trip on the train. Don’t forget your bucket and spade for the sandpit.
Batford Springs - My favourite place for a paddle in the summer. Stick on your crocs or old school jelly shoes and cool down paddling in the chalk lined stream at Batford Springs. Plenty of space for picnics and a great play area too.
RAINY DAYS
Now, I’m all for sticking my wellies and raincoat on and having fun splashing in puddles, as there’s no such thing as bad weather just bad clothing right?! But let’s face it, some days you will be stuck at home. My trick for these days is to have a few activities up my sleeve. I set the will set an activity up at the table and just wait for them to come across it themselves. Or if fun playing suddenly takes a dramatic turn into a squabble, it works as a great distraction.
Potion Making – Go through your cupboards, there’s bound to be some spices, flour and jars of food in there that have gone past there use by date, anything goes! A jug of water, measuring cups, spoons, a pipette if you have one and of course a mixing bowl. Let the potion making commence. They could use empty jars to store their potions. For the older children provide blank labels so they can name gruesome potions. Bubbly Troubbly!
Squishy Soap – This is a favourite of mine, because it smells so good and it’s so relaxing to play with. All you need is ½ a cup of cornflour, 4tbsp of liquid soap and 4tsp of cooking oil. Mix together, you’re looking for a non-sticky consistency. It’s kind of like dreamy play dough. For the young children I tend to measure the ingredients out first, then they can enjoy the pouring and the mixing. Keep the squishy soap in an airtight container and you’ll hear yourself over the holidays saying, “shall we play with the squishy soap”. You could also offer the squishy soap at bath time and to encourage washing hands.
Bubble bath for the toys – A bowl of soapy warm water, lay a towel down and collect a few “waterproof” toys that could do with a quiet and relaxing warm bubble bath. Use an old toothbrush or nail brush for cleaning and set up a drying area. An extremely easy activity to set up. Why not use your squishy soap with this too.
Moving & Shaking – Throw on a good play list. Start off by shaking the body and freestyle dancing. Then think about how animals move. Now lets, slither like a snake, hop like a frog, walk like a bear, crawl like a crab…you get the gist. This could also lead on to a good old-fashioned game of “Simon Says”. Everyone likes to have a go at being Simon.
Arts & Crafts – Arts and craft opportunities are endless. Stock up on a few craft staples and don’t be so quick to chuck out the recycling. That’s like treasure, I’m always on the hunt for a good bit of cardboard for an art activity I’ve seen on Pinterest.
Den Building – Get all those cushions off the sofa and blankets a plenty. I’ve never met a child that doesn’t like building a den.
Indoor Treasure Hunt – Go all out, get the fancy dress costumes out and get in character, there’s treasure to be found! You can tailor this game depending on the age of the children. For little toddlers, it could be as simple as finding the stickers around the room. Older children it could be clues written on post-it notes. My favourite is to make an actual treasure map, the one where you use a used tea bag to make the paper look old and burn around the edges (with adult supervision of course). I’ve made a fair few treasure maps in my time.
GARDEN FUN
Generally, when they’re in the garden they’re free playing, exploring and having fun. But when a little encouragement is needed, these are my go-tos.
Set up a car wash – Line up the scooters, bikes, trikes, and toy cars. Set up a basin of warm soapy water and sponges. You could even let them loose on the hose if you’re feeling brave enough and there isn’t a hosepipe ban. Set up a drying station with a few old tea towels. They will love it. You could even have them wash your car, I used to love washing the neighbours’ cars when I was younger.
Build a Den – That’s right, bring the den building outside. It’s fun and practical, providing shade on those super hot days (we are getting some more hot days, aren’t we?!).
Magic Water Painting – A few different size paint brushes and some pots of water. They could paint the house, the shed, or paint pictures and patterns on the patio. We’ve already done this one a few times this summer.
Flower Soup – No need for a fancy mud kitchen. Just a few pots and pans, a wooden spoon and a jug of water. The rest can be found around the garden.
Nature Wands – Go on a stick hunt, find a good one and collect some other treasures along the way. Get some colourful ribbon, string and wool. Decorate the sticks and turn them into colourful wands. Little hands may need some help tying and knotting. “I turn you into a frog!”
Without wanting to sound like Julie Andrews from The Sound of Music, but these really are just a few of my favourite things. The list is endless, but all of the above will most certainly be on my list during the summer holidays.
What’s on your list?