We’re half way into the summer holidays now, and if you’re anything like us you may be beginning to feel the strain! The holidays are fantastic in lots of ways, but if you have young children you may find yourself running out of ways to entertain them, and your patience beginning to fray after about…oooh… two days?

So, to provide some inspiration and let you know you’re not alone, we’ve put together a few of our favourite tips to help you get through the summer:

Stay in touch – Make an effort to arrange outings or visits with friends and other babies and children. Even just getting together for an hour over a coffee can provide much needed encouragement!

Get out of the house – It may seem obvious, but it’s really easy with a baby especially to find the whole day has slipped away from you before you’ve even had a chance to get dressed. Have one thing at least you need to leave the house for every day, whether it’s a full day out or just a walk to the park. We like Have a Lovely Time for real parent reviews of days out around the UK.

Stay inside – Get out, stay in… we’re nothing if not fickle… We do know though that the typical British summer doesn’t always work in our favour when playing wholesome outdoor activities. It never hurts then to have some ideas for things to do at home with little ones. We love the kids pages of the V&A Museum of Childhood for ideas for things to make and do.

Festival summer – Not just for adults and teens – there are loads of festivals nowadays catering for babies and young families. We’ve just come back from Camp Bestival, a fantastic family friendly festival with a brilliant kids area, a baby changing tent and baby chill out area. If you fancy giving it a go, the Just So festival at the end of the month is aimed specifically at babies and children.

Catch a movie – I know what you’re thinking – ‘yeah, sure, with a baby??’ – well yes! Lots of cinemas now do special screenings for parents with small babies, like Odeon Newbies, so you can keep up with the lates releases without worrying about your baby making too much noise.

Get your hands dirty – The garden can be a great source of entertainment for kids of all ages. Toddlers can have hours of fun, albeit very messy fun, with a bowl of water and a patch of mud. If you want to involve the kids in growing plants and vegetables, even better. We love the The Kids Garden website, for lots of practical activities to do with kids in the garden.

If you have any top tips for staying sane this summer please do let us know!

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