10 activities for a sunny afternoon

Given the unpredictable nature of our weather recently I was almost tempted to call this article ‘10 ways to spend a snowy afternoon’, but seeing as our wee Norn Irish climate finally seems to have caught on that we’re officially in British Summer Time I’ll refrain from treating you all to that one, for now at least.

After such a ‘wintry’ winter, I know I’m not alone in hoping that our summer this year will be just as textbook – the brand new barbecue that’s been sitting in a box in our shed since 2008 is certainly hoping to get an outing!  When you’ve got kids around, the prospect of long, sunny days spent in the garden followed by balmy evenings with a glass of Pinot, while the little darlings sleep the dreamless sleep that always results from a day filled with fresh air frolicking, is quite simply blissful.  When the sun shines, everyone is in a better mood – we’re more relaxed, more patient, more open to spontaneity and having fun – and what better combination is there when it comes to spending quality time with your children?  As an added bonus, there are loads of things you and your little ones can do on good days without spending very much money – many of them without even leaving your own back garden!  Read on for our top ten ‘fun in the sun’ activities…

1.  Get the paddling pool out.

This is an absolute classic – I’m sure most parents can remember the rush to get that inflatable pool filled with icy water from the hosepipe at the first glimmer of sunshine and today’s children are no different!  That said, there’s a whole host of fancy pools and accessories on the market these days; no more turning blue in the face for mums and dads thanks to the ready availability of foot pumps, no more sunburnt shoulders thanks to the invention of pools with built in UV sun shades and no more messing about with bin liners and Fairy Liquid to make water slides (or was that just me?!) – you can buy them ready made!  Of course, most kids will be perfectly happy with a cheap and cheerful paddling pool – fill it with warm water to increase their playing time and avoid chills.  The pool will warm up naturally if placed in full sun but if you do this, make sure your little ones are wearing appropriate sun protection and hats.

2.  Have a picnic.

It is a fact universally acknowledged that food tastes better when eaten outdoors and wee ones will delight in spreading a rug on the grass and enjoying lunch al fresco.  Of course, you can do this in your own back garden (why not invite their cuddly friends for a teddy bears’ picnic?) but for a real treat, pack a cool bag or basket full of their favourite sandwiches, fruit, crisps and drinks and take it to the beach or park – they’ll work up a great appetite running around and polish off the lot!  Other brilliant picnic foods include pasta salads, cold cooked sausages, wedges of Spanish omelette or quiche, and skewers with chunks of cooked meat, tomatoes etc.  For more ideas click here.

3.  Set up an obstacle course.

This is great fun for slightly older children and also great exercise for kids and parents alike!  You don’t need masses of space, or loads of expensive kit – the toys and sports equipment you already have will work just as well!  If you’ve got a pop-up tunnel then great, but if not you can make a tunnel using plastic garden chairs; make a balancing game by drawing a line on paving stones with chalk and get your kids to walk along it; challenge them to do ‘keepy ups’ with a tennis racket and ball and use cushions or rolled up jumpers on the ground and get them to ’slalom’ in between them – use your imagination!  And don’t forget the stopwatch to see who’s the fastest!

4.  Have a painting party.

A gorgeous day is a great excuse to make the sort of mess best reserved for outside spaces that can be hosed down afterwards and children of all ages will have a whale of a time making giant works of art.  Using washable poster paints, fill a number of large plastic tubs or trays with different colours and then place large pieces of paper on the ground – the reverse of a leftover roll of wallpaper is ideal.  Make sure the kids are wearing old clothes – shorts and short sleeved t-shirts are best, and then let them go wild making hand and footprints or even printing with leaves, stones and other natural materials.  When they’re done, peg the artworks on the line to dry while you rinse everyone down in the paddling pool!

5.  Do some gardening.

Perfect for overcast days when it’s not warm enough for water play, a spot of gardening is a fun and educational way to spend an afternoon, and your child will love lending a hand as you get on with seasonal maintenance.  It’s a good idea to invest in some child-sized garden tools such as a small plastic wheelbarrow, a trowel and rake and a little pair of gardening gloves – this way they can help you with most jobs from collecting fallen leaves and deadheading flowers to pulling up weeds and planting.  Even very little ones will have a whale of a time with a spade, a watering can and a container with some fresh compost.  If you’re feeling adventurous, why not try growing some summer berries or vegetables – you’ll be surprised what you can get them to eat when they’ve grown and harvested it themselves!

6. Break out the bubbly…

…well, the bubbles!  Tiny kids love watching them, big kids love popping them – bubbles really are good clean fun!  ‘Manual’ bubble wands are as effective as anything but for a full-on bubblefest we definitely recommend Early Learning Centre’s Bubble Machine – just add the mixture and switch on for instant, plentiful bubbles that will have little ones squealing with delight.

7.  Have a treasure hunt.

This is best suited to large, rambling gardens or even a public park if you’ve got the time and inclination to set it up beforehand.  The idea itself is simple; hide a series of clues (try picture clues for younger children) that will eventually lead them to the treasure, which could be a sweet treat or a small toy each.  Give them a map indicating roughly where each clue is hidden and then watch as they learn about teamwork while having fun into the bargain!  This idea works brilliantly at birthday parties and you can even split the children into two groups and challenge them to reach the treasure before their competitors.

8.Set up an ice-cream factory.

This idea was inspired by my American surrogate mom who used to set out huge feasts of flavoured ice-cream plus bowls of M&Ms, nuts, sprinkles, wafers and chocolate along with a selection of ice cream sauces, and then allowed us to help ourselves!  Definitely not for the faint-hearted (or for the very young, who might just overdose on all that sugar) this is a perfect post BBQ dessert option and children will love piling their plates high with colourful, delicious concoctions.

9.  Go camping!

OK, so before you start freaking out at thoughts of sharing a tent with a load of creepy crawlies, we mean pretend camping!  Pitch a tent on the lawn and set up camp for the day with books to read, songs to sing and games to play – even good old snakes and ladders is more fun when you get to play it outside!  For older kids, you could light the barbecue as evening draws in and toast marshmallows as a special treat before bed.

10.  Go on a mini-beast safari!

If the above-mentioned creepy crawlies make you shudder then this might be an activity best reserved for Dad – yep you’ve guessed it, time to get bug-hunting!  Little ones have a natural curiosity about living things and most are far less squeamish than their parents.  You can buy special kits on websites such as Amazon that have equipment for humanely catching and studying bugs or you can make your own.  Kids will enjoy identifying the different creatures they can find, counting limbs and wings and learning more about what the insects eat, where they live and such.  You could even get them to draw pictures of the bugs they find before releasing them back into the wild.  If you really can’t tolerate creepy-crawlies, a nature safari is a good alternative – encourage your kids to explore, looking for interesting objects like weird-shaped rocks, unusual foliage or twigs and wildlife.  As you walk, talk about what you see and answer their inevitable questions about the world around them!