Educational Activities For Kids This Summer

With the school summer holidays looming, you might be be desperately trying to think of activities to fill the six long weeks and prevent your children getting bored. 

Whilst it’s often tempting to give them a phone, tablet or laptop to keep them entertained, or to simply give yourself a break, it’s a good idea to not rely on screens too much.  

Screen time increased during the pandemic, particularly amongst primary-school-aged children, and this has been linked to negative mental health effects, poor eye health and imbalanced diets. So, it’s worth trying to incorporate some more interactive-based, educational games into your schedule to break up the days. 

Not only can it be fun and exciting for them to try something a bit different, educational activities also provide a way for you to spend time together, enjoying creating or problem-solving as a family. 

Why are educational activities important? 

Games involving creation, learning and interactivity are vital for children to develop important skills such as communication, teamwork, handling feedback, focus, concentration and engagement. Whilst many screen-based games can be considered educational, most only interact with the individual and lack any form of engagement with others. 

By getting creative and making learning fun, in whatever context, children are more likely to retain information, understand and show an interest in the subject. 

Educational games ideas to try with your kids

It’s really just a case of thinking outside the box a little, but here are a few ideas to get you started at home: 

Tree tracking 

A great activity for summer, this teaches kids about nature and their local area, plus gives them a chance to show off their creativity. Simply visit your garden, the local park or woods and see how many types of trees you can spot. Collect leaves from each one then, once home, create a collage, naming each tree that the leaf has come from. 

Educational kits

Weather not looking too hot? Then why not introduce a bit of STEM learning to your day with one of the many educational kits available? Children can learn about physics, coding, sequencing and robotics as well develop problem-solving and language skills. With many options on the market, there’s sure to be a kit that’s perfect for your child’s interests.  

Drawing and painting 

Sometimes the simplest activities are the most rewarding. Get some large paper or card, create a theme together and let your kids go wild with colour. Set a time limit and ask them to make the brightest scene they can using an array of paints, crayons, stickers and glitter. The messier the better! 

Build 3D shapes 

Task your little ones with finding materials from the house such as straws, sticky tape, wool and paper, and ask them to create 3D shapes. This fun (and sometimes tricky) activity teaches them about gravity, coordination, balance and creativity. 

Of course, there are plenty of other educational games and activities to try out and most can be adapted for different ages and interests.