100 ways to spend the summer, frugal style!

I have been so rubbish at updating our blog, sorry for that.

We have had many ups and some crazy down's over the past few months.

At the moment I am trying to make plans for the summer!

Yep, it is not far away now, we are at the half term point which means its only a handful of weeks before the summer is here!!

(Little miss paddling pool tent making)

So what do you do to keep six kids happy during the summer?

Given that there are six of them, it has to be frugal too!

Hopefully with some research 

I will be better prepared than ever before!

Given that children slip in regards to education over the summer months 

we will be encouraging educational activities too.

 (littler miss Getting ready for a BBQ)

So far my ideas are as follows:

(Some of these our our family traditions to do over the summer)

(Littler miss and Daddy fruit picking)

1. Play at the park....maybe tour the local and not so local parks.
2. Baking - maybe a nice service project?
3. Readathon, I have a selection of books for each of the children and I will be giving them a folder so they can write a book report.
4. Water painting in the garden
5. A trip to the beach
6. BBQ! Lots of them!!
7. Outdoor cinema night - white sheet and the projector!
8. Camp out
9. Dance in the rain......it is England after all!
10. Teddy bears picnic (even the older ones love these!)
11. Random acts of kindness..... could be easily Incorporated several times over the summer.
12. Library reading scheme - the library does this each year with a different theme and free rewards.
13. Explore the outdoors - take a closer look at where you live, you might be surprised what you find.
14. Nature walk - take a I spy list to check off
15. Hike - England has soooo many wonderful opportunities for hiking!
16. Sensory play - fill boxes with all different items to describe and feel
17. More sensory play - try foods a selection of foods you have never had before. Maybe explore exotic fruits and vegetables. 
18. Ready Steady Cook
19. Climb trees
20. Go fishing
21. Lots of bike rides!
22. No tea Tea party
23. Messy photo shoot
24. Watch the stars - let them have a stay up late night and play garden games until the stars come out.
25. cloud watch, add in some I spy cloud watching fun to make it last longer.
26. Build a paddling pool tent
27. Kite flying
28. Feeding ducks
29. Making paper boats boats and racing them.
30. Blowing bubbles and counting how many we can pop
31. Fruit picking (one of our favs!)
32. Make jams with the picked fruit (be careful, very hot!)
33. Make yummy jellies with fruit picked.
34. Make smoothies with the fruit picked
35. Paddling pool fun, add the bath toys to make it last longer.
36. Water balloon fight
37. Fossil hunt, there is a fab beach in south shields in Lincolnshire that has LOADS!
38. Become paleontologist for a day - bury some dinosaurs in soil in a box and let them search for them. Even better set dinosaurs in plaster of paris and let them dip and scrape them out!
39. Make a play
40. Build a tent in the house..... another rainy day one!
41. Make pasta bracelets.... macaroni is brilliant for this.
42. Have a family Olympics - add up scores as you go and have an awards ceremony.
43. Have a murder mystery day (more for older kids)
44. Play old fashioned board games
45. Film night
46. Family sleepover - all pile into the living room or Mum and Dad's bed and stay up all night (or as long as you can) and have a mid - night feast!
47. Have a daily workout together
48. Do yoga in the evening to calm everyone down after fun filled days!
49. Make salt dough and design sculptures
50. Paint canvases
51. Write to Grandparents
52. Write to missionaries or friends living away from home
53. Write a story
54. Create a funny family story taking it in turns to write the next line.
55. Have an un-birthday party
56. Visit elderly neighbours
57. Surprise someone with treats on their doorstep, homemade makes it even better
58. Make treats to leave on a doorstep to surprise someone!
59. Make puppets
60. Have a puppet show
61. Take a drive to the hills and camp outside
62. Write and deliver Sweet nothing notes
63. Make a wind chime
64. Decorate the play house
65. Write a script
66. Act out and film your script
67. Go for a walk
68. Have a homemade spa day
69. Visit a museum
70. Sand castle competition
71. Set up a weather station
72. Research a country and cook food from that country and try out some of their traditions
73. Car boot sale - good chance for a clear out
74. Spend car boot sale money on a trip out, maybe to the zoo or a farm...
75. Silly photoshoot
76.    Paint pictures
77. Have a garden camp out party, sleeping bags, marshmallows, hot chocolate and maybe even a testimony meeting!
78. Get together with friends for a picnic/ BBQ
79. Make dream catchers
80. Dictionary look up - give the kids a list of words and a dictionary
81. Atlas exploring - Give the children a letter and ask them to find as many countries and cities with that later as they can
82. Horrible histories - Give the children a period in history and ask them to put together a presentation board all about what crazy things happened during that time.
83. Pick an artist and create your own work in their style....Jackson Pollock is always a hit!
84. Become Wordsworth, write your own poems 
85. Have a talent night, maybe toward the end of the summer so the children can show off the wonderful things they have been doing over the summer.
86. Super bubbly car wash
87. Make a wormery
88.  Hunt bugs and identify them
89. Grow Sunflowers, competition to see who's grows the biggest
90. Have plant growing experiments... see if talking to plants really makes them grow faster or add food to some but not too others etc
91. Make a family flag
92. Make a family summer cookbook, create your own recipes and try them out
93. Make sweets
94. Learn skipping games
95. Play hide and seek..... even Mum and Dad!
96. Have story time!
97. Have a random crafts morning - just provide materials and let them do as they please.
98. Take fire men a treat
99. Write thank you letters to your bishop, neighbours, family members or anyone who has touched your family in a wonderful way this year.
100. Make sure you take the time to enjoy the memories you are making and journal them!

 (Littler miss and Little mister with Mummy on a bike trek)

 Well I hope this gives you some ideas, if you have any I could use I would love to know about them!

We hope you enjoy your summer planning,

and even more your summer!