Knowing what you can and cannot do with your family has become one of the most divisive aspects of the latest national lockdown, with families across the UK unsure where the previous restrictions end, and the new ones begin. The current rules are clear: to stay at home. But this doesn’t have to mean that you can’t inject a little fun into your family, and enjoy days out with your kids.
To help keep you and your family entertained and occupied as we move through the Winter months and towards Spring, we’ve created a round-up of five of the best days out with your kids, that you can enjoy right now.
A bike ride around your local park
Exercise outside is allowed, and a bike ride with the family presents the perfect opportunity to keep to yourselves and enjoy some fresh air, taking in your local surroundings. Add a little extra excitement by creating a list of sights and sounds for your kids to look out for. Some of our favourite ideas include:
- Spot one person jogging or running
- Listen out for a bird call
- See if you can spot any early Spring flowers
Turn your garden into your very own wonderland
What better way to keep safe and stay at home, than with a garden adventure? Turn your garden into your kids’ very own wonderland, with a treasure hunt that will keep them occupied for hours and will make staying at home fun!
Plan a nature hunt with kids
If the restrictions have taught us anything, it’s that going back to basics isn’t a bad thing! Swap your child’s mousepad and keyboard for a crayon and some paper, and head to a local woodland walk to do bark or leaf rubbings. Otherwise, you can play a word game, such as I, Spy or the alphabet game – where you take it in turns to say things you see as you work through the alphabet. If the kids grow tired of that one, there’s always the ultimate outside family game to fall back on: hide and seek.
Turn your house into a games haven
This idea is super simple: place a different game or activity in every room of your home, then move around as a family, completing games and ‘unlocking’ new games and rooms as you go.
Get baking!
Kids love baking, and the internet is packed full of fun bakes that you can try with your kids. You never know, you might even teach them a new skill as you go! Check out the BBC Good Food kids’ page for top baking ideas and suggestions.
For more information on the indoor and outdoor activities which are permitted under the current national lockdown, visit the Gov.uk page on Coronavirus.
Plan a movie night
Okay, so this isn’t ‘outside’, but after you’ve spent a day out doing one of the above activities, why not plan a special movie night with the whole family to round off a great day? Turn the lights off, bring all your cushions and duvets downstairs, and tuck into a fun movie and a bowl of popcorn from the comfort and safety of your own home.
If you enjoyed our list of best days out with your kids, then check out the rest of our blog section and online resource pages for further tips on how to best care for your children during what is a particularly difficult time for families.
