Summer fun is well and truly here now that school’s out for summer.
Or maybe it’s less summer fun and more summer misery. Because the average child will utter their first ‘I’m bored…’ just ten days into the holidays.
This is according recent research by Nick J. to highlight the channel’s summer ‘Make It and Bake It’ campaign. It aims to encourages kids to bake cakes and treats. The channel’s most popular shows will showcase the best.
Virginia Monaghan, who commissioned the study, said, “The school summer holidays can seem endless and full of possibilities when you are younger.
In reality, staying entertained for such a stretch of time can be a challenge. Parents will need to get their thinking caps on for activities if they are to keep their kids busy through the six-week break.”
Not another moan!
The study found that while the majority of the nation’s school children are longing for the six-week break to begin, their summer fun will soon dry up. Once that happens, parents can expect to hear the dreaded moan up to a trying four times a day.
It also emerged more than half of parents think their children will start to look forward to going back to start a new school year around halfway through their time off. While seven in ten parents said they find it difficult to keep their kids entertained through the school summer break.
The national survey, by OnePoll.com, also uncovered the top 50 ways to keep your kids entertained in the summer months.
Family days out came out as the number one distraction for restless youngsters, followed by watching TV as a family and going to the cinema together. 48% of parents occupy their kids with a bit of messy home baking. While one in two play computer games as a family. And just over a third sit down to play board games together.
Let us folks entertain you
To help break up the summer, 71% of parents make sure they go on a family holiday. And when their child tells them they are stuck for things to do, 37% of parents suggest (rather ingeniously) they do chores to occupy their time. A quarter will tell them to tidy their room.
Virginia Monaghan added: “As kids look for more to do in the summer to keep them occupied, a fun family-based activity can keep kids entertained while providing a valuable shared experience. Baking is fun, creative and just messy enough to be enjoyable for almost every kid. Or why not get crafty with the PVA glue and glitter and start a project together?”
Summer fun, here we come!
