Apart from the odd day here and there, the weather hasn’t let us down so far for this six-week holiday which is perfect if you’re looking for adventures to end the summer and keep your children entertained.
Usually, though, being a British Summer the weather does turn a bit, and keeping everyone happy can get a bit expensive or you may just have run out of ideas.
Luckily for you, we’ve put together this list of 25 local adventures to end the summer that cover inside and out come rain or shine, which are also mostly FREE and guaranteed to keep the kids entertained until they go back.
Build a den – outside in the garden or the house with sheets and the dining table as a prop!
Camp out in the wild – if you can’t get into the wild, let the wild come to you and camp in your back garden or try the Abbey Wood campsite for a mini taster.
Climb trees – either in the park or your back garden; Greenwich has over 50 parks and open spaces within its boundary’s so your sure to find one you like.
Cook on a campfire – Nothing better than a toasted marshmallow. Build a fire pit in your garden and get toasting.
Create wild art – make you own Kilburn White Horse, with some garden landscaping spray. Any animal art will do, spider, pony, cat. The choice is yours.
Dam a stream – The River Darenth is perfect for this as its shallow and very accessible in lots of places. Plus on its route through Shoreham, Otford and Aylesford you’ll find plenty of little stopping points (pubs).
Flying a kite – make your own or buy an inexpensive one and head to Blackheath.
Find a Geocache – a great big treasure hunt with a phone.
Grow Butterflies – Insect Lore has some great starter kits to get you going.
Go on a long bike ride – with Greenwich having the most river frontage of any London Borough we are not short of bike trails and paths. Find your perfect route here.
Go on a night nature walk – Woodlands Farm often put on evening bat walks which are informative about our local flora and fauna.
Hoot like an owl and make a grass trumpet – best if we show you below…
Hunt for fossils – a great one to be done on the Thames foreshore or even on the beach!
Hold a snail race – you’ll need a shady bush or the back of a shed, a watering can and a few eager kids. Once you’ve found your snails, chalk up your course, damp it down and away you go!
Jump over waves or go swimming in the sea – perfect for a day at the beach, also see above – South Eastern are offering kids for a quid (up to 4 children travelling with one adult)
Learn to ride a horse – Mottingham Farm has been open since 1957 and has beginners lessons.
Make a Daisy chain and pick Buttercups. This activity keeps my girls entertained for quite a while, picking Daisy’s and building the longest chains that they can.
Make a bug hotel – bug hotels are dead easy to make, think old bricks and flower pots and even packaging like cereal boxes are fantastic and work well.
Make a mud pie – easy, just add kids, water, dirt. Mix and repeat. Hours of fun.
Plant it, grow it, eat it – Salad leaves and cress are such easy starter plants for keen young gardeners, and what’s more you don’t even need a garden just a sunny window sill and kitchen paper!
Rock climbing – pop along to The Reach, which is south London’s largest rock climbing centre, perfect for kids 7+
Roll down a hill – I recommend either the enormous one in Greenwich Park or the one by the cafe in Oxleas Woods.
Splash in mud puddles and dance in the rain – just add summer rain!
Skim stones – Deptford Creek is perfect for this especially at the Creekside Centre or when the tide is out, try the Thames foreshore.
Visit a farm – you don’t have to travel far for this one we have four on our doorstep! Mudschute, Surrey Quays, Woodlands and Maryon Wilson.
Let us know what you think of our list in the comments below. Have any to add? We’d love to hear them!…
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