5 of the best activities to do with kids this summer including River Park

The summer holidays are upon us, and while it does mean glorious weather and a complete absence of school runs, it also means that the kids need to be entertained for the day, by you. And with the temperatures staying high and the skies staying clear, put down the technology and head outside as often as you can. Weather permitting, of course. Here’s a few ideas to get you going…

1. Picnic in the park

Nothing beats a walk to your local park, so why not make a bit more of a day of it?  Grab the kids, some of their friends and pack a picnic and head down to Barons Quay River Park. Remember to bring plenty of cold drinks to keep everyone hydrated, lots of finger food to nibble on (our favourites are sausage rolls, chicken satay sticks and mini pies) and throw in a good handful of ice lollies for dessert.

Don’t forget to take some games along to keep everyone entertained. This could be a football for a few-a-side match, a bat and ball for a friendly game of rounders, or a board game – if you’re feeling brave.

If you live in the Cheshire area, then River Park has just opened at Barons Quay, giving you the perfect place to enjoy a day in the heat. It’s also got a bunch of giant games that you can play every single day, including giant Connect 4 and giant Noughts and Crosses.

2. Head to the beach

A time out for the entire family that you can really make a day of. Everyone loves going to the beach; the sand between your toes and the salty air. Not to mention swimming, sunbathing, playing games and eating plenty of fish ‘n’ chips and ice cream.

If you’re located a little more inland and don’t fancy spending hours and hours in the car with shouts of “are we there yet??” then help is at hand, especially if you’re anywhere near the Cheshire area. This year, Barons Quay have launched ‘Beach on the Quay’, a huge and may we say gorgeous artificial beach that’ll still make all your seaside dreams come true. The beach will be open from 10am to 6pm every day throughout the summer holidays until Sunday 2nd September.

3. Water fight

Nothing beats a good old fashioned water fight. Hold it in your back garden or, if you lack the space, the local park and get your kids to invite all their friends with instructions that everyone should bring a fully loaded water pistol with them. Dress them in their best swimming shorts and just let them run wild. Serve ice cold lemonade and cookies as mid water fight fuel.

4. Nature walk

The younger kids will especially love this as it gives them a chance to get wet, muddy and grubby all with their parents’ permission. Head out to one of your local nature reserves – the National Trust is a great place to look for this – or just to a big park. Give your kids challenges to find certain types of bugs, critters, creepy crawlies and things with wings. Let them splash through the creeks and ponds and get grass stains on their knees. Yes, you might have a bit more washing to do when you get home, but it’ll be worth it.

Some local parks and woodlands nearby include Anderton Nature Park, Ashton’s and Neuman’s Flashes, Leftwich Meadows and Dane Mead, Marbury Country Park and the Marshalls Arm Local Nature Reserve.

5. BBQ

Who doesn’t love a good BBQ? And if there’s one group of people who do, it’s definitely kids. Getting to run around a garden in glorious weather being served delicious food that they didn’t have to cook. It’s a win-win for them! Whether it’s a small family gathering or you decide to throw a bit of a bash, make sure you’re well prepared – our blog post on ‘5 things you need for the perfect BBQ’ can point you in the right direction.