We’ve only got 17 days.
17 days till the end of the school term and summer holidays begin.
I’m already breaking out into a sweat just thinking about things to do at home to keep Zac entertained during the summer holidays.
The thought of him bouncing of the walls, jumping on my back and off the sofa shouting…
“I’m Booored….
…Can we go somewhere?
…Can we do something?”
can already be conjured up in my head.
Trying to work while he’s in the house is near impossible.
If I’m on a call to a client, you’d be guaranteed he’d shout upstairs saying “I need a poooo daddy” (It has happened before and it will happen again)
If I’m on the computer doing research, it’ll be “Whatcha doing?”
If I’m writing an email, he’ll try and move the mouse and type along.
Thing is… this isn’t new to me…
Ever since he was born, I’ve been working from home at all hours of the day and night so I know what to expect… except this year is different.

Since he’s due to start reception (Pre Kindergarten to my American readers… that’s if I got American readers!) he’s changed from a toddler where you can keep him fairly entertained with Thomas the tank engine, Disney Cars, Youtube for a decent amount of time…
Now… inside a year, he’s almost turned into a teenager…

Blasting music…
Insatiable appetite…
Messing about and playing jokes…
Wanting to go out…
Dancing around like he’s the greatest showman…. Literally

So I’ve been trying to think of things to do this summer at home so I don’t lose my sanity.
These are the things Zac will want to do:
- Go the park
- Go to the park and roll about in god knows what
- Get ice cream at the park
- Go to the beach
- Throw cold freezing water and drench me
- Chase seagulls on the beach
- Fish for anything floating in the rockpool
- Dig for treasure at the beach
- Get fish and chips at the beach
- Then followed by ice cream right after
- Go cycling to his grandmas
- Go cycling to the park
- Then decide to go cycling for miles then realize he’s gone too far and expect me to carry him and his bike back home
- Play football (or soccer) but his way only (which is to stand there and watch him throw the ball about)
- Ride his pedal race car, even though he’s too big for it.
- Listen to The greatest Showman on repeat at maximum volume
- Watch him dance to The Greatest Showman
- Help him get changed in his Greatest Showman outfit (even if he’s not signing or dancing)
- Want me to dance with him to the Greatest Showman
- Then finish of with an ice cream
- Want to visit his cousin in Scotland (3 hours drive)
- Ask 10 minutes into the journey “Are we there yet?”
- Then ask every 5 minutes until we actually get there
- Want to go to his cousins (20 minutes drive)
- Want to come home 10 minutes after getting there after not sharing his toys or the not able to get his own way.
- Stop off at Mcdonalds on the way home
- Then stop off the toy shop next to the Mcdonalds
- Spend 2 hours in Smyths toy store
- Go on the biggest toys, bikes, scooter, batmobiles and ride around the store.
- Throw a tantrum when it’s time to leave
- Then head back to Mcdonalds for an ice cream
- Head to the restaurant for a pizza
- Eat everyone else’s pasta
- Have more Ice cream
- Go swimming where there’s a big slide
- Race with me to bottom of the slide
- Watch him play on the pirate boat in the pool
- Carry him when the wave machine is on
- Want me to hold my breath under water from one length of the pool to the other
- Moan that he doesn’t want to swim
- Whinge when we have to leave the pool
- Want to go to the softplay next to the pool
- Play with his “new” best friend he just met at softplay
- Want to share his crisps and sweets with his “new” best friend
- Want to leave with his “new” best friend
- Take a short cut home when he’s tired even though it’s a 30 minute drive on the fastest route
- Go to the Cinemas (theatre for Americans) (or cimenas as he calls it)
- Stuff his little belly full of popcorn and sweets (Haribo tangfastics)
- Leave the cinemas after 10 minutes because he’s bored after the opening scene
- Get hot chocolate from Costas
These are the ideas that I can come up with to keep him entertained at home during the summer holidays:
- Take him to a train museum
- Take him and teach him swimming (not just on the slides)
- Get some pads and mitts so he can learn to do some kickboxing
- Let him run laps around the field that’s opposite us
- Teach him how to wash my car
- Let him use my old camera to take photos
- Take him to football/sports camp
- Teach him how to cut the lawn
- Take him on a farm visit
- Show him what I do at the gym
- Go to a local theme park
- Take him on the Metro into town
- Get the bus into town
- Take him to the sea life centre
- Take the bike and cycle the town moor
- Teach him how to read
- Go ice skating
- Take him to a mini golf course
- Visit a different city
- Go boat riding in Durham
- Cross the river on a boat
- Visit the children’s library
- Teach him how to fly a kite
- Go to a trampoline park
- Pick strawberry’s
- Teach him how to paint and draw
- Let him draw, cut, glue and make trains and animals
- Visit a car show
- Use the inflatable pool
- Have a water balloon fight
- Teach him how to recycle toys for less privileged kids
- Get him to tidy his toys
- Learn to use rackets, bats properly
- See if he’s interested in being a magician
- Get him use to the keyboard and try to get him to touch type 70 wpm by the end of the holiday
- Write a story that he’s made up
- Create a metal spinning lantern from his favourite Movie at the moment (The greatest Showman)
- Get him to watch other Disney films that aren’t his usual ones
- Teach him how to cook
- Have a BBQ
- Make a pizza
- Blend our own smoothie
- Make ice lollies (popsicles)
- Make a photo/video journal
- Take him to Beamish museum
- Visit a Zoo
- Have a race between the cousins
- Teach him how to play cards
- Have a sleep over at his cousins
- Camp out in the garden
- Take him to beavers/scouts
- Let him watch train documentaries
- Learn to make Ice Cream
- Grow our own veg
So there’s 54 of my ideas, and 50 of Zacs ideas, giving us a grand total of 104 ideas… (Ok maybe a few are about eating Ice cream, but it’s one of the MOST vital arsenal in your toolkit to combat boredom). Hopefully, we will be able to get through the majority without any tears or tantrums.
Do you have any ideas for the summer holiday that you wish to add… comment below…