The long summer holidays are fast approaching. That’s six weeks of summer fun for the kids but for parents and carers it means a lot of hard work trying to keep the kids amused.

To help avoid the dreaded school holiday cry of ‘I’m bored’, here are a few ideas to help keep the kids occupied through July and August.

“Libraries are magical”

That is according to award winning author Jacqueline Wilson and we couldn’t agree more!

At East Sussex libraries not only can you borrow books, eBooks and DVDs, you’ll also find study spaces, free WiFi and free computers available for use.

Come and join free holiday events such as making your very own Claymation film, junk percussion workshops, and story making scavenger hunts.

The annual Summer Reading Challenge, which encourages children to read six books over the long holiday period, is also on throughout the summer.

Thanks to a partnership with award winning digital library, Drama Online, teenagers can now also watch a range of recorded National Theatre productions from the comfort of their local library. Access to the productions is easy – all you need to do is book a computer and pop into your local library. Remember to bring your headphones, then sit back, relax and enjoy!

Reading Corner at the Beachy Head Story

Join the team at the Beachy Head Story in their free reading corner every Monday and Thursday during the summer holidays.

Drop in between 10.30am and 12.30pm for Story Time for 4 to 7 year olds, with stories based around the Downland landscape.

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside…!

We are lucky to have some of the most beautiful coastline in East Sussex, with magnificent white chalk cliffs and stunning beaches. Visit the seaside and enjoy piers, amusement arcades, fish and chips, and ice creams.

Best beaches

Bexhill, Hastings and Eastbourne have shingle beaches with wide sandy expanses at low tide, while Camber Sands is a stunningly beautiful sandy beach (which does get extremely busy on hot summer days). You can check which East Sussex beaches are lifeguarded on the RNLI website.

Rockpooling

Rockpooling is a favourite year-round activity, but perhaps one that is more enjoyable in the summer in the sunshine with an ice cream afterwards! Good spots for rockpooling are the beaches off Eastbourne near Holywell, and Birling Gap.

Remember the chalk cliffs can be unstable so stay away from cliff edges and bases. Make sure you check the tide times before visiting beaches to ensure you don’t get cut off by the incoming tide.

Please read our previous articles to ensure you enjoy our spectacular coastline safely this summer and know the top tips for beach safety.

Picnics in parks (or woods, or on beaches)

With so many lovely parks, woods and beaches across the county, why not take a picnic and make a day of it? Please remember to take your rubbish home with you, or can you make yours a zero-waste picnic!?

Top parks to visit with children include Egerton Park in Bexhill, Princes Park in Eastbourne, Alexandra Park in Hastings, Goldsmiths Recreation Park, Crowborough, and the Centenary Park in Peacehaven. Read our article on our favourite playgrounds to find more spots to visit with your little ones.

And if you’re visiting a park, why not make your own duck food to take along to feed Jemima Puddleduck and her friends?

You can make your own healthy duck feed using food you probably already have at home. Sweetcorn, lettuce, peas (no need to cook them, but allow frozen peas to defrost), oats, seeds, and rice (both cooked and uncooked) can all be used.

Homemade fun

You don’t have to go out or spend a fortune to keep the kids happy this summer. There is lots they can do at home to stop the holiday blues.

Garden camping

If the weather is favourable, send them outside to build a den or pitch a tent and camp in the garden. Encourage them to spend the day (and even the night!) outside, under canvas. Why not cook dinner outside or toast marshmallows?

Little chefs

Children of all ages enjoy cooking and baking, and it is something teenagers can do unsupervised (just be careful of hot ovens and when using knives).

Good options include homemade pizzas for lunch or cupcakes for a teatime treat.

BBC Food have a whole collection of kids baking recipes, while Good Food has a range of easy and fun cooking projects for children.

Get crafty

Children love the opportunity to make a mess, and crafting is a great way for them to be messy and creative. Weather and space permitting, painting and gluing can even be done outside.

Pinterest is a great place to search for crafting inspiration. Ideas to try include pipe cleaner bracelets, tissue paper ice lollies, finger painting, and paper plate crafts. If you visit the beach, you could also collect seashells and pebbles to decorate at home.

Holiday, Food and Fun

During the summer holidays, families receiving benefit-related free school meals can make the most of the council’s Holiday, Food and Fun programme, free of charge. Some clubs also offer paid places alongside the funded ones.

Activities may include sports, games, arts, crafts, music, and nature although these will differ from club to club.

Find out more about where and when activities are taking place, and book places, on the Holiday food and fun web page.

50 Things to do…

For more inspiration and ideas about things to do and places to go, check out East Sussex 50 things to do…

The website offers tips and suggestions for activities and days out as well as printable resources. Activities are divided into those suitable for under 5s and those for 5- to 11-year-olds.

You can also download the 50 Things to do app which, as well as providing access to all the activities and ideas, also gives you a secure photo memory bank to look back on and allows you to tick off your child’s progress and share your 50 Things experience with friends and family.

Do let us know your tips and hints for occupying the kids over the summer break, and your favourite activities and days out, in the comments section below.

Photo: Debb Collins, Flikr