Well the Summer holidays are upon us!

I really can't believe how this year's flown by! If the Summer holidays have somewhat snuck up on you and you're worried about how you're going to keep your little ones occupied over the break then check out the list below for some ideas:

1. Get Crafty!

Arts and crafts are a fantastic for children - not only are they lots of fun, but they also encourage them to use their imagination, and help improve concentration. Click here for some great arts and crafts ideas.

2. Great Summer Reading

Check out the Summer Reading Challenge - a fantastic (and free!) way of encouraging your child to get stuck into reading this Summer. The aim is to encourage children to read six books from their local library. This year space is the theme and there's a great list of recommended books. You don't have to follow their recommended list, mind - if you're seeking inspiration Ian at ReadyForTen has pulled together a great list of summer reads.

3. Get Out of the House

Weather permitting of course, there's nothing better than getting outside. Go to the park, feed the ducks, go on the swings, kick a ball around - it's what the Summer is all about. Swimming is also a great option - and of course it doesn't really matter what the weather's doing. Alternatively if you're looking for great day trip ideas check out DayOutWiththeKids for details of things to do near you.

4. Cook

Most children really enjoy cooking - and of course it's a great opportunity to teach them important life skills, and educate them about food. There are an absolutely huge range of recipes on the CBeebies site; although I'd strongly recommend you turn the sound off on your computer before heading over there - when you roll the mouse over any of the top menu options they're shouted out at you - scared the life out of me!

5. Perform Summer Courses

Guaranteed to stave off the cries of "I'm bored!" for a week at least!

This Summer we're running two courses - for the 4-8 year olds Alice in Wonderland is the theme and for the 8-12 year olds it's Popstar Superstar. The courses run over five days and absolutely no experience is necessary - our holiday courses are open to all children (regardless of whether or not they've previously attended a Perform class).

Do you have any other suggestions for keeping children occupied this Summer? Do let me know in the comments.

Oh, and if you are going away over the Summer and are worried about the car journey - you might find this post I wrote at Christmas useful: Car journeys - a Survivors' Guide

Image credit GFPeck