When the long summer vacation looms, parents, especially working parents, could be at their wits’ end on how to keep kids busy. Children’s schedules are packed tight during the academic year with school and after-school classes. Summer vacation is a wonderful time for children to relax and recharge, but even here, a little structure can go a long way to prevent boredom or excessive screen time. Here is a list of activities that hit the sweet spot between being fun and productive, help your child make the most of summer, and build bonds as a family.

1. Create a Flexible Summer Routine

Children thrive on structure - even during breaks. Design a simple daily schedule with dedicated time for play, learning, outdoor activities, rest, and chores. This is especially relevant for younger kids, who may find a visual schedule on the fridge or a whiteboard helpful in feeling a sense of control and excitement.

2. Encourage a Summer Reading Adventure

Turn reading into a fun challenge. Create a summer reading bingo card or a treasure map where each book completed unlocks a prize (like a picnic, a movie night, or a small toy). Visit local libraries for summer reading programs—they often offer incentives and fun events. This is also a great opportunity for parents to read aloud to their children. Reading aloud is the keystone to building the reading habit in children and strengthening the bond between parent and child. If you want book suggestions customised to your child’s reading level and age, go to our website's search engine - https://kidsmustread.com/en/. Kids Must Read is a social enterprise, so the resources, including the search engine, are free. 

3. Set Up a DIY Craft Station

Keep a bin stocked with paper, paints, glue, recycled materials, and other craft supplies. You don’t necessarily have to buy craft kits – discarded waste material such as toilet rolls, kitchen rolls, plastic bottles, and empty cardboard boxes are excellent materials to fire a child’s imagination.  Encourage your child to make greeting cards, puppets, homemade games, or decorations for a “summer gallery.” Crafting supports fine motor skills and sparks creativity in children. YouTube and Pinterest are handy resources if you want to search for age-appropriate or theme-based craft activities. If you have younger children, please ensure they are never left unsupervised with small objects like beads or buttons, as these can become choking hazards.

4. Explore Nature Together

Plan weekly nature walks, scavenger hunts, or bug-spotting adventures. Even urban families can find green spaces to explore. A magnifying glass or a basic pair of binoculars, a nature journal, and a curious mindset can turn any outing into an adventure. Hong Kong, for example, has many “Family Friendly Trails” that delight kids and their doggie friends. Plan the timing for earlier or later in the day to avoid the blazing sun, and please make sure that kids are well hydrated and use sunscreen to protect themselves from the sun. 

5. Enroll in Camps or Workshops

Check out local day camps or online workshops. Whether it’s sports, drama, art, coding, dance, or science, camps offer a great balance of fun and social development. If full-time camps aren’t feasible, look for one-off events or virtual options. And let’s be honest – while camps are great for children to find new friends or hone a new skill, parents also get that much needed “structured downtime”! 

6. Create a “Boredom Jar”

Let kids brainstorm a list of things they enjoy doing and write each one on a slip of paper. When boredom strikes, they pull a random idea from the jar—instant inspiration! Include simple ideas like building a fort, writing a comic book, or learning a magic trick.

7. Get Cooking in the Kitchen

Kids of all ages love helping in the kitchen. Plan a “cook with kids” day where they choose a recipe, shop for ingredients, and prepare the meal. Cooking is a fun activity that builds life skills, math knowledge, and strengthens family bonding. I have swallowed down some strange recipes (think pomegranate seeds mixed with oregano) in the days when my kids were young, but the dividend is that they are now independent cooks who now treat their mom to the occasional delicious dinner on “Mummy’s Day Out”.

8. Encourage Rest & Downtime

And finally, remember, it’s summertime. Not every moment needs to be filled – think back to the lovely, long, lazy summer days of your childhood spent reading books, drinking ice-cold drinks, and eating ice cream. Balance between structured activity and “boredom” is key. It is okay (and important) for kids to have quiet time for reading, drawing, or daydreaming. Boredom can be the spark to kickstart creativity or build the reading habit in children. 

Summer is not about perfection—it’s about forming connections and building memories. Try a few of these ideas and see what sticks for your family. What works for you depends on your child's age, where you live, and family arrangements. When kids feel engaged, seen, and encouraged to explore their interests, summer becomes a time of growth, and not just a break.