Summer is here and school is out and like every year we try to figure out how to keep children occupied. This year, the added problem of COVID19 leading many families/parents to opt out of summer school has left many with a bigger problem of how to keep children occupied, spend quality time, and work while creating a memorable summer. There is no better time than now to put together a list a summer activities for kids.
Last summer I was elated with the fact that we could enrol Henry into summer school. He was thrilled and I had some form of routine that I longed for so much. For once in a very long time, I felt ‘normal’. This year, I also opted not to send Henry to summer school but I am constantly trying to think activities to plan the summer weeks.
I have been compiling a list of things to do and places to go. I am trying to plan something every day to try to have some form of routine. There is no one size fits all schedule or routine of things to do for everyone because we all have different commitments, but there are plenty of ideas here to help you put together a schedule that suits you and your little ones.
I mixed it up the types of activities and place to visit to incorporate things that we enjoy or according to what he is currently interested in. In each day I try to have the these 3 categories included in our day, in one form or other: cultural, educational and fun. They don’t all need to involve leaving the house, but at the end of the day as long as we are well and having fun, it’s really what matters most.
I have included link of some places, others can easily be found on facebook or a quick google search. You can also reply with any suggestions, links or additions below. This is also not an exhaustive list but a good start.
Morning routine – this will be different for everyone. Ours includes medicines and treatments and when we need to go out and leave the house early, I pack what is portable and give them to him outdoors.
Places to go:
INDOOR
- Malta National Aquarium
- Esplora
- Library: Floriana, B’Kara, Pembroke, Attard – It’s super easy to sign up for a Library card on the website and see all books online.
- Heritage Malta Museums & Sites:
Natural History Museum, Muza, The Palace Armoury, Maritime Museum, The Inquisitors Palace, Domvs Romana etc. You can find a whole list on the website. - Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna – free entrance during July 2020:
Fort Rinella, Malta at War Museum, Saluting Battery, Lascaris War Rooms, Notra Dame Gate, Mistra Battery - Din L-Art Helwa Heritage Sites
- Art Gallery
- Villa Bologna
OUTDOOR
It is recommended to stay indoors between the hours of 1200hrs and 1600hrs, but if you are out, be sure to use proper sun protection for you and your little ones.
Cultural sites:
- Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum
- Valletta
- Ġgantija
- Ħaġar Qim
- Mnajdra
- Skorba.
- Ta’ Ħaġrat
- Tarxien Temples
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- Bird Park
- Girgenti farm – check out their Facebook page for activities and events
- Beaches all over the island – visit a different one from time to time and check www.whichbeach.com.mt to help you find a suitable beach for the day
- Gozo – for a weekend or even just for the day
- Kitchen Garden
- Popeye’s Village
- Favourite Restaurants/cafes
- Pool
- Ta Qali early morning/late afternoon in the shade with a good mosquito repellant
- Fruit and veg shopping Vincent’s Eco Farm or Ta’Qali Market on Tuesdays and Saturday mornings
- Chadwick Lakes
- Mdina
- Bugibba Water Park
- Qrabu Hunting (indigenous fresh water crab) – Bahrija, San Martin, Lunzjata
- Comino
- Eat Hobz biz zejt or a nice ftira by the sea
- Marsaxlokk any day or on Sundays for the Fish Market
- Birgu
- Stroll around Valletta
- Upper Barraca & Lower Baracca – take the lift from the Waterfront and enjoy the views
- Valletta Waterfront – scoot and snack, lunch or dinner
- Animal Sanctuary visit
- Sea Sites: Blue Grotto, Mgarr ixini (Gozo), Wied il Ghasri (Gozo)
- Fun food trucks – our favourites are Le Grenier à Pain and Tony’s Food Truck
- Valletta Ferry or Birgu Ferry
- Petting Farm (Ta Qali)
- Fishing
- Boat Trip – Charter with friends
- Diving – Camp Scuba
- San Anton
- Sant Antnin Family Park
- Pack some snacks/breakfast or dinner and find a bench by the sea
Things To Do:
There are plenty of resources online but you can use this as a quick guide and look into anything that is interesting.
- School Revision
- Reading
- Relaxation
- Bike Ride
- Scooter Ride
- Play/practise a sport
- Bbq on the beach/picnic on the beach evening
- Chores
- Crafts
- Unstructured play
- Movie afternoon
- Watch a Sunset/sunrise
- Bbq on a roof
- Exercise
- Cooking
- Board Games/Game Night
- Music theory, practice, aural training
- Cursive writing
- Duolingo – learn a language
- Coding
- Lego & Meccano
- Clay
- Make puppets and puppet theatre, write a story, put on a puppet show
- Put on a drama show
- Pick a topic and do a fun research project – dinos, plants, bees etc
- Gardening/Planting
- Build a bird house/butterfly feeding station
- Practice Maltese – we are trying complete immersion where I only speak to him in Maltese at certain times of the day.
- Indoor pillow fort
- Indoor picnic and stories
- Scavenger hunt
- Photography project- photograph things according to alphabet etc
- Learn to sew
- Create friendship bracelets to trade with friends
- Find a pen pal
- Cardboard creations – dollhouse, car track
- Watch fireworks
- Build a time capsule
- Madlibs
- Create a stop motion video
- Charcuterie for dinner
- Send some postcards
- Learn a magic trick
- Science experiment
- Play charades
- Bathtime with lots of toys and bubble blowing
- Geocaching – Geocaching is an outdoor recreational activity, in which participants use a Global Positioning System receiver or mobile device and other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers, called “geocaches” or “caches”, at specific locations marked by coordinates all over the world.
- Star gazing – Learn constellations and look for them at night
- Sleep under the stars
- Press flowers or leaves
- Use an Educational website/YouTube channel -National Geographic etc
- Make Flower Fairies
- Nature Journal
- Learn to Roller Skate
- Learn to skip
- Play Hopscotch
Sign up for
- Sports – ‘summer on the move’
- Football
- Art classes
- Kidtastic -virtual
- Little hero – Pembroke fitness
- Little bookworms
- Drum kit tuition
- Academy of Dance Mosta
- Helen o Grady online
- Tennis/squash
- Baby sensory & Toddler sense Malta
Screen time:
- Fun and educations App to download by local Mum: Adventures with Buzz
- Get Epic Books
- Libby – loan local library books
Evening/bedtime routine