The summer holidays have thrown me into chaos. Ignore the break in the children’s routine, my routine is lost! During term time, I try to make time to walk every day while the children are at school. It’s a good way to spend an hour, and N is quite happy as I either push him along in the pushchair or carry him. Yes, he could walk to but generally I’m wanting to walk briskly and he’s not quite up to keeping up yet! (Soon…)

The holidays have brought lots of fun of course. No school runs means less stress to the day, and no sudden realisation that all the uniform is dirty. The children wear what they like, and it’s only taken 3 weeks for my daughter to stop insisting on a change of outfit every couple of hours… The other thing the holidays has done is limit my walking time. My children do enjoy a walk, but there’s so many other things they want to do too! However…

Pokemon helped get us walking…

Well there’s a phrase I never thought I’d use. But seriously, Pokemon go has made the more reluctant child be quick to suggest a walk! Whether it is raining or not, Pokemon Go seems to encourage the got to catch em all mentality and the more walking you do, the more you can catch. So, actually the most reluctant walker has perhaps been the most enthusiastic this summer!

The Activity Tracker

Eldest has his own activity tracking watch, and being the competitive sort of family, he and I will always try to ‘out step’ each other. I confess I rarely win.

Walking is free and a great way to fill a few hours of the summer holidays. Inevitably you discover new places and see things you wouldn’t see if you weren’t walking e.g. along the woodland foot path! In the rain there’s the fun of puddle splashing. In the sunshine we will either aim for somewhere to buy an ice cream or pack up a picnic! (Read picnic as a couple of sandwiches and a drink..!)

So, while my walking routine has been thrown into chaos. I will miss my brood once they’re back at school and I am back to my brisk walks slotted into school hours.

Collaborative Post.

Being part of a couple that is in a secure and loving relationship can be great. However, when you are in a long-term relationship, it is easy to become complacent when it comes to matters such as romance. This then leads to all the romance side of things becoming virtually non-existent which can take some of the mafic away from your relationship.

As a loving couple, it is important to make an effort to keep the romance alive, as this is something that can impact on other areas of your relationship. If you find that the romance has already started to wane despite the fact you both still love one another, you can take steps to add more romance to your life. In this article, we will explore some of the ways in which you can do this.

Helpful Hints to Restore the Romance

These days, people go online to get all sorts of help with various aspects of their love lives from looking for the best sex toys to bring back some passion to finding advice on how to restore romance in their relationship. When it comes to the latter, there are various steps you can take in order to be more romantic and to add some of that original magic back into your relationship.

One of the simplest things you can do, which is also a very effective romantic gesture, is to simply whisk your partner off for an afternoon picnic to an attractive part of local beach. You can enjoy strolling together and taking in the surrounding beauty, you can sit and enjoy your picnic with some wine or beers to wash it down, and best of all, you get to jut sit back, relax, and spend time with one another. This is something that is ideal for those that cannot afford to take a lot of time off from other commitments and those who are on a limited budget.

Another thing you can do without spending a fortune is cook up a surprise romantic meal for your partner and really go to town with the setting. If is the height of summer, you can enjoy taking the meal outside to the patio, putting up some fairy lights, setting up a bistro table, and creating an enchanting outdoor space where you can dine al fresco. If the weather is cooler, create a romantic ambiance indoors with soft music, candles, and a beautifully laid table with fresh flowers.

For those that can afford to take a couple of days off, you could always look at taking your partner away for a weekend or a mid-week break to a romantic destination where you can enjoy spending time together along with a change of scenery. You can spend quality time together during your break and forget about the stress and routine of everyday life for a short while.

So, if you want to get some romance back into your life, try out some of these methods for yourself.

The summer holidays, can be a stressful time, how to keep the children busy and happy without spending a fortune!

Keep things simple…

Grab the face paints and eco glitter and have a festival in your garden. If you’ve space put up a tent, or make a den with sheets a chairs! You could even decorate your tent with pom poms and paper flowers- or even daisy chains! Then turn on your favourite songs and enjoy!

Splash about!

Eva from Captain Bobcat Blog suggests getting the paddling pool out;

Paddling pools and splash pads are great, you can kill quite a few hours there!

We love splashing about, and if you don’t have a paddling pool – improvise! An old baby bath or even a plastic storage box can be hours of fun to splash about in. (Do remember to always supervise children near water!)

Use that National Trust Membership!

We took out a membership when we were on holiday as it meant it was cheaper than the day visits to two places we wanted to see. If you already have a membership, grab a picnic and head off to a local property! Also remember to investigate your local garden centres as many offer special events or Maria from Suburban Mum reminded me that some even have a soft play area!

Get Outdoors with the family!

My children love going on walks, but I know some hate it! So, make walks fun by either planning where you’ll go – perhaps you will walk to a picnic spot? Or maybe write a simple scavenger hunt list? Shel from The Willow Tree suggest Geo-Caching;

” Download the app for free and go on a search to hunt for hidden treasure! It may be a little time capsule or a box with a message in. You can even leave a message for the next person!  “

Go camping!

If you have a tent lurking in the shed, what’s stopping you from taking it away for the weekend? Use a site like pitchup.com to find a campsite pack up your basics and take a weekend away! Can’t afford the pitch fees but have a garden? Pitch your tent in the garden! No tent? Check out camping pods, not quite as cheap as pitch fees but still a cheap option for a night away.

Kids Summer Courses!

One of my fondest memories of my own summer holidays as a child was going on a ballet course for a week. I loved having an intensive dance week, and making new friends! Emma from Fashion Mommy suggests keeping your eye out on local events, especially sports clubs;

“Most football clubs run weekly soccer camps over the Summer. My son does WBA one, and it costs £60 for 5 days, which is basically cheaper than childcare. For that he gets qualified coaching, a certificate and trophy at the end of the week and loads of fun. Perfect for boys and girls and totally enjoyable.”

Bake Off!

Rainy afternoon? Get baking! Maybe organise a bake off with other families? Or perfect your favourite cake? If you aren’t keem on baking keep it simple! Cornflake cakes and flap jacks are easy to make and require minimal equipment.

Kids crafts

So one of our favourite holiday activities is to get crafting. Funcraftskids.com is full of some great ideas for all the family. Perfect to keep everyone busy!

If you’re not into complicated craft projects, grab an old roll of wall paper and roll it out on the kitchen floor or in the garden. It’s perfect to draw or paint on!