How to Make the Most of Small Breaks in the Summer with Your Child
Ah, summer. That magical season of sunshine, sticky ice cream hands, and the eternal struggle of juggling work meetings with snack demands. If you're a working parent, chances are you don’t get the luxury of a long, lazy school holiday. But here’s the good news: even small breaks – a lunch hour, a free afternoon, or a slightly-extended weekend – can become tiny pockets of sunshine you and your children will treasure.
You don’t need a big holiday to make summer memories. Here’s how to make those little breaks really count.
Quick wins
Turn 15 minutes into a reset
A quarter of an hour is enough to change the tone of the day for both you and your child. Whether it's dancing to two songs in the kitchen, drawing silly sketches for each other to guess, or lying on a blanket cloud-spotting, these micro-moments allow you to truly connect. Even a lightning-fast scavenger hunt around the house – “Find something blue, something soft, and something that smells good” – can inject some fun and creativity into the daily grind.
Transform breakfast into a mini adventure
If you’ve got 30-60 minutes before work starts, take a “breakfast walk.” Make breakfast portable – a slice of toast, fruit, or muffin in hand – and head out for a stroll around the block. Give your child a little mission – count red cars, find three kinds of leaves, or wave at three dogs – and let the walk set a calm, cheerful tone for the day. The change in scenery and the sense of togetherness will make the morning feel more like a memory and less like a rush.
Make your commute count
If mornings are too busy, why not stop for a ten-minute "treat time" on your way home? Ice cream in the car, a quick detour to the local duck pond, or even just walking home together slowly instead of rushing.
Reimagine lunchtime as a picnic
Not every break needs a car journey or a fully packed rucksack. Spread a blanket in the garden, on the living room floor, or even on the front step to make a regular lunch feel special. Let your child help create the “menu” and help with setting up – think fruit skewers, funny-face biscuits, or mini wraps. Sharing this time together, even amid a busy workday, can turn an ordinary meal into a treat.
Take your coffee break outside
A five-minute tea break in the sunshine can shift your whole mood. Bring your child outside with you and let them splash in a water tray, dig in the dirt, or blow bubbles while you sip and exhale. You don’t always need to lead an activity – just sharing space is enough.
But in just in case, you want to add some extra fun to your outdoor sessions, here are a few quick ideas:
- Cloud spotting or bug hunting.
- Send your child out with jars or egg boxes to find a “rainbow of nature” – one green thing, one red, one yellow, etc. Great for front gardens or even balcony plants!
- If you’re ever stuck for a quick win? Just add water. Let them “wash” their toys in a bucket, paint the patio or fence with a brush, or mist the garden with a spray bottle. Zero mess, big fun.
Keep a few outdoor-friendly toys or books in a small basket by the back door so stepping outside doesn’t turn into a whole production.
Start a summer story ritual
Choose a consistent time, maybe just after lunch or before your last work call, and read a short story together. It doesn’t have to be a full book, it could just be a chapter from a silly series, a calming classic, or even better, a story your child tells you that you write down over a few days.
This tiny ritual can become an anchor in your child’s day and yours too - a moment of calm in the chaos.
Create a “mini break” box
Keep a special box on hand for those “I’ve got 10 minutes” moments. Fill it with no-mess, quick-hit activities your child can do with or without you: colouring pages and crayons, a small puzzle, flashcards with funny challenges like: “Draw your dream ice cream,” “Hop like a frog five times,” or “Make a paper airplane”. This little stash becomes a lifeline during busy days and gives your child a sense of independence, too.
When you’ve got a bit more time
Host a creative garden session
When the afternoon opens up, head outside with chalk, bubbles, or even paints. Let your child set up a “summer café” using cardboard boxes and old cups, or just sprawl on a blanket together, tell each other stories, and watch the clouds (or stars!). No agenda, just open-ended play and creativity.
Have a fruit tasting party
Pick up a few colourful, unusual fruits from the supermarket – dragon fruit, mango, kiwi – and host a little “taste test” together. Ask for their verdict on each one and write it down. It’s fun, educational, and might lead to a new favourite snack for the season.
Plan a mini garden Olympics
Use your garden or local park for an impromptu Olympic event: spoon-and-pebble races, hopping on one foot, or timed runs across the grass. Hand out silly homemade medals. It’s pure joy, low-prep, and high-energy.
Make evenings feel like holidays
A little shift in routine can work wonders. Choose one evening a week to shake things up – Taco Tuesday, movie night with popcorn, or even stargazing outside– and let your child stay up just a little later. You’ll be surprised how exciting this feels. Add fairy lights or tea lights for extra wonder.
Build a cardboard kingdom
Gather your recycling and let imaginations run wild – castles, race cars, shops, or rocket ships. Bonus points for naming your cardboard city!
Go on a local adventure
You don’t need to travel far to feel like you’ve escaped. Find a nearby nature trail, park, or hidden gem and head out for an afternoon of exploring. Pack snacks and maybe a magnifying glass, and let your child take the lead on what to spot or collect. These tiny adventures often become the biggest memories.
Paint and hide rocks
During your hiking adventure, spend the morning collecting stones, then settle down to paint them in the afternoon. Decorate with patterns, faces, or messages. Next weekend, hide them in your local park for others to find. It’s a lovely blend of creativity and community.
Try a “yes day” with boundaries
You don’t need to say yes to everything, but you can give your child a few fun options to choose from: pancakes or waffles? Playground or splash park? Bike ride or bug hunt? Let them plan the schedule with a bit of your guidance, giving them the thrill of control and something to look forward to.
Build a summer scrapbook together
During your little adventures, let your child snap photos – the sillier, the better! Print out your favourite summer photos and stick them into a summer scrapbook. Let your child decorate the pages with stickers and write, or dictate, what they remember about each day. It's a lovely way to remind yourselves that joy doesn’t need to be scheduled in weeks off – it can live in a 20-minute walk, a messy ice cream face, or a shared giggle.
And finally… give yourself grace
Some days, your break will look like a joyful walk in the sun with your child. Other days, it’ll look like locking the bathroom door for five minutes of peace. That’s real life. If lunch ends up being a cereal bar or the TV stays on longer than usual, that’s okay. You’re doing your best, with love. And that’s more than enough.