As we approach the final long weekend of the summer holidays, parents may be racking their brains for some low cost and fun activities to do as a family before school starts. For many parents, the summer break can be expensive, with entertaining expected to set parents back a staggering £200, recent data revealed. Further to this, many parents are now prioritising sustainability in the products they purchase for their families with 41% of UK parents agreeing they are always influenced by how environmentally friendly products are, according to Global Data. As many opt for affordable and environmentally friendly family ways to enjoy this bank holiday, leading sustainability consultant, SaveMoneyCutCarbon, has curated a list of the best eco friendly activities that only require household items and creativity.
Take a ‘colours in nature’ scavenger hunt To make a walk in nature ten times more interesting for younger children, all you need is an egg carton and some paint. Dab a different colour into each hole of the carton – then, the challenge is to find a natural object to match each colour. It is a brilliant way for children to explore their senses and engage with the natural world. To make a day of it, pack some food and settle down for a picnic after. Ditch the clingfilm wrapped sandwiches and use beeswax wraps instead. These sustainable plastic free wraps are handmade in the UK, using waste fabric offcuts and locally sourced beeswax. Make your own beeswax wraps Beeswax wraps are a brilliant zero waste alternative to clingfilm, ideal for wrapping up sandwiches or covering leftovers. Instead of buying a set, why not spend an afternoon making some from your old fabric scraps with the kids? You will just need to get hold of some beeswax pellets or a wax block you can grate – this BEE Zero block can be used to both make wax wraps and refresh old ones. Simply sprinkle your cut fabric scraps with wax, melt it in the oven and then brush the wax evenly over the fabric. This is a great way to encourage kids against single use plastic. Get gardening Gardening might sound like a chore to kids, but there are a few ways you can get them invested. Vegetables you sow with them this summer can be harvested in the autumn, such as courgettes, sweetcorn, carrots or squash. If you have the space, try giving them a small patch or an individual plant each to take care of. Or why not try guerrilla gardening in your neighbourhood? This is when you plant seeds in neglected areas to bring life to urban spaces, from fields to abandoned parking lots. Seedboms are an easy way to get started with this – simply shake it, soak it, throw it, grow it! Create art from nature Making use of natural materials is an easy and fun way for kids to make art – plus, it is free! Activities like leaf printing, where you paint leaves and press them onto paper or fabric, are simple even for small kids and can yield brilliant results. Don’t have any materials? Making (and leaving) your natural artwork outside can be a great way to engage with nature. Create ‘land art’ within the natural environment by using leaves, sticks, rocks and other items to make patterns and pictures. Pinterest is a great source of inspiration for nature art activities. Make a simple bird feeder out of toilet roll Your kids will love turning a loo roll tube into a treat for the birds – followed by watching nature flock to your garden! All you need to do is smear the tube with peanut butter and roll it in some birdseed to cover it. To hang it up, simply slide it onto a small branch or put some string through it (best done before the peanut butter step). Printing a guide to British birds and sticking it near the window can encourage children to identify species coming to visit. Be patient – birds may not notice the feeder immediately, and don’t be discouraged if a squirrel gets to it first!