Is your summer events calendar looking a little dull? Spruce it up with one of these bright ideas…
Robin Hood, Robin Hood…
Ride through the glen (or local woodland, park or school field) with everyone dressed as outlaws. Rope in someone with forest school training to run activities such as den-building, fire-lighting, wood-whittling, nest-making, mudpie-baking, target shooting and tree-climbing. Get the kids making feathered hats and felt pouches, which they can fill with all the chocolate coins you will award as prizes. Send them after the Sheriff of Nottingham (the headteacher in disguise) with their bows and arrows, or stick the villain in the stocks to be pelted with wet sponges. Finish with a campfire, complete with marshmallow toasting and a group singalong of the Robin Hood theme tune.
Fun-filled teddy bears’ picnic
You don’t need to go down to the woods – the school field or even the playground will do. Ask parents to send the children in with their favourite stuffed toy as well as picnic blankets, cakes, biscuits and squash, and tap up the local supermarket for goodies. Let the children picnic with their pals, then get them playing games such as pass the teddy, guess the name of the bear, teddy tombola and stick the heart on the teddy. End with a treasure hunt featuring teddy-themed treats.
Club Tropicana (drinks not free)
Do you have a pool? Or could you hire one? If so, you’ve got the perfect setting for a Club Tropicana-themed party. If not, you can get the same vibe by throwing an outdoor disco, featuring a Hawaiian-inspired dress code and a DJ spinning non-stop Wham!. More ideas include a beach-themed photo wall with inflatable flamingos, giant sunglasses, Panama hats and flower garlands, a paddling pool full of crazy inflatables, and a grass-skirted tiki bar serving cocktails and mocktails. Give the children paper umbrellas, colourful straws and sliced fruit to adorn their drinks. Send a face painter around to decorate everyone in flowers, set up a craft stall for making paper hair-flowers and necklaces, serve a selection of Caribbean-inspired food and run a hula-hoop competition. All that’s missing is the sea…
Wimbledon watch party
Turn your sports field or playground into Murray Mound (that’s Henman Hill to the oldies) for the last weekend of Wimbledon. Hire a big screen or use the school’s audiovisual facilities to show the women’s or men’s final, and encourage people to bring folding chairs, picnic blankets and banners to cheer on the hot favourite. Serve strawberries and cream, tennis ball cupcakes, bubbly for the grown-ups and lemonade for the children. Hold a mini tennis tournament, rally competition or tennis ball juggling contest to keep everyone entertained. Add a sports-themed quiz for those who don’t want to run around.
Water fight
Pick a hot day – a very hot day. Hold this event after school so that those worried about getting drenched can vacate the premises. Ask pupils to bring in a towel, a change of clothes and a water pistol or Super Soaker – and sell some at pick-up too. Buy large buckets or plastic water butts and fill them up ahead of time. Then let the games begin. Set up a stall selling ice lollies and cold drinks, in case all that soaking doesn’t cool them down. Send the kids home soggy, but happy.
Further reading
