Six weeks. That is how long the summer holidays are. Six weeks of "I'm bored", six weeks of snack requests every 45 minutes, and six weeks of trying to remember what you actually did last summer that worked.
Here is a practical guide to keeping children entertained this summer without either spending a fortune or having a breakdown.
Lower Your Expectations First
Not every day needs to be an event. The pressure to fill every hour of the summer holidays with enriching activities is largely self-imposed. Children are quite capable of being bored for a bit -- and boredom is actually how they end up inventing games, building dens and generally entertaining themselves.
Aim for one proper activity every two or three days. The rest of the time, let it be unstructured.
Get a Weekly Structure in Place
The days that go wrong are usually the ones with no plan at all. You do not need a packed itinerary -- just a rough shape to the week.
Something like: one outdoor day, one activity or camp day, one home day, one soft play or leisure centre day, one wildcard. That framework alone takes most of the daily decision-making off the table.
Free and Low-Cost London Options
London is genuinely excellent for free family activities in summer. The obvious ones -- the big museums, the parks -- are obvious for a reason. But there are also less crowded options worth knowing about.
Most London borough libraries run free summer reading challenges and activities. The Barbican Lakeside has free outdoor events throughout the summer. Many London markets have free children's entertainment on weekends. The Canal and River Trust runs free activities along London's waterways.
None of these require booking three weeks in advance or spending PS40 per child.
Holiday Camps: Worth It if You Choose Well
Holiday camps get a bad reputation for being expensive and chaotic. The good ones are neither. A well-run camp gives children structure, social interaction and physical activity -- and gives you a few hours of actual quiet.
Look for camps with a good staff-to-child ratio, DBS-checked staff, and flexible hours if you are working. Sports camps, coding camps and multi-activity camps are all widely available across London. Book early -- the good ones fill up.
Screen Time: Stop Fighting It Completely
A sustainable approach to screens over the summer is better than a rigid no-screens policy that collapses by day three. Decide on a daily limit that you can actually stick to -- an hour, two hours, whatever works -- and then hold the line on it rather than having the same argument every afternoon.
Also worth noting: not all screen time is equal. A child watching YouTube for three hours is different from a child doing creative building in Minecraft or learning something on Khan Academy. Context matters.
Get Outside Early
The single best tactic for a good summer day with children: get outside before 10am. Everyone is in a better mood, it is less crowded everywhere, and you have the whole afternoon free once you are back home.
An early park trip, a morning cycle, even just a walk to a cafe for breakfast -- all of it sets the day up better than a slow morning inside.
Accept That Some Days Will Be Terrible
They will. Someone will have a meltdown in public. You will get rained on at a supposedly fun outdoor event. A planned activity will fall through. This is normal and does not mean you are failing at the summer holidays.
The bar is not Instagram. The bar is: did they get fed, did they get some fresh air, did they feel loved. On most days that is achievable.
For specific ideas on things to do in London with kids this summer, take a look at the daddy.london guides on the best playgrounds, beer gardens and family-friendly activities across the city.