I’m a mum-of-6 & have five completely free ways to keep kids entertained all summer – loads of them are low effort too | The Sun

KEEPING kids entertained over the summer holidays can be tough – but one mum-of-six has some incredible and free methods.

Mum Sharon, from the US, shared her top tips in a video which has racked up over 20,000 likes.

On her @sharon.a.life account, she said: “I’m a mother to six and here are five completely free ways I will be keeping my kids busy and entertained all summer long.

“But first and foremost let’s note that it’s not actually our job as parents to make sure that our kids are entertained and happy.

“It’s our job to provide them resources, opportunities and teach them coping mechanisms, the rest is up to them.”

The first free method she gave was to take your kids to the library.

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She explained: “Most libraries have amazing summer reading programs, full of prizes, incentives and activities beyond reading.

“Not only that but they often have resources for you to find other free programs to use throughout the summer.”

Her second tip was to “make her kids get bored.”

Sharon continued: “We go completely screen-free the first week of the summer break.

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“It makes them use their brains, use their imaginations and figure out what to do on their own.”

She said the first three days can be “painful” but after that it is “mostly smooth sailing.”

Sharon also said at the start of the summer she “sits down as a family and discusses a loose schedule for the summer.”

She said: “For example, Monday is hike day, Tuesday is free do whatever the heck you want day, Wednesday is park day, Thursday is craft day, Friday is clean out the car and work on projects.

“It’s just nice to have it as a guideline.”

Her fourth tip is to make toys that you already own appealing.

Sharon explained: “How I do that is I grab a toy that we haven’t played with for a while and completely sit it up the night before.

“Then they wake up to a totally put together marble run and it suddenly seems fun to them again.

“You can do it with toys, games, arts and crafts, don’t say anything, just lay it out and walk away.

“They’ll find it eventually, think it was their idea and have so much fun.”

Her last tip is to find another mum in the neighbourhood to “swap days with”.

She added: “My kids go over to your house for two hours every Thursday. 

“They come over to my house for two hours every Friday.

“What’s great about that is you don’t just get a break when your kids leave, you get the breaks when the other kids come because it changes up the dynamic and they have fun without you.”

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Many mums were quick to chime in, with one saying: “Yes! We have a loose schedule & it’s been great so far.”

A second added: “All of these!! So great!”

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