As the long bank holiday weekend stretches out ahead of us, for many the four-day chocolate-filled break from work will coincide with the school holidays too. What does this really mean? Bored children, that’s what. So we’ve pulled together the Stylist solution to boredom in the form of our plans and recommendations.
Susan Riley, head of brand and mum to Lottie, 10, is heading to a roller disco. She reveals: “Lottie wants us to go to the Guildford Spectrum together to go on the water slides. I try to avoid the jacuzzis as they’re like human soup, but she absolutely loves them. There’s a roller disco on too locally (in the same venue as the slides – eek).” Meanwhile, our deputy art director, Chloe Sharp, is going for the parenting in a village approach. “My partner is in Lisbon for his stag do, so one of my best pals is coming to stay with her two kids for moral support. I might do some baking (all I can make is cheese scones!) and make homemade pizzas. Basically, we’re just going to turn the lounge upside down and into a creche with toys.”
OK, so let’s say you fancy leaving the house. Executive fashion and beauty director Kitty McGee, mum to Dexter, 5, and Woody, 3, says: “We’re going to this amazing climbing wall in Brixton. If I were at my parents’ house in Manchester, I’d go to Splash Art in Liverpool, where you can throw paint everywhere – including at a canvas.” Lucy Reber, fashion director and mum to Dina, 4, adds: “I’m going to take the gang to Vauxhall City Farm. There’s a cafe, and despite it being small, the kids love it and can get up close to the animals. It’s close to the station too, so it’s easy to get there.” (Always one for practical thinking, is our Lucy!)
Meanwhile, I’m based in the Midlands, so I’m going to convince my husband that a family trip to Bicester Village is a great idea, primarily so I can dive headfirst into the Ganni shop while he takes the kids to the Tarka kids sessions – a mix of arts, crafts and active games. If we have time, I might take my daughter to the cinema to watch the Sylvanian Families movie (I can close my eyes knowing Freya’s adventures run for just 66 minutes).
And if all else fails, Jenny Tregoning, group production director and mum of two, has a borrowed idea she’s happy to share. “I have to admit I stole this idea from another (genius) parent I spied in the park: create an ‘obstacle course’ (climb over the bench, run round the tree, go down the slide) out of the equipment in the park and have them race each other (or themselves) until they are sufficiently worn out.”
