It's still holiday time, which means a time for less routine and more time for fun but every parent wants them to not only look after their physical health but to keep their brains engaged and active. 

• Play games- Board games are great for keeping little minds active and depending on the game they can teach your kids lots of things too. Trivial pursuit is great for trivia and general knowledge while jenga is good for hand and eye co-ordination. Monopoly teaches your child about money and how to count it or spend it!
• Get them some brain teasers and crosswords- There are some great kid focused brain teasers books and crosswords you can get them for those rainy days when you wold rather them not be on their tablets. They don’t have to do them all in a day but over time and they are wonderful for getting the brain ticking.
• Buy the biggest jigsaw and do it together over the summer- Jigsaws are good fun and while not everyone loves them if all the family get involved it can be enjoyable doing it together.
• Keep up the reading- Kids need to read to keep their brains working and reading is a way for them to see worlds without leaving their home! Visit the library during the summer and consider doing a reading chart with little rewards for pages read. A little encouragement goes a long way in getting the children away from technology and into reading books.
• Exercise- Brain health improves due to exercise and keeping fit and healthy is vital for young people. Go cycling, do orienteering and learn a new activity. Learning a new skill means your child will be using their brain like when at school and it will keep them alert.
• Eat healthily- Along with exercise food pays a huge part in brain health as good nutrition is vital to brain activity. Enjoy your holidays but remember to keep everything balanced by a good mix of healthy vegetables and fruits. Get the ice-pops too but in moderation.
• See what camps are available or fun days- There are some wonderful summer camps ranging from sports to science to art and they are all equally beneficial to keeping your child’s brain active. Depending on what your child enjoys they will love doing fun things away from the classroom.
• Attend museums and places about significant historical events- Museums offer children a world they may never have seen or artefacts that are interesting to them. Historical events pop up all over the place and if your child can attend they will enjoy learning about time past.