Keep Children Happy

Sometimes it seems the school holidays are never ending and the children are already bored... or maybe it's the weekend and you've just run out of ideas to keep the little darlings happy (or to exhaust them). We've put together a few suggestions as well as a list of useful links - there's no shortage of ideas but we can't guarantee you'll have the energy for them all...

Enjoy a picnic, take out a boat or fly a kite in a park or one of South West London's many open spaces

If your children can keep still for an hour they might enjoy one of the children's theatres. Look out for events at the Colour House at Merton Abbey Mills, Polka Theatre, Charles Cryer Studio Theatre in Carshalton, Secombe Theatre in Sutton or BAC at Lavender Hill.

Another "quiet" activity to enjoy is one of the regular free storytimes at your local library. Check out your borough's website for more details. And remember - you can often borrow story-tapes for those long holiday journeys.

Help your children have fun and teach them to survive in water. Most local leisure centres offer children's swimming classes - take a look at what your local borough has to offer. Take a look at some of the suggestions in Sutton.

On warmer days, you can even enjoy splashing about in an open air pool, perhaps with a picnic. Wimbledon park has a small toddlers splash pool or for a more serious swim, try Hampton pool, Tooting Bec Lido or Richmond.

Is your child likely to be the next Tim Henman or Anna Kournikova_ Develop their tennis or other sports skills either as part of a structured course or one of the play schemes. The UK's top tennis school and academy is the Sutton Junior Tennis Centre.

If they still have any energy left, see if they can last the course on a trampoline or bouncy castle, try your local leisure centre for gym activities, bouncy castles, swimming, or even trampolining.

Go to see the vast array of fish at Morden Hall Park aquarium. Children will love the brightly coloured marine life clearly on display at their eye level.

Take your children back in time with a visit to one of the local heritage centres or museums. Many of them also offer "hands-on" activities and recreations of historic events which really bring history alive.

Show your children how to grow their own food or flowers from seed. Even if you don't have a garden there are plenty of plants you can grow on a window ledge or why not even consider taking on an allotment - an inexpensive, healthy and fun way to enjoy being outdoors. Your local council will have details of allotments for rent. Take your children to the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew to see what's possible.

Have a ride on a donkey or watch ducks take a bath - by visiting one the City Farms or Children's Zoos.

Pick out a new pet - visit Battersea Dogs Home to choose a new member of your family or just to see the cats and dogs housed there.

Stretch your children's minds and imagination - visit a museum or gallery - there are several in every borough.

Kids love to play at Kings and Queens - take them to Hampton Court Palace and chase them in the maze.

Let them win a goldfish or take part in other fun activities at one of the Fairs taking place through-out the Summer.

For other suggestions and more details on what is happening in your area, see our list of useful links