Saturday June 27th 2026
Kate Flory and her two kids
This article has been written by local coach Kate Flory
Here in East Lothian and Midlothian the school holidays have started, with Edinburgh swiftly following us.
As a working mum, wife and parent of two teens, I both relish and dread the six and a half weeks off (let’s not forget the all-important half week to rush and get the next size of school uniform, pencil case, school bag etc!).
Being self employed I count myself lucky that I can choose what I do most days, but many of my parent friends are faced with holiday juggling between themselves and their other halves, and if they are lucky, grandparents.
But one thing we all have in common is that the school holiday is a planning extravaganza, that can test our patience, our creativity, and our wallet.
Over the years, I’ve tried different tactics to keep my children entertained or pre- occupied so that I can get work done. I’ve always tried to find the cheapest and simplest solutions, and have taken inspiration from other working parents on how they manage the impeding weeks off. Finding free things to do feels even more important these days, and there are plenty of ideas, just as long as you give yourself time to look.
Reflecting back to the nursery and young primary school age, it all feels idyllic. My kids were happy with simple pleasures like going to the park, playing in the garden, going for walks, in fact anything I suggested that gave them dedicated ’mum’ time. Some of my favourite activities with them were:
– Get crafty with the recycling – turning loo roll holders into telescopes and binoculars. Empty boxes could be painted, or flower heads stuck on to become a pirate / princes chest or a memory box. Bigger boxes from shops can become a space ship or boat with even more scope for decorating fun.
– Time for tea – putting a rug or towel down in the garden or home, and setting up a tea party always went down well. We know kids love pouring from jugs, cups or tea cups, so giving them a reason to do it with water, milk or juice is a great activity.
– Outdoor challenges – having a reason to go outside for a walk or around the garden can be made into a game by collecting things to put in a match box, collecting leaves or flowers, spotting 20 red things, or doing a snail count (a great one when it’s raining).
The later primary school years, most kids are starting to enjoy watching TV or going on their phones / tablets. In my experience, I could still limit this solo activity time, but I couldn’t ignore the fact that it was part of their life and ours. I learnt to utilise their need for independence by creating a holiday wish list at the end of June, to give us ideas of what they, and I would like to do. This included:
– Movie time – taking it in turn to pick a film each and having drinks and snacks to make it a full cinema experience. I used to keep the paper lunch boxes you get from cafes, to put their cinema treats in, making it a bit more special.
– Board games afternoon – going back to some of their favourite games and cards was something my children often chose. I’d forgotten how fun snap could be, or some of those younger games were!
– Outdoor play dates – finding other friends to chum at the park or beach and being able make a day of it were a rare treat for us, but something to aspire to. Older kids are often happy to do ‘baby’ activities if their friends are with them.
High school feels like more of a challenge for most of us. Our children are ready to assert their independence, by being social or solitary. Finding the right solution for one child doesn’t always work for the other(s), so this is where many of us parents have to find single solutions for each of the siblings. This is when I turned to sourcing as many free activities as possible in my area. Staying at home doing craft things or watching a movie together were gone, so finding reasons to get out of the house became more important. Here are some that worked for me:
– Free swimming – over the years local authorities put on free taster sessions. This year East Lothian are offering free swimming for under 26s and Midlothian for under 18s during the full holiday term. Going by themselves, with friends, or even you, is a great way of getting out the house.
– Parent swap – having a friend who would take your kids for a day and then return the favour another week, not only keeps your teens happy, but you too.
– Star chef – as most kids can be fussy eaters, when they cook or bake something themselves, they are more likely to try and even eat it. We’ve made cookies, cakes, pizza, pasta from scratch both together, and as a supervised challenge.
Making anything fun, or into a game or competition usually works for my two. As parents, you know what lights your kids’ fire, and will get them off the PC / tablet and into the great wide open. It takes a bit of imagination and planning, and who knows, maybe the summer of 2026 just won’t feel quite as daunting.
For more information about Kapow Coaching, click HERE.
