Preparing for the Summer Holidays with a Toddler: Practical Ideas from Our Nursery

The weeks before the summer holidays arrive can feel a little daunting, particularly when you have a toddler in the mix. I hear it from parents at all three of our settings, whether that's at our Marlow Bottom nursery, over at Hazlemere, or at our Flackwell Heath site near High Wycombe. The question is usually some version of the same thing: how do we fill the time without it all falling apart?

I've been running The House That Jack Built since 2000, and over more than two decades I've had countless conversations with families navigating exactly this. What I've come to believe, and what I see play out every day with our toddlers, is that children this age don't need elaborate plans. They need predictability, physical space, and you.

Keep some routine in place

One of the things we notice when children return to us after a long holiday is that those who've had a loose structure at home tend to settle back in more quickly. That doesn't mean running a timetable, but keeping mealtimes and sleep roughly consistent makes a real difference to a toddler's mood and behaviour.

If your child has a rest after lunch at nursery, try to hold onto that at home if you can. Even a quiet time with books or a favourite toy gives both of you a natural break in the day.

Get outdoors as much as possible

Toddlers genuinely thrive when they're outside, and it doesn't take much. Families around Marlow, Hazlemere and High Wycombe are fortunate to have some lovely green spaces close by, and honestly, a walk to a local park or a slow wander through a field with time to stop and look at things is worth far more than a day out that requires military planning.

At nursery we do regular outings, nature trails, treasure hunts, that kind of thing, and what strikes me every time is how absorbed children become when they're given unstructured time outside. Sticks, mud, puddles, insects. It sounds obvious but it bears saying: you don't need to provide entertainment. The world does that.

A few ideas that tend to work well:

• A simple nature hunt (looking for five different leaves, or something smooth and something rough)
• Puddle jumping after rain, with wellies and a change of clothes ready
• Picking fruit at a local farm or tending to something growing in the garden
• A picnic in the garden or a local park, even a short one

Plan for the messy stuff at home

If you've got outdoor space, summer is the perfect time to let toddlers get properly messy. Water play, painting, digging, making things with whatever's to hand. We do a lot of this at nursery throughout the year and the engagement it produces is something else. It also tends to produce very satisfying tiredness by the end of the afternoon.

If you're indoors, some of the simplest things go a long way: playdough, a bowl of dried pasta and some spoons, a pile of cardboard boxes. Toddlers are remarkably resourceful with open-ended materials when we step back a little.

Talk to your child about the change in routine

Toddlers pick up on changes even when we think they haven't noticed. If nursery is closing for a week or two, or if your child's days are changing over the summer, it helps to talk about it simply and honestly. "Nursery has a little holiday and then you'll go back in September" is enough. You don't need to explain the whole picture, just give them the shape of what's coming.

Think ahead about September

For families with children who will be moving up to a new room at nursery, or starting school in September, the summer can be a useful time to gently build some independence. Practising getting dressed, using the toilet independently, putting shoes on. None of it needs to be a lesson, just opportunities woven into the day.

If you have a child starting with us for the first time in September, do get in touch to arrange settling-in sessions before the new term begins. We offer two short sessions to help children and parents get comfortable before the first proper day, and it makes an enormous difference.

For families thinking about funded childcare hours, it's worth checking your eligibility before September if you haven't already. You can find out what you're entitled to at childcarechoices.gov.uk, and our fees and funding page has more detail on what we accept across our settings.

It doesn't have to be perfect

The summers I remember most fondly with my own children weren't the ones with the biggest plans. They were the ordinary days that turned into something unexpectedly lovely. That's what toddlers give us when we slow down enough to notice.

If you'd like to find out more about life at The House That Jack Built before September, we'd love to show you around. You're very welcome to book a show-around at whichever of our settings is most convenient, or if you'd prefer something more relaxed, our Stay and Play sessions are a lovely way to visit with your child alongside you.