August – Children & Families

Spending time with your children during the summer holidays can be a very rewarding and enjoyable experience.  It can also be a time for children to go out on their own with their friends or get involved in new activities.

Fortunately, there are so many things to keep the whole family occupied right here in Bracknell Forest – many at low or no cost.  We’ve listed some of them on this site and hope you get some great ideas for activities.

If the weather isn’t kind, then you could even ditch the TV and the computer for a while and play a good old-fashioned board (bored?) game.  These are great for just sitting down with your child and having some simple together-time.   My son’s favourite game used to be Monopoly – not only did he learn to handle “real” money but also that it was possible to outsmart me.  Needless to say these have proved very useful skills as he’s got older!  What games will you play with your child this summer?

When the weather is fine most families like to get out in the sun and if its really hot, cool off in a swimming pool or paddling pool in the garden.   However, its always worth remembering some simple but important safety messages.  You’ll find some practical advice about summer safety in this article.

August is also the time for some parents to think about a child who is starting school in September.   Making sure your child is up to date with their vaccinations before they start school is one of the most important things you can do to protect your child from potentially severe illnesses such as measles, mumps and rubella (MMR).  To fully protect your child they need to have had two doses of the MMR vaccine.  If you are in doubt, please speak to your GP or practice nurse.  Its never too late to catch up.

Finally, if you’d like to tell us about your ideas for family activities that we may have missed then be sure to post on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/bfchealth.  Don’t forget to LIKE and SHARE our page too.