10 ways to make the most of this summer

Make the most of the summer with our 10 ideas. Fill in your time with productive and meaningful activities, and create lasting memories.

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Summer is truly the time when we all become livelier, more motivated and inspired to make a change. These couple of weeks of holiday we take over the summer are normally the perfect time to make the most of the warm season, and truly rediscover ourselves.

Whether you're a parent, having to entertain the kids over the school holidays, or a responsible adult taking their annual holiday, the opportunities are endless. With so little time, and so many ideas it's sometimes hard to decide how to make the most of the summer.

To make sure you enjoy your holidays, and stay productive we've got some brilliant ideas to help you fill your time.

10 ways to make the most of the summer:

Make ice cream.

The reason summer exists is so we can eat ice cream. Learn how to make your own - it's simple, cheaper and healthier than the ones sold in the store. Check out this recipe we found on Sandhya's kitchen.

Pack a picnic.

You can do it alone, or with the kids. Pack your favourite foods, a good book and spend a sunny afternoon in the local park.

Enroll in a class.

Whether you have a whole month or two weeks, give yourself the chance to explore cooking, photography, coding or learn a new skill - why not try your hand in plumbing (it's the most admired skill in the UK ).

Think about your home.

We know it's holiday time but why not spare a day to do all these tasks you've been postponing. Make sure all the bills are paid, check your meters are running correctly, organise repairs for your temporary fixes. And to make sure your boiler is ready for the cold season, why not book your boiler service , while prices are low, and engineers have availability?

Learn a new language.

Or at least give it a start. You might not be able to speak it by the end of the holidays but your interest will be sparked, and it's a perfect time filler for the long winter nights. Start with using apps such as Duolingo .

Volunteer.

If there's a cause close to your heart, spend some time over the holidays to really engage with it. Visit an animal shelter or a care home, and donate your free time for a good cause.

Plant a garden.

It's not too late to try your gardening skills in the summer. There is still time to plant some herbs and late vegetables and gather your produce in time for the winter. It's a rewarding and educational pastime both for you, and for any children involved.

Assemble a cookbook.

We all have the favourite family recipes like that pie that only grandma can make so delicious. Use your free time to make sure the secret ingredients are preserved for the generations, and make a book of all your family recipes.

Host an international dinner.

You can do this with your friends or family. Pick a country and research the local cuisine and clothing. Then decorate and prepare food in the traditional style - let's see how well you can make it.

Clean up the local green area.

Whether you live close to the beach, river, park or a shared community garden, spare an afternoon to collect some trash and recycle it. It might only be a small act on your side but think about all this rubbish that didn't end up in the ocean.

Do you have any other great ideas about how to make your holidays productive and memorable?