Messing about on the water

If you’ve got kids summer means one thing – water fun! From a gentle splash in the paddling pool to hitting the waves at the beach, summer holidays are a great opportunity to enjoy some safe, supervised water fun. And if your child will be celebrating a birthday over the summer months and loves all things nautical, we have a great new party range perfect for their special occasion. With the appropriate name ‘Ahoy There!’, the new range has a breezy, nautical design featuring sailing boats, port-holes and ship’s wheels, and includes everything from party invites and paper plates to jaunty bunting and vibrant balloons. The Ahoy There! range is a great spring-board for water-themed parties, so if your child loves the sea this range will have their party table and décor looking truly ship-shape and Bristol fashion!

Carry on the aquatic theme to the food – bagels make great life-savers, or you could hunt out a fish-shaped cookie cutter for making iced biscuits or using to cut out sandwiches. Simple star shaped biscuits can be iced white and decorated with silver balls to resemble star fish or look out for sugar paste fish or boat decorations you can pop onto the top of simple cupcakes to reflect your watery theme. We love the idea of making up a blue punch to reflect the colour of the sea – simply drop a couple of drops of food colouring into a jug of lemonade and drop in some chunks of fruit to create a party drink with real ‘wow’ factor!

When it comes to water-themed games, there’s all kinds of fun to be had. Younger children can try their hand at hook a duck, perhaps. You’ll need lots of toy rubber ducks with a small hook attached to each one and lengths of garden cane, also with hooks on the end, and a good sized, water-filled paddling pool, but although the set up takes some preparation this is a simple but universally-loved game that will keep young guests occupied. Older children might like to try ‘Port and Starboard’, a traditional, fast-paced party game that’s great for burning off excess energy! The idea behind the game is to follow the ‘Captain’s’ instructions as he commands children in the direction or port or starboard, or gives the command to ‘sweep the decks’ or ‘climb the rigging’.  Simple and fun, it’s a great game that can be played indoors or out, though be sure to have plenty of space to run in all directions! Take a look online to find the full instructions.

If you don’t have a party to celebrate there are lots of ways to enjoy the water this season. Your local swimming pool may host a kids fun session, where they can play around with inflatables and water slides, or if the weather stays warm you could try some open-air swimming for something a bit different. There are lots of ‘Lido’s across the UK, including the famous Brockwell and Tooting Bec Lidos, both in south London. The latter is the largest fresh water pool in England, boasting a 90 metre pool and children’s paddling pool. A totally different experience to your local indoor pool, visiting a lido recreates that holiday vibe right on your doorstep.

If you’d like to see some boats in action, look no further than the world-famous Cowes Week, which kicks off on 3^rd August on the Isle of Wight. New for this year is a Family Day taking place on Sunday 7^th August, a dedicated event packed with family-friendly activities, including the chance to take to the water and experience sailing at special discounted prices. Other activities on offer include raft building, kayaking and a daily pirate’s treasure hunt.

For less high-octane water-based pursuits, why not discover a new corner of Britain’s impressive coastline this summer? There’s something for all tastes and ages, whether you want to hone your surfing skills, go crabbing in rock pools or just relax on a wide expanse of golden sand. Take a look at parenting website Netmums for details of safe, family-friendly beaches across the UK. 

If you’d like to see our full Ahoy There! range, visit www.neviti.com. We’d love to know what you think of the new range, so why not drop us a line in the comment box below?