JB GILL SHARES TIPS TO LEVEL UP THE SUMMER HOLIDAYS AS PARENTS RUN OUT OF IDEAS BY DAY 10

Summer Of Fun Feature 496

Added by: Shropshire Mums on Thu Jul 30 9:13 2026

Hard-pressed parents run out of creative steam to keep their kids entertained by day 10 of the summer holidays, according to a poll of mums and dads with 4-12-year-old children.

The research was commissioned by GoGo squeeZ, 100% fruit smoothie snacks, which has partnered with former JLS star, presenter and father-of-two JB Gill to encourage families to ‘Level Up in the Wild’ this summer, by turning outdoor play into exciting real-world adventures, inspired by the brand's Roblox game, GoGo Climb. 

JB GILL'S TOP FIVE TIPS TO GAMIFY OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES: 

1. The Superquick Supply Run:

Turn a trip to the shops into a timed mission by challenging children to find everything on a shopping list before the countdown ends. Give your kids a simple list and a deadline to make it to the shops and back, with your support, and reward them with a celebration when they’ve completed the mission. 

2. The Family XP Quest:

Transform family walks into a scavenger hunt where children earn points for spotting wildlife, colours and objects along the way. Whoever finds 5 signs of wildlife or can name five different species of flower they see first wins experience points or XP. 

3. The Tiered Level Challenge:

Break outdoor activities into increasingly difficult stages, unlocking new levels as they progress. This could be as simple as completing the monkey bars in the park forwards, then doing it backwards, then only using every other bar. 

4. Beat Your High Score:

Encourage children to beat their own personal bests by timing activities and tracking improvements over time, like running the fastest lap around the park, carrying the most logs, or stacking the most stones. 

5. Escape the Magma Zone:

Use imagination to turn everyday routes into adventures by challenging children to avoid touching imaginary ‘lava’ beneath them. Jump from item to item in the park, or avoid cracks on the pavement on the way to the shops. 

"Like lots of parents, I know how hard it can be to keep children entertained once the summer holidays are in full swing. But sometimes, the simplest ideas can become the biggest adventures if you speak kids’ natural language. 

"Outdoor play doesn't need to be complicated or expensive to capture children's attention. Whether it's racing to beat their own high score, collecting experience points or ‘XP’ on a family walk or pretending the floor is lava, these little gamified challenges can make familiar places feel brand new. 

"I love the idea of giving children a goal to work towards while they’re getting wild in nature, because it keeps them engaged and gives them a sense of achievement. And we all know that kids get hungry when they’re being active out and about, so it’s important to keep them fuelled with delicious and nutritious on-the-go foods, like GoGo squeeZ 100% fruit smoothie snacks.” 

ADDITIONAL DATA

The poll of mums and dads with children aged 4-12 also found that:

• ·                  Almost two-thirds (63 per cent) admitted keeping their children engaged throughout the holidays is becoming increasingly challenging.
• ·                  The biggest barriers to entertaining the kids include work obligations (41 per cent), having multiple children with different interests (33 per cent) and a lack of inspiration (26 per cent).
• ·                  Almost half of children (46 per cent) spend an hour or less outside daily, despite most (89 per cent) agreeing outdoor play is vital for wellbeing and development.
• ·                  Nearly three-quarters (72 per cent) of parents said they believe gaming-style language is an effective way to encourage outdoor play.
• ·                  75 per cent of parents believe their child is more motivated by outdoor activities when they are framed as a challenge or mission, with words such as “mission” (51 per cent), “reward” (49 per cent), “challenge” (47 per cent) and “adventure” (46 per cent) proving particularly effective.