After the wettest June since records began and the summer deluge set to continue, study shows parents are stumped over what to do with their kids this Summer holiday.

Millions of parents are worried that the continuing bad weather combined with a lack of money could have a big impact on just how much fun they will be able to give their children these summer holidays.

That’s according to a new study released today just ahead of the holidays which shows that almost a quarter of parents say this summers wet weather is likely to curtail their plans and mums and dads are desperate for a few ideas to help entertain their kids. Furthermore 40% of parents will be impacted by their finances in terms of how many activities they can do with their children.

So if money is tight and the bad weather is set to continue what are the options?

Leading child development expert Jacqueline Harding is a huge advocate for the importance of creative play and the benefits of a healthy dose of adventure and exploration when it comes to children, especially younger children who are just starting to discover the world around them.

She has plenty of advice for parents on indoor and outdoor play regardless of the weather and she’s also keen to see not just parents but also childcare and nurseries given the support to provide children with a huge range of fun and educational activities that help grow their minds.

Like parents, many nurseries struggle to find the resource to help provide a range of activities for their pupils, so to help the cause, Jacqueline is backing an independent initiative aimed at pre-schoolers, their parents and nurseries/playgroups from the grass roots.

The research shows that one in five parents think there should be more funding and resources to improve the amount of outdoor activities offered to pre-school children.

Nick Jr. knows just how important learning and discovery is to a child’s development and they are currently accepting submissions for the Help Dora Help Award Fund. Now in its second year, the campaign will see Nick Jr. award a grant of £20,000 to a nursery or pre-school to support education, development and exploration with an experience they would otherwise not be able to obtain.

On this podcast, Jacqueline Harding, a leading child development expert discusses how to keep the kids entertained this summer, even with the awful weather, without damaging their development.