It can be challenging, to say the least, to keep kids gainfully occupied during the long summer months. It is important to do this in a way that keeps the children from getting bored, which keeps them out of trouble and is not an activity that is bad for them (read TV viewing, video games, etc).
Kids are happiest when they have other kids to play with, so schedule play dates with other parents. Other parents are also likely to be at a loss to find things for their kids to do and would welcome having your child over if the same is reciprocated by you. 
One of the activities that kids invariably enjoy getting stuck into during summer is hanging out in the pool.
The Portable Home Pool or Inflatable Pool or Kiddie Pool
Set up a pool for the kids on a shaded verandah or patio. If you want to avoid a mess pick a shady space in the front or back of the house. There is nothing more fun for kids than hanging out in a pool for hours on end. Getting one of those inflatable ones that kids can just paddle in (not swim in, because that would make it dangerous for kids to be in unsupervised) is an excellent idea.
Place a ball and a bunch of other inflatable toys in it and the kids are ready for hours of fun. Just make sure the pool is placed in the shade, to avoid sun burn, or harmful sun exposure for delicate young skin. Otherwise make sure you have plenty of sun block on hand.
Types of Pools:
For small babies, you can get a small pool that can be placed inside the house or the bathroom; you can even put it at any part of the house so you can keep an eye on your little one as you go about your chores. Many baby pools come with a built in sun shade, such as this Sunshade adjustable baby pool float from Amazon.
For older kids who will want to hang out with their friends, a pool with some built in activities is a good idea: The Ocean Play Center includes two pools in one; a water slide and a palm tree. It comes with built in drain plugs and control valves to adjust water flow. Similarly the rainbow ring play pool center comes with two pools, and slides for the kids as well as for cars or other toys the children may want to play with.
And there’s no reason why parents should not be allowed to join in the fun; there are many large sized pools that the whole family can take a dip into. This Easy Pool set comes with filter and DVD, and this inflatable backyard pool can accommodate the whole family as well.
