Summer Holidays

Having fun

by Lydia Parkinson

Suitable for Whole School (Pri)

Aims

To consider the enjoyment that we find in the summer.

Preparation and materials

• You will need the PowerPoint slides that accompany this assembly (Summer Holidays) and the means to display them.

Assembly

1. Have Slide 1 showing as the children enter.
   
   Ask the children what they are looking forward to most about the summer holidays.
   
   Listen to a range of responses.
   
   
2. Tell the children that you would love to hear about their experiences of fun in the summertime, either this year or in previous years. Go on to explain that you are going to show some pictures now. If the children would like to share any thoughts, they can put their hand up and you will choose a few people to speak.
   
   Optional: after each slide, you may wish to give the children the opportunity to talk to the people near them, so that more people have the chance to share.
   
   
3. Show Slides 2-6.
   
   - Slide 2 shows a selection of ice lollies.
   - Slide 3 shows some children playing with water pistols.
   - Slide 4 shows some sandcastles and a bucket and spade.
   - Slide 5 shows some children running in a park.
   - Slide 6 shows some children lounging in a swimming pool.
   
   
4. Point out that at the end of the term, as the school year draws to a close, we are all ready for a break! Most of us will be looking forward to not going to school every day. We will enjoy a change of scenery and routine.
   
   
5. In the Christian and Jewish traditions, we are told that when God made the world, he rested on the seventh day. (Genesis 2.2)
   
   If God took time to rest, it must be important for us to do so too! We aren’t sure what it meant to God to rest. Maybe it meant that he took the time to look at what he had made and enjoy it. Maybe he thought about how pleased he was with what he had just made!

Time for reflection

Encourage the children to enjoy the summer holidays in many ways. Encourage them to spend time thinking about other people and how they can make the holidays a great time for them too. Maybe they could do extra jobs for their parents or carers, or take the time to visit an older relative more regularly.

Ask the children for other ideas to make the holidays good for others.

Listen to a range of responses.

Song/music

‘Summer holiday’ by Cliff Richard, available at: https://youtu.be/OHOk9bZDssA (2.15 minutes long)