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Summer is on its way. And with it comes kids clamoring for activities, the thirst

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With a sunny weekend on the cards and blue skies beckoning us outdoors, chances are you’re checking out that precious patio – or gift of greenery – for eating in the open air. From prepping your garden furniture to sharpening your table-scaping skills, here’s everything you’ll need for a fun-loving summer of colourful entertaining… 1. Sienna White Speckled Glass Jug, £29; Sienna White Speckled Glass Tumblers, Set of 4, £29, ProCook Can’t wait to proffer your first jug of Pimm’s? Neither can we and this stylish speckled jug is just the job for all those tasty strawbs, sliced oranges and sprigs of mint. 2. Nectar Outdoor Sofa Set – Green, £799, Dobbies It’s not every day you splash out on a sofa to soak up the sunshine, so may as well make it one to set the tone for comfy outdoor living with a lick of luxe. This one features a single chair, large L-shaped double sofa with two cushions, single footstool and attractive terrazzo top coffee table. 3. Lemon Picnic Platter, £10; Set of 4 Summer Fruits Picnic Dinner Plates, £15; Set of 4 Summer Fruits Picnic Side Plates, £15; Large Lemon Picnic Bowl, £10; Set of 2 Lemon Outdoor Cushions, £25; rest of items from a selection, Marks & Spencer Lemons are currently basking in the limelight and trending on tableware – they not only look mouth-watering, but are an instant summery update. 4. John Lewis Salsa 2-Seater Garden Sofa, Two Tone Yellow, £165, John Lewis Surely the brightest way to pimp up a patio is with a posh polyweave statement sofa in sunshine yellow. Designed to be outdoors all summer long, it will look just as sultry in a sun room or conservatory. 5. Ooni Fyra Pizza Oven, £299, Dobbies Billed as the next best thing to a traditional stone pizza oven, this Ooni Fyra fuelled by energy-efficient wood pellets turns out the tastiest pizza – and promises to put the pow-wow into your pepperoni and nicest into a Neapolitan. Super speedy and versatile, it also loves fish, veggies and burgers. 6. Natural Slogan Straw Effect Outdoor Cushion, £14; Orange Reversible Outdoor Cushion, £14, right; Orange Leaf Outdoor Cushion, £10, far left and far right; Multicoloured String Lantern, £25, Matalan An easy update, a handful of scatter cushions in sunny shades will breathe new life into tired garden furniture… and channel some holiday vibes teamed with a colourful lantern. 7. Flamingo Plastic Picnicware: Set of 4 Tumbler Glasses, £16; Set of 4 Wine Glasses, £18; Jug, £18; Set of 2 bowls, £18; Yellow Lemon Picnic Serve Platter, £15; rest of items from a selection, Next When life gives you lemons… team them with pretty pink flamingos to cheer your friends. 8. French Pink/Antique White Stripe Large Tassel Fringed Beach And Garden Parasol, currently £220 from £235, Staycation! Vintage Style Parasols A showstopper of a sunshade, this candy stripe parasol imbibes thoughts of laid-back beach holidays and long, lazy lunches. With 32mm solid beachwood pole, multi-position tilt function and matching fabric carry bag, this A-list accessory offers UV50+ protection from the sun’s harmful rays. 9. Boutique Camping Fire Pit, currently £139 from £149, Boutique Camping Combining function with form, as we spend more evenings outside, the warming flames of a fire pit not only look radiant, but soothe the soul with their mesmerising flame. Just add wood or coals to the steel bowl. 10. John Lewis ANYDAY Mase Indoor/Outdoor Rug, Blue, L180 x W120cm, £100; Palm Grove Indoor/Outdoor Cushions, Cobalt, £12 each; John Lewis ANYDAY 2-Seater Metal Garden Sofa, Light Blue, £129; John Lewis ANYDAY Metal Garden Lounge Chair, Light Blue, £79, John Lewis When you want to slip into a relaxing, Mediterranean vibe, this pale blue seating with woven rug made from recycled water bottles is one way to visualise light breezes and beautiful views. 11. Sur La Table Bamboo Salad Bowl, £25; Bamboo Salad Spoons, £12; Green, Orange and Blue Cereal Bowls, £9 each; Pasta Bowls, £11 each; rest of items from a selection, Pure Table Top This Colour Me Happy range of striking serveware is another way to treat yourself to a colourful menu… Bon appétit! Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Why going sober could be the key to fitness success 5 of this summer’s hottest swimwear trends Teenagers with obesity should be offered weight loss drug, say experts

Holiday season is here – and when it comes to packing for summer getaways, swimwear is of the utmost importance. Whether you’re jetting across the globe or staycationing in the sunshine, a stylish swimsuit or two-piece is a must-have – and there are plenty of incredible pieces to choose from this season. From vintage-inspired prints to bold colours and figure-flattering shapes, these are the five key swimwear trends to know about now… 1. Retro florals The groovy Sixties and Seventies fashion trend spills over into beachwear with flower-powered swimsuits and bikinis. Amp up the vintage vibes by teaming yours with cork wedges, a floppy sun hat and a crochet cover-up. Orla Kiely X Regatta Seagrass Passionflower Swimsuit, £27.95 (was £40) Ted Baker Telisea Cut Out Detail Bikini Top, £45; Tiffnei Bikini Bottoms, £40 2. Barbie pink After what feels like years of anticipation, Greta Gerwig’s live-action Barbie film lands in cinemas right in the middle of vacation season – on July 21 – and the all-pink-everything trend is still going strong. With a plethora of pink swimwear on the high street – everything from string bikinis to sporty suits, in every shade from pastels to fuchsia – everyone can live their best Malibu Barbie life this summer. SimplyBe Crinkle Plunge Swimsuit and Scrunchie, £32.40 Reign Studio Rosa Fuller Bust Bikini Top Fuchsia Pink, £50; Rosa High Waisted Bikini Bottoms Fuchsia Pink, £32 Monsoon Lace Trim Bikini Top with Recycled Polyester Pink, £40; Lace Trim Bikini Bottoms with Recycled Polyester Pink, £35 3. Bandeau After several seasons of lingerie-inspired multi-strap swimwear that leaves you, more often than not, with very weird tanlines (we’re blaming Love Island), minimalist styles are back. Strapless swimsuits and bikinis are sleek and chic. Mix and match block colour separates for a sporty look or make a style statement with a printed two-piece. Seafolly On Vacation Clip Back Bandeau Bikini Top in Azure/Multi, £55; Seafolly On Vacation High Waist Bikini Bottoms in Azure, £65, John Lewis & Partners Jets Australia Oia Sunset Bandeau One Piece, £177 And/Or Shirred Bandeau Bikini Top Blue, £24; Side Shirred Bikini Bottoms Blue, £18, John Lewis & Partners 4. Ring details Bring vintage glam to your poolside look with a ring-detail bikini or bathing suit. Tap into the Seventies trend with paisley or marble print, or go au naturel in caramel and coffee tones. Very Lucy Mecklenburgh Ring Detail Halter Neck Bikini Top in Orange, £18; Ring Detail High Waisted Bikini Brief in Orange, £15 Peacocks Womens Brown Leaf Print One Shoulder Control Swimsuit, £24 5. One shoulder Asymmetrical designs combined with cut-out detailing make for one of the sexiest swimwear trends of the year – and it’s a look celebs and fashion influencers are loving. Go for Grecian glam with a white one-shoulder bikini or jazz it up with a colourful print. Boux Avenue Java Textured Crop Bikini Top White, £25; Java Textured High Waist Bikini Briefs White, £20 Matalan Be Beau Multicoloured Wiggle One Shoulder Swimming Costume, £21 Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Teenagers with obesity should be offered weight loss drug, say experts Harry and Meghan ‘not contacted by royal family’ after car chase in New York Women urged to check blood pressure – here’s what you need to know

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Exam season is underway, and many teenagers might be feeling overwhelmed about the important tests they’re facing over the next few months. “Sitting exams is often one of the most overwhelming and high pressure experiences teens face, and students often put immense pressure on themselves,” says Lara McIvor, a revision expert at Save My Exams. “For parents with children taking exams, it can be difficult to know how best to support their child without being too involved or under-supportive. “As parents and teachers, it should be our mission to ensure students have access to clear support systems, coping mechanisms and study techniques over these challenging few months, and we should all be better educated in the warning signs of stress in teens.” And Matt Buttery, CEO of the Triple P Positive Parenting Programme, adds: “This can be a stressful time, but the good news is that parents can support young people and help remove some of the pressure around exam season. By setting a positive example and encouraging them, you can help ensure they remain happy and healthy, as well as reach their full academic potential.” So what can parents and carers do to actually make the whole exam experience better for teens? 1. Encourage them to chat with you Encourage open communication, and if your teen seems stressed, ask if they’d like to talk through revision together, or more broadly discuss their concerns, suggests Buttery. “It’s important your child knows you’re there for them if they need you,” he stresses. 2. Set up a quiet study area Ensuring your child has an optimum place to study without distractions is vital to their success, McIvor says. “Often concentration can wane, so making sure there are limited external distractions – such as loud music or TV – will allow for the best results and prepare them for their silent exams,” she says. 3. Don’t just rush to make them feel better It’s vital to acknowledge what teenagers are feeling, rather than just trying to make it go away, stresses psychologist Dr Audrey Tang. “One of the most important things anyone can do is validate their right to feel as they do,” she explains. “We’re not very good at sitting with anxiety and often rush to try and make it go away or to feel better, and this can lead us to quick fixes which can include unhealthy behaviour choices such as not bothering to try, often led by unhealthy thoughts like ‘If I don’t try, I can’t fail’.” 4. Help teenagers unpack their feelings Encourage teens to analyse or unpack how they’re feeling about their exams and revision, advises Tang. “If we take a moment to respect our feelings, and try to unpack exactly what we’re worrying about, we may be able to work out what we need to do next,” she explains. For example, is your teen’s anxiety caused by them not understanding some things, and if it is, which specific bits are causing the problem? Or is it linked to knowing their parents are stressed and not wanting to add to it, and if that’s the case, are other services available? “When we begin to unpack our feelings, rather than suppress or deny them, we have a better idea of what action is going to help us the most,” Tang explains. 5. Help with visual prompts Creating an ongoing learning environment throughout the exam period is key, says McIvor. She suggests sticking notes with key quotes, equations, etc on them around the house in places where your child can always see them. “This can be really useful for some students as it allows for constant exposure to materials,” she explains. 6. Avoid ‘toxic positivity’ If a teenager says things like, ‘I’m so stupid’, or ‘I’m rubbish at everything’, it’s natural for parents to tell them they’re brilliant, observes Tang. “Unfortunately, this has the effect of not validating those emotions, and the opportunity to understand what they’re trying to say is lost,” she explains. “A better way to navigate that discussion would be to acknowledge the feeling with something like ‘I’m really sorry you’re feeling that way’, and asking for more information.” 7. Be a good role model Role modelling healthy ways to manage your own anxiety is hugely important, stresses Tang. “Why would you expect a young adult to listen to you if you aren’t showing in your own practice that what you’re suggesting works?” she asks. And Buttery advises parents to lead by example by staying positive and calm when talking about exams. “Avoid using phrases such as, ‘You must be nervous’,” he says, “As you may risk accidentally making an otherwise calm child more stressed. Children learn a great deal about how to manage their behaviour and deal with difficult situations from their parents. By demonstrating calm and resilient behaviour, parents can have a positive influence on their children’s ability to cope with adversity.” 8. Try stressbusting techniques together Tang suggests practising self-care or stressbusting techniques together, such as affirmations with deep breathing. One technique, she says, is to get your child to note down everything they need to do and its relative importance on a pie chart, where the size of the slice shows the importance of the activity. Then ask them to draw on a scale of zero in the centre, to 10 on the outside, where they are in each segment. “This gives them a visual representation of what they need to do, and where they are, as well as an indication of the areas they’re neglecting, and how important those areas are,” she says. “By having everything on one pie chart, it might feel a lot more manageable.” 9. Maintain the family routine Ensuring family dinners and other rituals remain part of daily life can help teenagers cope with exam stress, as routine is predictable and reassuring at a time of pressure and uncertainty. Maintaining structure can also help your child plan their downtime, stresses Buttery, who adds: “It’s important to ensure they’re taking time to relax and unwind, whether by watching their favourite TV show, playing a game, or hanging out with friends.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Children In Need removes Pudsey’s bandana to show not all challenges are visible Is your child too anxious to go to school? What’s the link between the menopause and anxiety?

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