As summer vacations approach, parents will be trying to come up with ways to keep their school-aged children occupied. Summers might be a long break for kids, but for parents, it means finding more things to do to keep from hearing the dreaded “I’m bored!”.
It’s not always easy to find fun and educational activities, so we’ve compiled a list of exciting activities for beating summer boredom and keeping your kids happily occupied.
“Planning is key to enjoying valuable time together,” says Cecilia Mendiola, Senior Child Life Specialist at Children’s Health℠. “Activities such as drawing, painting and journaling are a few ways children can express their feelings and help develop positive coping skills during the summer.”
Here are eight ways to ensure your children make the most of their long school break.
1. Create a Daily Routine
Children have a daily routine to follow during the school year. But when school is out and there are no set responsibilities, it’s important to have your children stick to a similar daily routine.
Having a simple routine, like waking up at a designated time, eating breakfast, doing chores, etc., will make it easier for them to slide back into their school schedule in the fall.
Create a flexible daily schedule that includes responsibilities around the house and some overall good habits, such as sleeping and waking up at the same time every day, eating a balanced diet, and finishing house chores before spending time with friends or going places.
2. Set Goals for the Summer
Along with a daily routine for the summer, encourage your children to set some learning goals too. Sit with them and brainstorm ideas, such as reading a certain number of books, learning a musical instrument, or learning about a fun topic like astronomy or anything else they may be interested in. Help them set attainable goals and measure their goal with weekly check-ins or fun charts. This can help keep them motivated to move toward their goal. Check if your local library offers a summer reading program. These programs typically give participants a small reward – such as a free book – for meeting their daily or weekly reading goals.
Having a summer goal or goals can help keep your child’s brain stimulated and keep it sharp. By having summer goals, your children will not only learn about new things and stay curious, but they will also learn how to work towards a goal. Setting such learning goals helps prevent learning loss that can often occur during long breaks from the classroom.
3. Step Out in Nature
Take advantage of the warm weather and encourage your children to spend time outdoors. Plan a family hike or nature walk in a nearby park, forest, or reserve. You can teach them about different plants, animals, and ecosystems as they encounter each during the outing.
This will also serve as a family bonding experience. You might discover shared interests while on your nature walk. It can also be a good habit to occasionally step out into nature, away from the city. If you aren’t comfortable or equipped to spend a night in the forest, consider organizing a backyard camping adventure with tents, sleeping bags, and a small fire for s’mores making. Camping with your children makes for some amazing, shared memories for life.
4. Engage in Water Activities
When the temperature rises, there’s no better way to beat the heat than refreshing fun in the water. Plan a trip to a swimming pool, water park, or beach. Make a day out of it by packing a picnic lunch and toys the kids can play with in the water or sand.
If you don’t have access to a pool or beach, you can set up a mini water park in your backyard with sprinklers, water balloons, and inflatable pools. Using plastic sheets and a hose, you can create a homemade slip ‘n slide.
5. Get Creative
Apart from building learning habits, it is also important that you let your children explore their creative side. Let their creativity shine by engaging them in various art projects. Set up an outdoor painting station where they can express themselves on large canvases or create a nature-inspired collage using leaves, flowers, and twigs they find outside. Give them some upcycle projects where they have to create something out of discarded things lying around the house or garage.
You can also introduce them to tie-dyeing, pottery, woodcraft, or painting classes for a hands-on artistic experience.
While the goal is to keep them engaged and entertained, it’s a bonus that they’ll learn fun new skills and maybe even stumble upon something they’re really good at.
6. Try Out New Hobbies
Summer is the perfect time to take up a new hobby. Talk to your children about their possible interests and see what could keep them engaged. Unlike a summer goal, this activity could be anything that brings your children joy. Developing new hobbies is essential for a growing mind. It doesn’t have to be a learning experience.
Children usually enjoy hobbies such as:
- Baking/cooking
- Computer programming
- Gardening
- Photography
- Painting
- Music
- Writing/Journaling
- Learning a new language
- Learning new science experiments
As a parent, you can even take up a hobby that you and your child can do together. This will help you spend more quality time together and reinforce your bond.
7. Get Active with Sports:
Encourage your children to stay active during the summer by participating in sports activities. Being physically active and fit has never been more important than it is today. With so many digital distractions keeping your children glued to their seats almost all day, stepping out and partaking in sports will be a healthy change.
Organize family-friendly tournaments in your backyard, such as soccer, basketball, or badminton, where you can invite your children’s friends and their families too. You can also explore local sports clubs or community centers offering children summer sports programs. This will keep them physically active and help them develop important social skills.
8. Give Back
Apart from all the activities listed above that can keep your child busy during the summer break, teaching them to give back to society can instill values of gratitude, empathy, and altruism.
When your child sees you helping others without gaining anything in return, it serves as a great example for them to grow up and be caring and empathetic adults.
Your children can help others by:
- Babysitting
- Volunteering at an animal rescue or shelter
- Donating food to a food bank
- Donating old toys or clothes to those in need
- Visiting a nursing home or assisted living facility
- Mowing the lawn for a senior citizen in your neighborhood or helping them out in other ways
- Write letters or create cards for kids who are in the hospital and for troops who are overseas
- Put up a lemonade stand in the neighborhood and donate the proceeds to a charity
Giving back will help your child feel like they’re doing good in the world and can get their minds off themselves for a while. Plus, teenagers may need service hours as part of high school graduation requirements, which can give them a head start.
Conclusion
The summer break from school offers a wonderful opportunity for children to explore new interests and learn new skills, all while having fun. By incorporating exciting activities into their daily routines, you can ensure your children stay engaged, entertained, and make the most of their summer. Remember, the key is to strike a balance between structured activities and unstructured playtime, allowing your children to enjoy their vacation while keeping their minds and bodies active.
We hope this blog helps you beat summer boredom and create lasting memories with your children. Enjoy the summer break!