Summer Fun at Home

Summer is the best time of the year. Children are freed from the academic constraints of public schools and revert to a more natural, and possibly even feral existence, searching out endless snacks and entertainment.

Parents, however, need to balance the demands of the household and work schedules with their children's need for guidance and supervision. If you are a working parent, your daycare's programming is often filling your child's days with excitement, fun, and interaction. If you are a stay at home parent, or even more challenging, a work-from-home parent, you need to stay organized to get your own stuff done and keep your kids engaged and enriched.

The good thing is that you don't actually have to "do it all" to have a great summer. Here are some ideas to help smooth out your day's schedule and keep kids happy, healthy, and engaged with life, without endless screen time.

1. Chores: when you're doing a chore, get your kids to help. I know, I know, it's easier to just do the dishes once they're in bed. However, studies show that children who do chores are more successful later in life because they learn responsibility for self, home, and family early. It's actually important for them to participate in real life now so they'll know how to engage with it when they're older. As they get older, you don't need to be so hands on and you can delegate chores. Give them specific timelines, such as all chores need to be done first thing in the morning before screens or outdoor play. Or the kitchen needs to be cleaned before everyone goes to bed. Whatever works for your family is best, but the more of a routine it becomes, the easier it is to follow through. Ideas for chores that kids can help with are: sweeping, mopping, cleaning bathrooms, dishes, watering plants, mowing the lawn, dusting, putting away toys, vacuuming, laundry, etc. Remember to teach them as you go, and gradually let them do it themselves.
   

   

   This is our first year with a yard! We have lots of dandelions to pull, and a little herb garden to maintain, and hopefully next year we will plant a real garden.

2. Reading: please please please let them have real paper books. That isn't to say that digital books don't have their place --they certainly do, and they're great, but more screen time isn't always better. Parents should read with their children daily, even once the reading becomes each of us reading our own novels. Young children need to develop language patterns from reading, and stories help them build vocabulary and understanding of the world around them. Emily Buchwald said, "Children are made readers on the laps of their parents." Whether this works for your family by having a morning basket of books to enjoy together first thing, or a selection of bedtime stories, books are doorways to other worlds and new understandings. The most powerful thing you can do for your children is read to them and discuss what you have read.

3. Writing: David McCullough said, "Writing is thinking. To write well is to think clearly. That's why it's so hard." If you can encourage your children to write stories, journal entries, responses to reading, novels, screen plays, comics, or essays it hones their thinking. Summer time may mean they don't feel like doing something that resembles "school work" but the difference between an assigned task and a chosen task is that it no longer feels like work. If you have some designated work time yourself, it's a perfect time to give your child a ream of paper and some markers and let them go to town. Yes, drawing pictures counts as writing, especially for younger children who are learning to form letters. When you need some quiet time to think, this is a perfect activity. I like to put these activities out in the mid-afternoon when they used to nap, or when it's too hot to be outside, or when I'm frazzled and need a moment to breathe.

4. Drawing/painting/colouring/other art projects: This can go hand in hand with the previous writing activity. Art can just be the joy of creating, or you can search project ideas on pinterest or youtube. Bonus points for scissors and glue and other craft materials -- scissors build muscles in the hand which improve pencil grip and fine motor skills. I personally love to get a dollar store sketchbook at the beginning of summer and use it for everything. Your child can take it to the backyard or park to sketch with pencils, or watch watercolour tutorials on YouTube and copy as they go. Use markers and make your own colouring pages. Glue in some feathers and other bits and bobs. Design clothing. Press flowers. Sketch out patterns for felt hats that you can later sew together. It is a record of your child's creative journey. You just need to take the first steps.

5. Sewing/knitting/woodworking/other handicrafts: The more hands-on activities you can provide, the better. Build a birdhouse. Sew pajama pants. Big projects can build focus, stamina, and confidence, and at the end they can say, "Look! I have created something myself!" Borrow books from the library on these topics and let the kids figure it out.

6. Water Play: from sprinklers to spray parks, water is the quintessential summer activity. It cools kids off on hot days, and provides endless hours of fun. I ask my kids to water the plants, and it turns into a water fight, which is awesome. While the lawn is wet, I go around pulling up dandelions with my handy weeding tool, and get the kids involved with weeding the garden. I love reusable water toys over water balloons, personally. Find a local beach to visit, and play in the sand. If it's a rainy day, go out in rainboots and gear, and splash in puddles. Let them get wet and messy. Watch leaves and sticks flow down towards the drain. At the end of a long day, put them in the tub and let them soak and play and relax. When they're getting cranky and overtired, run a sink of water and soap, and let them wash their toy dinosaurs or cars. Water is magical.

   

   Lots of chores double as water play for small kids.

7. Walking/biking/hiking: the beauty of summer is that the world feels so alive. When you find a path to follow, and appreciate nature, you become part of it. Encourage your children to love the world around them, and teach them to enjoy being in nature. These gross motor activities build endurance and stamina, and body and mind can grow together.

8. Sports: Again, gross motor skills are a bonus here, but with the added benefits of learning teamwork, rules, specific skills, and the joy of play. It doesn't matter if you can't kick a soccer ball straight, let them play. Practice comes through play, and your children will build skills by playing together. Sometimes just throwing a baseball can be an incredibly valuable time to bond and enjoy one another's company. Summer is the perfect time to try out a bunch of different sports and see if any really speak to your child.

9. Music: There is something amazing about how music affects mood. When everyone is feeling tired and grumbly, I like to put on fun dance music and sing loud, or dance. It is so quick to pick us up. I recommend learning to play instruments, or singing, but if you don't have access, just listening and appreciating a variety of music can inspire children to be creative, and singing along. As a child, I took piano lessons, and while I didn't stick with it, I can still read music and love plunking a melody out. My kids have a tiny xylophone that they can play basic songs on, and we love to sing karaoke together.

10. Cooking and Baking: They say cooking is an art, and baking is a science. It's fun to learn new recipes and try our hand at making things that actually taste good. Children benefit from learning to use knives and stoves properly early on, and it builds their confidence to feed themselves and take steps towards independence. Let them try! Supervise carefully, and give detailed instructions. It is a great opportunity to visit and enjoy one another's company. Even failed recipes are learning experiences!

Obviously summer is full of opportunities to get to really know your children and enjoy their company. By giving of your time and energy, you can teach your kids a variety of skills they can take into their lives, and build your relationship with each other. May you have the patience and stamina to keep up with your little people, and soak up the joy of childhood alongside them.