Summer is right around the corner and that means your little ones will have a lot of spare time on their hands and keeping them occupied can be a challenge for some parents.
In this post, we look at a few helpful ideas to provide your kids with the necessary structure to keep them busy and their minds sharp while having fun in the process.
Maintain a Schedule
One aspect of summer break nearly every kid looks forward to is sleeping in. And while it’s okay to allow them to indulge with a few more hours of shuteye occasionally, you want to avoid making it a habit because as summer winds down and the school year approaches, getting them back into a routine will be much more difficult.
If possible, try to mimic your child’s daily routine when they were in school as closely as possible and that includes when they wake up, when they eat their meals, and when they go to bed. Allowing kids to deviate from their everyday routines can cause behavioral issues when you try to get them back on a regular schedule.
Maintain Friendships
Your child likely developed strong friendships while in school and separating them from their buddies can cause anxiety. So, it’s important to try to help them stay in touch with their classmates during the summer break. Consider scheduling play dates, a day at the park or zoo, or maybe a sleepover to keep friendship bonds secure.
Minimize Screen Time
When kids have large amounts of time on their hands, it’s easy for them to fall into the trap of screen addiction. Even when a child’s life is structured with school and other activities, the ever-present screen is always there.
While phones and tablets are part of our culture, reducing screen time is beneficial to your child’s physical and mental health. During summer break, it’s tempting to allow your children to overindulge in their electronics like video games and social media as a way to keep them occupied. But according to the Mayo Clinic, too much screen time can be linked to:
- Obesity
- Irregular sleep
- Behavioral problems
- Impaired academic performance
- Less time for play
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends “no more than two hours of daily recreational screen time and at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day.”
Keep Physically Active
As mentioned, it’s’ easy for children to become less active during summer break, especially with all the entertainment they have on their phones, tablets, and game systems. Spending hours on the couch or in their rooms gaming or surfing social media will keep them occupied, but it’s not good for their minds or bodies.
According to the Society of Behavioral Medicine, “A recent study among children 6 to 9 years of age showed that physical activity dropped by 53% during the summer months.” Additional studies show that one average, body mass index increases during summer more than any other season.
There are many ways to keep your kids active during summer break. For example, if you have an exercise routine, invite your kids to participate. Not only will this keep them healthy, but it also makes for a great bonding experience. Furthermore, get your kids into the habit of helping with chores around the house like cleaning to get them moving and off the couch.
Lastly, if there are any youth sports leagues or camps in your area, consider enrolling your kids to help them stay active.
Stay Mentally Sharp
Keeping your child’s mind sharp is just as important as keeping their bodies fit. Limiting their screen time is one way to improve their mental activity because mindless scrolling through social media does little to stimulate their brains. Research shows that kids can lose between 2 and 2 1/2 months of math skills and other setbacks during summer vacation.
Keeping your child’s mind sharp doesn’t mean you have to enroll them in summer school or limit their mental exercises to reading (although reading is fantastic) and it doesn’t have to be a forced sit-down teaching activity either.
One way to keep your children mentally fit is to take advantage of teaching moments. For example, maybe get your kids to help you to prepare a meal and teach them how to measure out ingredients or take them to the zoo or museum and let them read descriptions of animals or works of art.
Depending on your child’s age, getting them involved with puzzles like sudoku will help maintain their math skills.
And, of course, reading is crucial. If your kids don’t enjoy reading books, you could encourage them to keep a summer journal or set up a story time to read to them and ask questions about the story to keep them engaged.
Now, here’s where we’ll advocate for a little screen time because there are many wonderful apps that can help keep your children’s minds sharp, whether it’s a game that relies on math skills, vocabulary skills, or critical thinking skills.
Keeping kids active mentally and physically over summer break isn’t easy, but it’s crucial for their overall health and to ensure they’re prepared to start the new school year in the fall.
About Us
Kids ‘R’ Kids Avalon Park is family-owned and operated by local residents to ensure a solid sense of community. Our learning academies are nationally renowned and we’re proud to be part of this community. We have creative, fun, and technology-driven accredited educational programs and convenient drop-off and pickup with flexible hours.
You can visit our campus at 12881 Tanja King Blvd., Orlando, Florida. Call us at 407-206-9035 or visit our contact page here.