Summer break can feel like an endless cycle of boredom and screen time for kids. And for parents, we want to make fun memories and also nurture their growth and development while they are out of school. With a little planning, you can create a fun and enriching experience for your kids this summer.
Structure is Key
- Create a Daily Routine. While summer is about relaxation, a loose schedule can help prevent boredom. Include time for play, learning and chores. A basic schedule can help kids manage their time and expectations—and prevent those dreaded “I’m bored” moments.
- Prioritize Outdoor Play. Let your kids’ imaginations run wild outdoors. Your kids don’t need a playground or a bike to have fun outside. Simple activities like building forts, playing hide-and-seek or splashing in the sprinkler can provide hours of entertainment. It’s also a great way to burn energy and boost creativity.
- Nurture a Love of Reading. Reading for 30 minutes a day can help calm the mind and improve focus. It also keeps your kids maintain and improve their literacy skills throughout the summer. Join your local library’s summer reading challenge and discuss the books they are reading with them. You can even have your child write short book reviews to enhance comprehension.
Nurture Their Growing Minds
- Continue Learning. Reading, learning and critical thinking shouldn’t take a break when your kids are out of school for the summer. To help maintain writing skills, have your kids journal about their favorite summer experiences or write postcards to their grandparents when on vacation. You can also create a summer learning packet to reinforce the skills they learned to prepare them for the next level.
- Keep Learning on the Go. Kids magazines also have fun educational activities and articles to keep your child entertained. You can also transform screen time into learning with educational apps to reinforce school skills. These are also mobile activities that kids can do in the car on road trips or while eating at a restaurant.
- Spark Imagination. Unleash your child’s inner artist with summer themed-crafts and free painting. You can also feed their curiosity with hands-on STEM experiments that can teach them about science, physics and math.
- Teach Valuable Life Skills. Summer is a perfect time to instill valuable life skills in your children. Introduce new chores or increase responsibilities for older children. By contributing to the household, kids develop responsibility, independence and a sense of accomplishment. Remember, it’s not just about completing tasks; it’s about teaching your children the value of hard work and the importance of helping out.
Create Lasting Memories
- Stay Active Together. Encourage physical activity through dancing, sports or outdoor adventures. A healthy body supports a healthy mind. Have your child join you in your daily fitness routine and plan family walks around the neighborhood or hikes at a local park.
- Play Board Games. Board games are a fantastic way to spend quality time together, learn new strategies and develop problem-solving skills. Turn game night into a daily tradition where kids play with each other and learn how to play together and teach each other.
- Cook Meals Together. Share the joy of cooking by teaching your kids basic recipes—and also their favorite family meal. Let them help with meal prep and teach them about math and science along the way. You can also tell a story about how you first learned how to cook.
By combining structure, learning and fun, you can help your kids stay engaged, entertained and learning. Remember, it’s about balance and creating lasting memories together.
Kisha DeSandies Lester is the Strategic Communications Director at National PTA.
