Summer Enhancement Activities for Children

Spring is in full bloom, ads for various camps are popping up and school will be over within the upcoming weeks.  The message written here is for parents interested in strategies for getting or keeping children engaged during the summer.  Unless children and/or parents have ideas for a fun, productive school break, summer can be quite boring with few memorable occasions worth noting.  Organized programs offer a no-nonsense approach to long-term entertainment; however; can be difficult to secure.  If formal, daily scheduling is unavailable, then there are very practical, enjoyable, skill building activities that parents can plan with their children, often including friends. 

A convenient way to think of a activities is in terms of themes.  Some useful themes that are sure to add dimension to a child’s creativity are: household projects; crafts; career exploration; community service or academic reinforcement. There are others; however, these are suggestions in which children in a variety of age groups can participate. Further description of each suggested project will clarify how these activities can provide a boredom-free summer. 

Household Projects -.  You or your children can decide upon terms of the endeavor(s).  Depending on the approach, small, left-undone repairs could be made to the home one tool at a time. Window washing, landscape gardening, storage space arranging, and ceiling and exhaust fan cleaning are great ways to freshen a home.  It could equate to unforgettable bonding for the entire family.

Crafting - A variety of ideas can be based on hobbies or needs.  This is a good time to make gifts for family and friends that could be used for special occasions.  The joy of giving a hand made present made with love is quite fulfilling. A handmade throw; or even simple pastimes, i.e. jigsaw puzzles, placed in a picture frame; can be donated to day care centers or other facilities that accept gifts of the kind.

Career Exploration - A topic that cannot begin to early, career exploration should start with tangible activities.  Pretend play for a child can lead to a discussion about the career area that they mimic.  A view  of household chores can certainly help children better understand the world-of-work. Meal preparation could be compared to a chef's duties, etc.  Care of a pet is connected to veterinary or pet shop talk.  Also, summer is a good time for children to talk to adults about careers that they now enjoy, or previously enjoyed.  Family members and friends would be a good starting place for these conversations.

Community Service – On college and job applications, young people will be asked to address the amount and kind of community service that they have served.  By the end of the eighth year of middle school, a child should get involved in volunteer service to the community.  It is a great way for them to learn about the needs of others and the neighborhood in which they live.

Academic Reinforcement – As individually needed, summer is a great time to strengthen skills in areas that require enhancement.  Reading, writing and mathematics skill building are basic areas that can lead to better performance across the board academically.  Reading books, audio books, and writing and math workbooks can be helpful, as well as entertaining.  Word games like “jumble”, “Sudoku” and “word find”  help an individual build stronger relationships with words and numbers.

Whatever you choose, proceed with a joy.