Fun Summer Activities
As we get closer to summer, are you starting to think about what your summer might look like? Are you wondering what activities you can do with your family? Last summer was a summer that was unlike any other summer most have experienced and as places start to open up, people are starting to think about what they can do this summer. Some parents feel like they want to do more this summer because of how last summer went. While you may be thinking about where you want to take your family, it is also good to have ideas of what you can do as a family at home as well.
When you think of your summer as a child, what are some of the activities that you think of? Many remember outdoor activities and games. If you live somewhere that is only warm in the summer, these rank high on the activity list. What are some of your favorite outside games that you remember playing? Games that are fun for outside can be hopscotch, freeze tag, or ring toss. Some of these are higher intensity and some are active, but not as high intensity which can be nice on a warmer day.
When the weather really heats up, do you think of water activities? Some great ideas for these can be water tables, individual pools, or a water balloon fight. What if everyone participated in the water balloon fight? As adults, we sometimes believe that activities such as sprinklers or water balloons are for the children, not adults. What would your children think if you also participated in these activities? Could these become a family activity or competition somehow?
Other fun summer activities could be family barbecues or family picnics. Eating outside can be a fun alternative to eating inside as a family. It can also include other activities that can be done while grilling or eating outside. There can be family games or activities such as drawing, reading, or playing “I Spy”. Bubbles can also provide fun while waiting for food or just spending time outside.
Are you wondering how you can keep your kids interested in reading? Many public libraries have summer reading programs for children. These can be a way to encourage your children to meet the requirements. Often times the child gets credit for reading each day. You can also make change it slightly to be a certain amount of minutes of reading. The public library near me allows children to earn a raffle ticket for a certain amount of days read and at the end they earn a free book. The raffle tickets are for prizes usually donated by local agencies. It is important to keep reading fun and enjoyable so making sure that your child is reading books they enjoy. Can you create time for family reading either weekly or daily? If your children see you reading, this will also encourage them to read as well.
Remember that last summer there were less options around what could be done with your family. This summer you do not need to make up for what was lost from last summer, but there are some new activities that could be added this year and provide more options for fun activities. It is always important to make sure to ask your children what they are interested in doing as well. Depending on their answer you may not be able to do them all, but trying to do as many within reason will be great. This year school has included more changes and was more difficult for many so providing them with the relaxation that they need this summer to recharge will be important. For questions of how to accomplish this or for more ideas, feel free to reach out to me.