How To: Enjoy the Summer with Children at Home

With summer in session, school’s out and the kids are home. If you’re one of the many parents
having trouble finding activities for your children to do this summer, you’ve come to the right
place.
“I’m bored…”
It's inevitable. You said it as a kid, your parents said it as a kid, and now your kid is saying it.
Without being constantly entertained at school, either learning new skills from their teachers or
playing kickball with their peers, it’s easy for them to grow bored. So, how do we stop hearing
this dreaded phrase? I’ve provided tips that are sure to turn the summer around from “surviving”
it to enjoying it, not just for you but for the kids as well!

#1: Create a routine.

Structure is crucial to getting the children up and going. Make sure they are in bed at a
reasonable time so they can rise early. Having them go to sleep at the same time each night will
ensure that they wake up around the same time as well, creating a structured routine for them.
Having them eat breakfast, brush their teeth, and change out of their pajamas right upon waking
up will ensure they are active, rather than sitting around all day in their PJs. I’m sure you can
relate to this yourself– you are more productive when you get your day started early.

#2: Get creative.

All children are creative! Summer, when there is plenty of time, is a great time to explore these
skills. Creativity flourishes extra as a kid when your imagination has no limits.
Does your kid love art? Grab some watercolors, crayons, or colored pencils and see what
amazing creations they make. Give them glue, paper, and scissors (safety scissors of course) to
see what crafts they come up with on their own. I’d make sure you’re around for this one in case
it gets messy!
Maybe they love hands-on activities and building? Grab some playdough to have them create
new shapes and structures. If you have Legos laying around, these are an amazing way to stay
occupied and build new creations. You can even give them some pillows and blankets to make
a fort.

#3: Put them to work.

I know this one may sound impossible. But, when is a better time to have your children learn
useful skills around the house than in summer when they have nothing else to do?

In my household, our kids must do something to help us around the house every day. I don’t like
to make it a deal, where if they do a chore, they get something in return because I KNOW this
will create a bad habit, where they only do chores if there is something in it for them. Instead, I
teach my children that this is something they “owe” the family. It is part of their duty as a
member of our household that works on collaboration. That, or I offer cleaning the toilet as an
alternative option. I’m sure you can guess which one they choose.
A great way to start is by giving them small tasks, such as putting their clothes away or carrying
their own backpack from school. With more complicated chores, such as washing dishes for the
first time, have them watch you do it so they can learn. Then, have them switch with you and do
it on their own. You can call these chores “special tasks,” so they feel accomplished and proud
when they can do this new task.

Here are some general tips to get the most out of chores:
● Always thank them and recognize their hardwork. These words of affirmation will make
them associate good feelings with doing their chores.
● Make sure you do NOT use chores as a punishment. Remember– we want to associate
chores with feelings of selflessness and cooperation, not negativity.
● Make them fun! Play music or make games out of sorting laundry by color or tossing it in
the basket.

#4: Continue to learn.

Being away from school for a few months means your children could easily lose information
they just learned. Take time to sit down with them a few days a week to do math problems, read
a book, or practice writing.
Learning doesn’t only include typical school subjects, such as science and language arts. It can
be improving problem-solving skills by giving them new tasks to figure out, such as creating a
bird house or baking a cake. Of course, help them along the way if needed, but try to have them
approach these new tasks from their own perspective first. By figuring out how to do things on
their own for the first time, they will be proud of themselves and grow more confident in their
efficacy.

#5: Go outdoors.

This is probably the best one:
Send them outside to do absolutely NOTHING!

This is where their creativity as a kid comes in. They’ll be forced to find things to play with and
use their imagination to visit new places (maybe they go to the moon) or act as different
characters (perhaps they are a firefighter who just saved a burning building). Think about when
you were a kid: you didn’t have a phone or tablet to keep you constantly entertained. You had to
use your imagination and creativity to have fun. This is part of being a kid! Though it may be
easy to have our children watch their favorite show or play their favorite video game all day to
stay entertained, we must remember to limit technology for the well-being of our own kids and
get them outdoors.
When their imagination soars, it can also lead to new ideas about their interests, goals, or future
career paths. Hey, if your child loves to creat scenarios where they solve mysteries, maybe they
will grow up to be a detective!
You can also create an extra fun outdoor day by buying some chalk, water balloons, or hula
hoops.

#6: Give them special summer adventures.

On your day off, take your children somewhere special! They can entertain themselves all they
want at home, but there is nothing more memorable than bringing them to a new, exciting place.
Below is a list of some things you can do as a family to make those extra special memories:
● Go to a park and fly kites.
● Take them go-karting.
● If you have an amusement park nearby, take them there to ride the rides.
● On extra hot days, go to a waterpark or splashpad.
● Play putt-putt at your nearest mini golf.
● Test out your bowling skills at a bowling alley (with bumpers of course, and I don’t mean
just for the kids)!
● Visit a farm.
● Have a picnic.
● Go roller skating or ice skating.
● Swim in your local springs or beach.
The most important thing I can stress is this: Be with them!
We so often get caught up in “getting through” the summer and waiting for the kids to go back to
school, that we overlook the preciousness of it.
This is the most crucial time.
It is when our children want us to spend time with them, to play dinosaurs with them, build forts
with them, and do crafts with them. Trust me, they grow up much faster than you think and will soon be teenagers, wanting nothing but space. Do you want to look back 20 years from now when they are grown up and regret not spending more time with them when you had the
chance? I guarantee the answer is no. So, here I am telling you: try not to occupy them with other things all the time. If you have the time, be with them!

Edited by TLC Intern: Katrina Lashinger