July 02, 2020
Save the season and give your kids a summer to remember.
While summer camps and programs may not be in session, kids can still have a summer to remember right at home. From cooking in the kitchen to camping in the backyard, transform your space so the kids can stay and play. Here are five ways to keep your little ones entertained all summer long.
1. Promote Learning
From math and science to social studies and Spanish, there are endless tools available to keep kids learning this summer. Online resources, like Khan Academy and Brain Chase, provide fun learning challenges that can help them prepare for the upcoming school year. If you have time to join in on the fun, consider creating a backyard science experiment and a trivia-style scavenger hunt. Many of the world’s most famous museums—like the Louvre and the Metropolitan Museum of Art—are also offering virtual tours during quarantine. Just connect your mobile device to your wifi and let your kids experience history in a new way.
2. Teach Them New Skills
With extra time on everyone’s hands, there’s no better opportunity to learn a new skill. Dig up your old sewing machine and teach your kids how to craft pillows, pajamas and masks. Tie your apron and let them help you mix up their favorite cookies or a new muffin recipe. Or have them help with repairs around the house so they can learn essential life skills for the future. If you have instruments tucked away in the attic, give them a quick tune and allow your kids to find their rhythm through music. From biking to dancing and everything between, use the summer season to sharpen any skill.
3. Create an Art Project
Let your child’s imagination run free with arts and crafts that encourage self-expression and creativity. Purchase a Paint-By-Numbers set from a local art shop or an online retailer for quiet mornings at home. Mix paint and glue to create an easy-to-clean solution that can be displayed as window art. Or grab a few bottles of nail polish and a bucket of water to let the kids create marble masterpieces. From tie-dye to paper-mache, even the simplest household items can be used to help kids create their next work of art.
4. Camp in the Backyard
There’s nothing quite like a camping trip to help the whole family unplug. Spend the afternoon hiking nearby trails and the evening beneath the stars. Hang lights from the trees and have the kids help pitch a tent in the backyard. If you have a grill or a fire pit, cook up your favorite summertime supper, like burgers, hot dogs and corn on the cob, and end the night roasting marshmallows for s’mores. Share stories around the fire or play classic camping games, like Charades and Telephone, and keep the fun going from dusk till dawn.
5. Get Creative in the Kitchen
From morning treats to evening feasts, give the kids a hands-on learning experience they’ll love. Chop and freeze fruits and vegetables and let them create their own smoothie combinations to start the day. Set up a toppings bar so they can make french bread pizzas for lunch and tacos for dinner. When it comes time for dessert, give them a chance to decorate sugar cookies or chocolate-dipped bananas. Or let them shake together their own sugary concoction using the old trick of ‘ice cream in a bag.’
From kitchen tools to mobile technology, there are endless ways to keep kids entertained during the next few months. Whether you stay indoors or venture out to the backyard, save the summer with a little creativity and effort.
