Summer – Yay! At least that’s what your kids are thinking. But summer can be stressful for parents, whether it’s figuring out childcare during the summer or just finding ways to keep your kids from getting bored.
As a mom of three, I understand how difficult it can be to keep your kids active during the summer months. Not to mention how overwhelming it is to choose and sign up for camps. So, I’ve put together some tips on how to avoid the summer slump and keep the munchkins both physically and mentally active.
Physical Activity
Sports: Summer is the perfect time for sports. Children need 60 minutes of physical activity each day. Joining a recreation team through your local community center, playing at the park, or just meeting up with friends to kick around a soccer ball are great ways to stay active during summer. For all children, consider swim lessons. They learn a valuable skill and have some fun in the process, not to mention it makes them tired, which makes bedtime easier! Remember to hydrate and protect them from sun exposure while playing outside. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF 30 or higher and apply 30 minutes before going into the sun, and reapply every two hours.
Summer Camp: Vacation bible school, theater camp, zoo camp – you name an interest and there is probably a camp for it. So how do you pick? Summer is a great time to learn a new skill, such as trying a different sport or exploring an art skill, like theatre or drawing. Or, your kids can use this time to hone in and develop skills in an already existing interest. No matter what they choose, it’s important to keep children physically active, as well as keeping them engaged.
While some kids love camp, for other kids it can be scary. Change and transitions are hard for everyone, especially children. It’s important to talk about camp long before the first day. It’s also important for parents to show their excitement about camp to help children express their own excitement. It’s effective to let your child know that it is okay to be scared. Find out what scares him/her and provide ways to make it less scary. For example, my middle daughter was starting gymnastics camp last week and was scared because she was going without her sisters. We got a new leotard and packed a coloring book in her bag in case she didn’t like the activities being done to give her a sense of control over an alternative choice. Small choices empower children to be independent and less fearful of the unknown. She had a great day at camp and never needed her coloring book!
Get Creative: I know not all children enjoy sports and summer camp so you may have to get a little more creative. Riding bikes, creating an obstacle course in your backyard, or helping you in the garden are all alternative ways to get moving.
Mental Activity
Summer Reading: We know summer months can sometimes set students back academically because they aren’t keeping up with their math and reading skills. That’s why it’s important to keep their brains active during summer too! Reading six books during the summer will help keep a struggling reader from regressing. Join a summer reading program at your local library, create your own family book club, or encourage your child to write a story during the summer. These are just a few options to incorporate reading into summer in a fun way.
Learn a New Skill: Summer is a great time to get creative and try something new! Cooking is a fun way for your child to work on math skills, and maybe not even realize they’re doing math. Tie-dye shirts, make bracelets, create your own game – these are just some starter ideas.
Spend Time with Friends: Whether it’s watching TV, playing video games or browsing through their phones, it’s hard to pull your child away from the screen. But it’s vital to their brain development to have social interaction face to face. Encourage them to hang out with friends and make new friends. A general rule of thumb is to keep screen time under two hours a day.
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Dr. Anjalee Carlson is an Internal Medicine and Pediatric specialist at Olathe Health Internal Medicine and Pediatrics. She is board certified in both. To book an appointment or learn more information, visit olathehealth.org, or call 913-393-4888.
