Ahhhh summer….
As parents, we both relish it and recoil at the word! Whether we look forward to having all our kids home all day, love to get outdoors in the warmer weather or dread the perpetual flurry of activity involved in coordination and planning, summer can quickly call to mind a list of pros and cons. It can also be a difficult time for keeping young kids engaged and interested. We spoke with the experts at the Ability School in Englewood for some tips that can help. Read on for more!
Encourage kids to become lifelong readers…
Even very young children can begin their journey into reading by developing an affinity for books and stories that you read them, or they listen to.
- Let your kids see you reading. Enjoy your summer read or magazine while your kiddos explore their own books.
- Select reading materials together.
- Visit your library or bookstore! Let children choose their own books.
- Read aloud to your child! Audio books are fun too!
Keep screen time to a minimum…sigh…this is no easy feat!
- -Crafts! The craft store is your friend! Joann’s and Michaels have amazing products that can keep kids busy and working both along with you, a sibling and on their own. From tie dye t-shirt kits, scrapbooking projects, to super simple sticker crafts for little ones, craft activities improve concentration, foster creativity and develop motor skills.
- Make screen time more memorable. Create a home movie experience together. Camp out on the living room floor with pillows or create your own “Drive” in Movie activity indoors or out (if you have a projector). Young children can even design their own “cars”! With old boxes, construction paper, glue, markers and a bit of imagination, they’ll be sitting pretty and enjoying the movie in their own cardboard box car creations.
Let them explore their inner scientist:
- Lego obstacle courses – Build a maze for toy cars or Hex-bugs.
- Make Slime – It’s a science experiment made real and is super easy.
- Build geodesic domes and other fun structures with toothpicks and mini marshmallows.
- Bird watching! Spread birdseed or create a birdbath so your child can draw or photograph the different visitors that arrive.
- Head for the zoo or a local farm and investigate different animal habitats. Encourage your child to take photographs, draw, or make a collage with old nature magazines to document what they discover. Abma’s Farm, Van Saun Park or Turtleback zoo are great for an afternoon excursion or just a quick break.
Whatever activities you plan or don’t plan, keep children engaged by expanding their exposure to books, crafts or nature this summer!
Ability School of Englewood has been educating children ages 4-13 for over 35 years. The school uses a 100% proficiency-based curriculum. Students work on individualized, self paced programs in small classes. The school has rolling admission and tours and applications for Pre-K through 8th grade are available on their website. Ability School’s Summer Camp runs for 3 -7 week sessions June 27 -August 12th and includes both academics and fun camp activities.