Boredom seems to set in during the summer months. Children enjoy being free from school and a set schedule initially, but they often find they don’t know what to do after a few weeks. Parents can fill this time with fun activities the kids are sure to love. What are the ten ingredients of the perfect summer day?
Forget Plans
Moms and dads may plan every minute of the day thinking this is best for their kids. Give them time to play however they desire. Doing so encourages them to use their imaginations. Have them do their chores and then head outside to do whatever they want. Parents don’t need to be involved. They can sit back in the furniture they purchased at windwarddesigngroup.com and enjoy watching their kids engaging and trying new things.
Of course, mom and dad can jump in if they wish. However, ensure children lead the activities, as they will enjoy being in charge.
Ban Electronics
People of all ages don’t need electronics to be entertained. Parents need to put their devices away and focus on their kids. Children model the behavior they see from the adults around them. When a parent has multiple children, however, it becomes a challenge to ensure every child gets attention and enjoys the activities of the day.
Parents should alternate doing things their kids love. For example, spend one day at the pool for the child who loves the water. Plan a hike the next day for the child who prefers dry land and exploring the world around them. Neither activity requires electronics, and every kid feels special. They’ll remember these days for the rest of their lives.
Go on an Adventure
Families often live in the same place for several years and never check out local attractions. Visit one or more of these places when the children are home for the summer. The morning can be spent doing household chores and projects before heading out for an adventure during the afternoon hours. Pack a lunch and have a picnic or make reservations for a kid-friendly restaurant. The kids will speak of the adventure and want to plan more in the future. Often, they’ll learn new things too, which parents are sure to love.
Establish New Traditions
Summer serves as the perfect time to start new traditions. Families may want to make Friday night a movie night, for example, and let each member have the opportunity to choose the movie they watch. Other families choose to have a pool party for the Fourth of July or may set up a neighborhood barbecue to meet those who live around them. The ideas are truly endless and the activity planned may become a tradition that everyone who participated looks forward to in the future.
Just Add Water
Older generations often tell parents to just add water when their children are upset. The parents may put their kids in the bath and let them play, but this serves as only one option. Head to a nearby beach for the day or take them to the pool. Kids tend to be happier when they are splashing around, whether this is in the bathtub, a backyard pool, or a local creek. Parents find they get a break from the fighting and whining and get to enjoy time out in the sun along with their kids, which makes it a perfect summer day.
Be Spontaneous
Wake the kids up one morning and go on a trip with no planning. In fact, parents might decide they will get in the car with no destination in mind. Every 15 minutes a family member can pick which way they will turn next. This ensures the destination is different every time, as family members likely won’t choose the exact same turns on two different trips. The family has no idea where they will end up, but the spontaneity of the trip ensures it is an adventure they won’t forget.
Read Together
Spend some time reading together. A great book enthralls all who hear it, and children will enjoy having their parents read to them. However, this isn’t the only time a good book is appreciated. When parents take their kids out for a day of fun, mom and dad should take books along. While the other parent watches the child, they may get some time to read without interruption. Parents recognize this rarely happens and the opportunity to read without distractions helps to make the day special.
Night Activities
The fun doesn’t have to end when the sun goes down. Let the kids stay up late, build a bonfire, and make s’mores or cook dinner over the open fire. Try to identify constellations in the sky or let the kids catch fireflies. Children really enjoy these activities, as they are having fun and love getting to miss their normal bedtime. Plan a movie night outdoors or head to a local pool for night swimming, if allowed. Summer nights are the perfect time to give kids a different perspective of the world around them and have fun while doing so.
Fish
There’s an old adage about giving a man a fish and he’ll have food for a day, but teach him to fish and he’ll have food forever. Helping your kid learn a new activity that will benefit them as they get older is always beneficial. For those who don’t like to fish, find another activity that the child will enjoy and can use their entire life.
On a rainy day, teach them to cook or show them how to use a sewing machine or needle and thread to sew a pillow. They can mend their clothes when they are adults even if they never sew another thing.
Play Games
When was the last time you saw children having a sack race or a three-leg race? These fun activities have disappeared over the years, and it’s time to bring them back. Plan a fun day with friends where kids learn games that were their parents’ favorites when they were kids. Everyone will enjoy taking part in the fun and adults love bringing back treasured childhood memories.
Parents don’t need to entertain their children around the clock. Household tasks must be completed during the summer, and many moms and dads continue to work when the kids aren’t in school. Don’t assume you must provide something for the child to do every day. They need to learn to relieve their boredom without help.
However, having fun with the parents is an important part of childhood, and summer is the perfect time for having this fun. The ideas mentioned above are a starting point. Once you begin implementing them, you’ll think of other ways to enjoy summer to its fullest.
*Photos by Gustavo Fring
