Summer is here and it’s time to relax and rejuvenate! Your child(ren) may be thrilled from anticipating lazy days and sleeping in, but summer break isn’t always that stress-free for parents, especially when kids get bored once they run out of things to do. Here are a few tips and ideas to help keep your child entertained and your sanity intact.
Tip 1: Prioritize Physical Activity
Get the whole family in on daily exercise for bonding and health benefits! Consider swimming, paddling, cycling, hiking, skating, rock climbing, dance, martial arts, and other activities to sweat it out together. There are some options available on the Indy Summer Youth Programs site here.
Tip 2: Create a ‘Boredom Jar’
Write down several potentially fun activities your child may be interested in doing. Cut out each task, and place them in a jar labelled ‘bored?” Any time they might complain about having nothing to do they must randomly select a task and do it. Here are a few ideas!
Tip 3: Require Outside Time
Take advantage of warmer weather by sending kids out with lots of sunscreen, appropriate clothes, lots of water, and sending them outside (with adequate boundaries and supervision) for as much time as possible.
Tip 4: Seek Out Free Activities
Central Indiana is chockfull of parks, playgrounds, splashpads, and libraries that offer free and fun opportunities to stay active over summer break. Check out the Marion County Commission on Youth’s Youth Activity Directory for more ideas here.
Tip 5: Set Up Limits on Screen Time
It’s easy to slip into the habit of tablet and phone time or streaming services when school is out, so setting up realistic limits and expectations with your kids is an important boundary for having a successful, mindful break from classroom learning.
Tip 6: Keep Them Learning
Encouraging games that make learning fun and having children enjoy reading books for pleasure help keep their developing skills fresh throughout the summer. It also makes the transition back to school easier by boosting their confidence! Here are a few learning activity ideas.
Tip 7: Make Use of Summer Camps
We still have a handful of spots available for Summer Days campers in Decatur Township! Let your kids fill up on sunshine and positive vibes through the summer by signing up today.
