Summer vacations are times when we parents can often be found wondering what we can do to keep our children occupied. This is also a time when we can find ourselves at a loss for ideas. We, as parents, have the responsibility of coming up with kids summer activities that our children will be interested in. If you are wondering how you can make your child’s vacation period more memorable and how it can be done in a way that doesn’t cost a fortune, this write up will surely prove to be helpful.
Here are a few ideas that can help you in your summer survival planning.
Take Small Breaks:
While long trips during summer vacations are what most parents plan for their children’s vacations, this is something you can pass on. Instead, you should think about replacing this one big, huge trip with a number of smaller trips.
In doing so, you will find it much easier to maintain your child’s regular schedule, which means better child behavior. You will also find that your child feels he did much more in the summer, you give your child more to look forward to.
This also gives you the opportunity to look at more affordable options. Ideas for small breaks include camping trips, day trips to the zoo, the amusement park, museums, picnics, etc.
If you aren’t really sure of the places in your vicinity, you can always head to the local library and get the relevant information, or you can choose to look through the internet. You can also discus your plans with people you know and they might be able to pitch in ideas about where you can go, in terms of good places as well as good deals.
You could also check if your local library offers any season’s passes to its patrons during the summers. Last summer our local library rotated a pass to go see the museum amongst its members which gave the pass holder free admittance. Our entire family got to see the museum together thanks to this endeavor.
If one of your short trips will be taking you out of your state, try logging onto the state’s ‘visitor bureau web-site’ and get them to send you an information packet. This will serve a dual purpose; it will get you information that can be used for the trip, and it can usually get you some great discount coupons that you can use while on your trip.
Stock Up:
Once the summer vacation begins, you can expect your child to spend way more time at home. This results in more demands for food being made, which is also accompanied with more demands for variation in the food.
So one of your summer survival strategies is to keep a good stock of things like bread, cheese, meat, fruits, vegetables, and sauces and this will allow you to come up with a variety of sandwiches in a very quick time. This will also help you avoid making trips to the local take away or drive-thru. You should also think about keeping things that your child can use to make snacks on his own.
If you want to promote good child behavior, keep healthy treats stored in the cabinets and the fridge. Kids love milkshakes. Why not blend a shake with them every morning with milk, some pieces of their favorite fruit a few walnuts and some ice. You can always sneak a bit of wheat germ in it too.
Outdoor Eating:
Eating outdoors (in the backyard, on the terrace, etc.) is a great way to break the monotony of your family’s dinners. This is also a good way to save on cleaning time, and also gives your family an opportunity to enjoy the weather. Having patio furniture can be of great use, but you could also think about using simple plastic mats. The plastic mats can add a bit of a picnic feel to the whole affair.
You could even throw a big blanket or tablecloth on the ground and sit on it under a nearby tree and have a picnic.
What You Should Buy:
If you are looking at things that can keep your child entertained, then thinking about buying items such as kiddy pools and sandboxes is a good thing. If your child’s birthday is coming up, or if you know of a relative that intends to buy your child a gift, you cam always give them suggestions of what your kid might like. This would get your child something he wants; the person giving the gift to your child will feel good about knowing that his gift has been appreciated; and it will also help you save money.
If you are planning on day trips for the summer, then buying a small cooler that can keep a day’s supply of food for your family is a good idea. Doing this would give you the freedom to take your food along with you, and this way you could give your child good and healthy home cooked food. Besides, it would also help you save the money you would otherwise spend on eating out. This cooler can also be used when you shop for meat, ice cream, etc at other times of the year.
A seat organizer is a good buy if you intend to use your car a fair bit. This will make sure that things such as maps, books, wet wipes, and other important articles are not strewn all over the car.
If you are thinking about heading to the beach, then buying beach towels, swimwear, and sand toys should be considered.
Your child should also have toys which he can use to play outdoors. Places like the Dollar Store are great when it comes to looking for these. Things such as tools & toys for sandboxes, toy guns, collapsible tents, etc. are some great ideas that can keep your child outdoors.
Indoor Fun for Rainy Days:
Rain has a great knack for bringing many plans on hold, and rain does not see whether you made the plan or your child. However, having a good assortment of craft supplies can help you take care of this problem.
You can get a number of educational worksheets which are fun to do from the internet. For stocking up on things such as paper, colors, craft glue, play dough and the like, you should head to your local craft supplies store before the summer vacation begins.
The library is a place that you can think about taking your child to on days that it rains. This would help your child cultivate a healthy reading habit. Besides, libraries often have reading sessions for their members, especially during school vacations.
Rainy days are a great time to make some muffins, cookies or cupcakes. Most kids love to cook, especially if they get to lick the spoons and sample the completed project after it is done baking. Baking on rainy days could definitely be put onto your kids summer activities list for things to do.
If you are somewhat of a child at heart… why not be one yourself and take your kid out in the rain and squish your feet in the mud and jump in the puddles. Your child will remember this for a long time. You might want to put a few towels by the door before you jump through the door.
Summer Reading:
I remember, as a child, that our local library once ran a program where the children who would accomplish preset reading targets would be given stars. This program was run in conjunction with a popular fast food chain, and the stars could be redeemed for free snacks at any of the chain’s establishments. Our neighborhood was full of voracious readers that summer.
Setting a reading goal is a good way to inculcate good reading habits in your child. In doing so, taking the suggestions of your child’s teacher would let you plan your child’s reading in accordance to his academic requirements.
If your child is too young to read, then he can be read to. A child can be read to even when he is still in the mother’s womb, and it is known to be beneficial. You should know that reading is an important factor in a child’s speech development.
Overscheduling- A Big No:
Parents who end up enrolling their kids in a number of different classes often do their children more harm than good. Child behavior can be adversely affected if a child is forced to be a part of something. Instead of getting him to do what you want him to, you should allow your child to do the things he enjoys.
Remember that your child will not get to relive his childhood, and there are good possibilities that he’d end up remembering the fun times he had in your company as opposed to the times that he had in your absence.
Your child has been looking forward to his summer vacation. He would not want a schedule that leaves him with little time to be a child just as you wouldn’t want your holiday to be jam-packed with activities. Your child should be given ample time to do the things he enjoys doing, and this should be kept in mind when making summer plans for him.
A good way to go about making summer plans for your child is to get his input as well.
Summer Tracker:
Your child’s summer vacation should be memorable. This is a period when he should be allowed to unwind, have fun, and relax. No matter what you and your child do together, the focus should be on doing it together.
Since memories have a way of fading with time, keeping track of the summers that you spend together is a good idea. You can keep a ‘summer tracker’ where you can enter all the fun times that you and your child have shared. How you make the tracker and what goes into it is also something that you and your child could decide together.
Hang on to this tracker and go through it with your child when he grows older, it will bring back some good memories.
