Summer is fast approaching and while it is definitely time for family fun in the sun. Don’t forget that it is also important to keep the kid’s minds academically sharp! There are many summer programs to help achieve this, check with your area's community center to see what kinds of programs they offer. There are also many simple ways you can incorporate learning experiences into your fun summer activities. Get involved, play with your kids, and teach them valuable lessons while doing so. You’re never too old to play!
Of course there is no better time to teach your children about exercise and the importance of keeping your body healthy than in the summer. Who wants to stay inside playing video games when there is a whole world to explore?
Some fun activities perfect for summer:
Water Games:
- Have a good old fashioned water gun fight. You can find water guns fairly inexpensively almost anywhere. You don’t need to purchase $50 water guns to have a blast!
- Sponge Bombs, we found this idea on Pinterest and made them last summer. You simply take sponges we purchased our supplies at the Dollar Store and spent a total of $10 and made over a dozen bombs. Cut them into strips of equal widths and secure the strips together in the middle with either a rubber band or a zip tie. We chose to use the zip ties so that our bombs would last for many uses. You can play many games with them. Take turns tossing the sponge bombs to each other while moving one step back on each toss see how far you can get. Dodge the sponge (think dodge ball with water). Use your imagination!
- Make an obstacle course and take turns running it, see who can complete the course the fastest. You could even make your own winner ribbons. Have your own Summer Olympics right in your back yard!
There are many opportunities to keep your child’s math skills in the forefront during the summer months. And who said math had to be boring.
- Host a neighborhood lemonade stand you can teach your children how to make change and of course count their profits. Not to mention the measurements they will learn while helping to make the lemonade and any baked goods you choose to have at your stand!
- When traveling have your children guess how far of a distance you will travel, use traffic signs and mile markers to help with their guess. The person who guess the closest gets to pick the first activity/restaurant when you reach your destination.
- You can also teach them to figure out how long it will take to get to your destination by calculating your speed and miles. Not only is this a way to keep them occupied in the car but it will also cut down on the “are we there yet” question being asked over and over.
- Read, read, read… This will not only keep your kids busy in the car but they can also earn a free book by joining the Barnes and Noble’s Summer Reading Program, print the reading journal from their website and once it’s complete you can take it in to the store and choose a free book! Also check with your local library many also offer summer reading programs for children!
- License Plate game: Look for different states license plates and see how many states you can find. As an added bonus to this game you could figure out how far the other cars have traveled from their home states.
- I Spy. A fun game that all ages can play. We play this often on our trips. “I spy with my little eye, something green”. Each player takes turns guessing what you spied! What a great way to pass the time while driving!!
I for one can’t wait for the warm weather and fun family adventures! There are many other opportunities to teach the children then I have listed above, if you use your imagination the possibilities are endless!!
