Boy with glasses standing next to wardrobe ()
As your little ones are starting to enjoy their summer, you might be wondering what you’re going to do to fill the next few months. In trying to find the balance between letting kids enjoy a summer free of rigidity and not feeling like you wasted time here are a few tips for a productive summer!
Pick one “life skill” to learn. Ask your child what’s one thing they would like to be proficient at by the end of summer. This one thing big like learning how to swim or tie a show, or can be as simple as learning how to blow a bubble with gum, or learning how to draw the perfect heart!
Clean out a closet. Sit down with your child and, together, chose some clothes to donate. It will help make extra room for those new back-to-school clothes while introducing an important practice to your child. You can always celebrate post-donation with an icy treat!
Chose a mountain to conquer! Spend a day hiking, or casually strolling through a local park. Make the day an adventure by allowing imaginative games to run wild or pick up a copy of an available map and let your little one try to chart out the path.
Pick a big-kid book to read. Depending on your child’s age it might be an appropriate time to break out a book that would require your reading but has a story they can follow (ex: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone). Sit down for a half-hour a few nights a week before bed and read a couple of chapters aloud. You’d be amazed by the bonding powers this simple activity has!
Spend a day completely in jammies. Sometimes, you just have to enjoy the freedom summer offers. Make a conscious effort to not schedule every second of every day and take a day here or there to enjoy doing nothing. Spend a day where both you and your child stay in pajamas all day, watching favorite movies and munching on goodies!
No matter how you spend the summer, as long as you’re taking some quality time with your little one, you’ll be creating memories they’ll never forget.
