Parent Question:
What can I do this summer with my child???????
Educator Response:
With summer approaching many parents are wondering what to do with their children on those long summer days. There are simple inexpensive activities that you can do that are both educational and fun to beat those dreaded words, “I’m bored!”
Children need lots of unstructured, free time to play, explore and make discoveries independently. With that being said, children also benefit from sharing in activities with a parent or caregiver.
Here are a few ideas to get you started…
- Shadow Tracing- Take chalk to the driveway trace your child’s shadow and have them trace yours. Make up stories as to what your shadows are doing.
- Have your child help wash the car or if you’re not feeling up to having them touch the real car set up a car wash for cozy coops, match boxes, etc.
- READ, READ, READ!!!! Read inside and outside! Keep a book with you so in those moments of down time you can read a page or two. With older children take turn reading chapters, one chapter you read, next chapter have your child read to you!
- Water Cup Races
- What you need is 2 or more plastic cups, string and something to squirt water (squirt bottles, water guns, etc.)
- Take something to poke a hole in the bottom of the cup. Thread the string through the hole and tie each end of the string to something sturdy outside.
- Fill your squirters and aim for the inside of the cup and see who gets their cup to the end first.
- Outdoor kitchen chemistry, bring out various kitchen ingredients, such as flour, salt, water, vinegar, cornstarch, baking soda, etc. Provide small and large bowls and spoons to mix and allow your child to experiment and create concoctions. Your role is to ask questions such as, “What would happen if…” “Why do you think that happened?” Support them in making observations, “What do you see, hear, feel, smell…”
- Volcanos: Bury a small water bottle in the sand, spoon in baking soda. Mix vinegar with red food coloring and pour into bottle! See what happens next!
These are just a few examples of easy inexpensive activities to do with your children. The thing to remember is that by spending these moments together you are having fun but more importantly you are listening to your child, having conversations, seeing life through their eyes and building memories.