Summer Fun with Children
Well, here we are in the thick of summer and it is drawing to an end for many families. Students are preparing for a new school year, as well as parents are preparing to send them back into the doors of a learning center or school. Hopefully, your child or children had a fun and engaging summer.
Recently, I spoke to a few parents about the joys and struggles of summer. One thing noted as a joy was that they did not have to wake up early to get their child/children off to scol. Though many parents, I spoke with or have witnessed over the summer had many joys, many had headaches. LOL. Yes, the struggle with what to do with a child all day long was or has been enough to make some parents want to lose their minds. One parent mentioned that trying to keep their child off of the tablet, computer or cellphone was major.
Some parents love technology because it keeps most children occupied and out of the way of their hair. The downside to allowing children to have technology is sometimes it can make children dependent. I have suggested that parents try to set a time frame for which the child can engage with technology or multi-media. Technology usage is surely the way of the world, but too much of anything can be harmful. So, parents continue to monitor your little ones. Be mindful of the time they are spending in front of a television, tablet, laptop, or cellphone.
Here are a few ways to engage and help your child get back on track for school. (Geared toward primary grades)
1. Have a discussion for expectations. (Simple informal conversations will work better over a long lecture or complaints from previous school term.)
2. Create a schedule for your child/children.
Ex. 8am-morning breakfast/stretch/meditation
9am-shower/dress
9:30-10:30-academic engagement e.g. educational app, read a book, sight word bingo, monopoly, write in journal, math flash cards, math facts outside with sidewalk chalk etc.
(of course this will vary for various age of children)
3. Plan one last family trip or day out. i.e. park, staycation, dinner, skating, fishing, or movie (let your child choose)
4. Plan to attend open house and gather information for upcoming school year as soon as school makes it available.
5. Try to determine how you will engage your child (if possible) in extra curricular activities once school starts. (swim lessons, dance, football, golf, sign language, foreign language, church choir, etc.)
If nothing else, before summer is over ensure your child/children spend time outside, having fun, and engaging in some form of learning daily before the school year begins again. If you have a child entering school for the first time, work on simple things that will allow them to be more responsible and independent. Summer is not over! Hopefully, there is more time for a pool day, zoo trip, picnic, trip to the beach, visit to grandma's , trip to the library, making slime, baking a cake, reading once a day, and so many other fun and engaging activities. This topic will be addressed more in another blog. Don't let technology take the credit for providing your child/children with fun and academic engagement!
Because technology can still be used to improve skills, check out the following sites:
https://www.funbrain.com
https://www.ixl.com
www.adaptedmind.com
