Fun for everyone - 5 ways to make this summer special

This year, summer takes on a whole new meaning - fewer COVID restrictions and plenty of opportunity to join others for some good old fashioned fun!  For the most part, games like tag can allow touching, grandparents can be hugged, and indoor activities can be enjoyed without a mask.  What does this all mean for your summer vacation?

1. Plan both organized and free play times for your children.  They don't always need to have a shuttle service to other kids' houses or every make and take at the local library.  Kids love it when they can simply create a random craft, watch a random movie, play their video games, or play with the family pet for a while.

2. Help your children to make their own choices about a summer fun activity.  They can make a list of at least 20 things they enjoy within financial reason (no trips to Disney, for example!), then cut apart the list, fold each item in half, then put them into a box or jar.  Once a week, have your "I'm bored" child pick from the jar to see what might be fun for that day.  Put the paper into a separate jar until all the first round ideas have been used, then start all over again.  

3. Find a charity to support.  That might include visiting Great-Grandma and her friends in a nursing home (but take along a story to read, a card your child has made, or a game to play.)  Or you can visit an animal shelter and take along homemade dog and cat toys (here is a website that shows how to make easy pet toys: Easy DIY Dog Toys Ideas Tutorials (diyhomedecorguide.com).  Or look around town for other ways to give back to the community.  Sometimes the local librarian will have some suggestions.

4. Children love to earn money for their own activities.  When I was a kid, I liked to buy craft kits during the summer months - a lot of craft kits!  My mom told me I could earn the money for those kids by helping around the house. She would make a list of things that needed to be done with a dollar amount next to it.  When I had completed the tasks equal to the amount of my kit, we would go to the store and buy it.  Smart lady, my mom!

5. Finally, encourage reading.  As you know, stories take us to faraway lands with new and interesting characters.  A weekly trip to the library will allow your child to find his or her favorite section of the children's library.  You can get your own books as well for a family reading hour, or half hour, depending on the attention span of your children.  Set up a tent for a special reading nook! But don't start there... create a log of all the books each child has read, including a brief description.  At the end of the summer, have a sundae or pizza party to celebrate and discuss all the fun books you discovered over the summer.  

Here are some additional resources from my store to make your post-COVID summer even more special:

• Summer FUN 2021 FREE mini e-book
• Summer STEM travel FUN
• Summer STEM stumpers for journaling
• Crazy blanks skit starters - Camping theme

Enjoy your well-earned summer vacation!