Whether you’re a mom or grandma, you probably have wondered how to guide your child toward constructive activities this summer. For some of you, school vacation will end in less than a month, while others have until early September. The point is; we have a limited amount of time with our kids. So I’ve compiled a few resources to help you make the rest of the summer fun and wholesome for them.
You may love to read, but how do you encourage that love in children? This article had some very clever ideas that you could adapt to just about any age group. This is my summary of the article with some original ideas mixed in.
8 Ways To Get Excited About Reading Every Day from Parents.com
http://www.parents.com/featured/8WaysToGetExcitedAboutReadingEveryDayKumon2017?sm_t=vbDmXkf
1. Create a reading nook. Every child (or adult) likes a place of their own to get away. You could make a ‘fort’ with blankets and stock it with books in the house or outside. A pile of pillows works, too.
2. Test out a book recipe. Some books lend themselves easily to this like “Green Eggs and Ham”. But you can get creative and cook something from the area or era in which the story takes place.
3. Visit the library once a week. Of course, go to check out books, but why not check out the programs offered for different age groups at most libraries? Meeting other kids is a plus because your kids may be missing their school friends.
4. Set a goal and a reward. Decide with your kids how many books they will complete and agree on a reward. I think breaking it up into weekly goals for young ones or monthly goals for older ones works better than one goal for the whole summer. And celebrating with a fun activity like inviting friends over for a watermelon party outside and a water balloon fight after to rinse off is a reward worth working for.
5. Test: Movie vs. Book. Choose books that have been made into movies. After reading the book, watch the movie together and talk about the differences and why they liked one better than the other.
6. Sign up for a book subscription. Don’t have any experience with a monthly subscription book box, but you could look into it.
7. Throw a themed party celebrating your favorite book. What a creative way to really get into a book! Food, decorations, costumes, singing songs together with or without the soundtrack, reenacting scenes, quizzes, games, drawing something from the book. Let your imagination run wild!
8. Explore different kinds of reading materials. Magazines, an atlas or illustrated dictionary. Try different genres such as poetry, plays, or graphic novels.
Here is a reading list link for different age groups.
This is helpful to give your child good choices in various areas of interest. http://www.kumon-english-rrl.com/downloads.html
For some simple outdoor activity ideas from Parents Magazine, click the link for a slideshow of ideas. 20 Activities To Do with Your Family This Weekend
http://www.parents.com/fun/activities/outdoor/weekend-family-activities/?slideId=28997
Now for some advice on dangerous phone apps that can lead kids into trouble. As a grandmother, I’m not up on the latest apps and this was an eye-opener for me. Yikes! Worth reading so you can protect the ones you love.
9 Most Dangerous Apps for Kids
http://www.ibelieve.com/motherhood/9-most-dangerous-apps-for-kids.html