Extra Long Summer Paves Way For Creative Parenting
Summer break can be a looooooong time with your kids depending on the region of the country you live in. Now, thanks to COVID-19 and school districts closing in droves across the nation, parents are caught with the prospect of a double-length summer break in 2020. Albeit, one in which the first half will involve helping their kids distance learn from their schools online.
With days, weeks and – potentially – months to fill away from friends, band, and sports lessons, it is easy to become overwhelmed by everything you are being asked to do. Boredom at home seems inevitable, but it doesn’t have to be. It’s a time to get creative and that doesn’t mean sticking your kid behind an iPad for seven hours a day. Here are five things you can do at home to beat the COVID-induced boredom.
1 – Home gym
We aren’t talking Bowflexes and Pelotons here. Instead get super creative and give your kids a space to play in and work out with some physical exercise at the same time. Hot lava is an obvious choice here as it will allow your kids to exercise their minds and imagination along with jumping all over the place to stay off of the floor. Toss down some pillows, cushions, towels and such to create a mishmash of places where they can stand without being in the lava pit and let them have at it. For older kids, having a space for doing some core exercises will also help them with boredom.
2 – Educational cooking
Assuming that you can get your hands on food then a parent or older sibling can do some good things over this break with the younger kids. Food coloring is an obvious choice here as younger kids can learn about different colors in frosting, creating new colors right before their eyes. Alphabet soup – a classic – can be used to spell words before being cooked, while butting up and looking at fruit is always entertaining (especially if you can get your hands on some exotics). For older kids, allow them to make meals Chopped TV style or compete online with their friends.
3 – Play outside
Isolation doesn’t mean you have to stay inside four walls all the time. As it gets warmer outside look for yard and driveway activities that can be played. Sidewalk chalk projects are a great – and uplifting – way to spend a morning. Tossing balls and frisbees around are also great option that all ages can take part in. If you have a big enough garden or access to more land, then go exploring with your kids and see what critters – large and small – can be found.
4 – Go camping
Camping is always fun for the family. It is a way to get back to nature and to learn about the outdoors. As soon as the nights get warm enough then think about having a back yard camping night. This should include everything you would do on a normal camping trip such as getting out the grill, having a picnic, and letting the kids get as dirty as they like. The best part is that the shower is just yards away in the morning after a night spent under the local stars.
5 – LEGO Challenge
LEGO has become a big deal again. There is even a reality TV show based on LEGO challenges that has become a big hit on TV right now. LEGO is great for kids because it teaches them so much about planning ahead and problem solving. Get all the LEGO you have in the house and create some sort of challenge based around it. Maybe a themed build or something similar. Set a timer and then – nicely – judge the entries. Maybe combine this with some of their friends online for a bigger tournament of champion’s style event!
Our current pandemic situation is not ideal, but it is the perfect time to be together and have fun with the people you love. Stay safe!
Article by Vital Guidance