As a kid, I remember waiting with patience for the last day of school to come to an end. Summer vacation was right around the corner and all I had to do was endure the last couple hours until that happened, In front of me lay months of freedom, or so I thought.
My parents did a good job of letting me have fun while still giving me things to do. Looking back I am grateful they made things more structured. At the time I thought a summer full of video games, treats, and complete control over my daily activities was the ideal summer. Good call on not doing that, Mom and Dad.
4 Easy Ways to Provide Structure to Summer
Kids will fight any effort they feel is encroaching on their summer freedom. There are some things that need to do, but the way you approach them can make all the difference. Here are a couple of ideas for you to consider.
Chores
No kid enjoys chores, but they build character. Wow, that sounded like my parents. Chores can teach kids responsibility and discipline. Chores that match the age of your child can do so even more.
As a younger kid, helping unload a dishwasher or sweeping the floor is a good start. Older kids can take out the trash, clean bathrooms, and even run errands once they have driving privileges.
Maintaining this order will do your kids good. It will help them keep a routine and make the return to school easier for them. Chores may be a tough activity to convince your kids to participate in willingly, but it will be very beneficial.
Hygiene
This seems kind of odd to list on here, but I have legit met people that would not do things like brush their teeth every day during the summer.
Part of making a happy summer for your kids is making it a healthy summer for your kids. There are many ways that this can be done. Continue to strictly enforce hygienic behaviors like showers and oral hygiene.
Another big part of health summer is making sure that kids don’t go overboard on treats and candy. There are a lot of fun summer treats that are very sugary, like snow cones, ice cream, and popsicles that need to be limited. A little effort goes a long way in the implementation of good health and hygiene over the summer.
Learning Activities
This is a great thing if you have younger children. Looking for fun ways to challenge your children to think can make summer a developmental time without making your kids feel like you are stealing their summer.
Ask for their help masking a grocery list, and ask them what they think each item will cost. Add up the total, and you just worked on math and helped your kids to think more deeply than how to beat the level of their favorite video game.
Outdoor Activities
Getting your kids outdoors should be a priority. We live in a digital age, and it’s not always the terrible thing that the older generations make it out to be. It does need to be carefully monitored and limited, however.
Going outside is a great way to break up the screen time or the lounging around. Sure those things have a time and place for kids over the summer, but having them go outside is really good for them, and you as well. It could be as simple as the kids going swimming, or it could be your family going for a hike. Go outside, get fresh air, and have fun!
Summer is a kid’s dream. Long days of freedom after a tough year of school, they deserve to have fun. Make sure that you give your kids activities that will help structure their summer and help them to stay mentally sharp and involved. Doing so will take little of their precious time, but it will have a large impact.
