Making the Most out of Summer Vacation with Your Child

Summer vacation is fast approaching which means it’s time for parents to start preparing for their kids to be home every day. It can be overwhelming trying to figure out ways to fill the long days. How can you make each day fulfilling and fun for your child? You want them to find purpose in their days while they’re away from the classroom, while simultaneously keeping their lives as fun as possible. We’ll take a look at some of the best ways to make the most out of their summer vacation. 

Walk with Your Child in Nature

One of the easiest and best ways to spend time with your child is to bring them outside. Try to find the best and most unique hiking or conservation areas in your city and take them on an adventure. These outdoor adventures will allow you to bond with your child over the beauty of the world, and won’t break the bank. 

A study from 2010 found that being outdoors is incredibly good for your children’s growing minds and bodies. It helps increase their energy, boosts their positivity, and increases their sense of vitality .“Just looking at a natural scene activates parts of the brain associated with stress relief and happiness,” psychiatrist and parenting author Dr. Shimi Kang told Global News.

Letting your kids play and hike outside is also really good for their physical health as well. 

Get Into the Kitchen 

Another great way to bond with your child is right in your own home. Teaching your child to cook and bake will help them learn important skills that will help them in the future. It can also help unlock their creativity as well. If your child is a picky eater, this can be a great opportunity to get them to try new and healthy things. 

Research recipes you want to try together and go shopping for the ingredients. Following a recipe is also a great way to teach your child the importance of following instructions, because they can see (and taste) firsthand what happens when they don’t. Cooking with your child is also a great way of unlocking their imagination, teaching them safety lessons, and getting them to see how great trying something new can be. 

Get Local!

During the summer, it’s easy to find a local farmer and artisan markets for you and your child to visit. This is a great way to introduce them to local farmers and craftsmen. Farmers’ markets can also teach your children about the types of products that are grown and made where you live. Artisan markets can also awaken creativity in your child and interest them in creating their own arts and crafts.

Lessons in History

It may seem like a simple idea, but bringing your child to a history or art museum is a great way to add some fulfillment to their summer vacation. It’ll help them continue to learn while away from the classroom and awaken a love of history in them. It will also teach them to ask questions. 

“Art gives us an experience like nothing else can, a chance to connect, understand, and explore perceptions, feelings, and innovative thoughts,” Jamee Yung, the Education Coordinator at the Weisman Art Museum told the National Endowment for the Arts’ Art Blog. “Museums provide a space for reflection, experimentation, inspiration, creativity, enjoyment and allow for authentic learning experiences and play. Bringing children to the museum reveals children and adults as being equally active in learning, putting them on equal standing as they create a shared understanding.”

Give Yourself and Your Child a Break

What’s most important is to not overwhelm yourself or your child. You don’t want to burn yourself out by needing to have an activity planned for every moment of the day. A little boredom can be incredibly healthy and teach your kids how to find their own fun. Their imaginations can run wild and  It can also teach them to become more aware of the world around them. 

Giving your child the freedom to choose a day off to be a kid is as important to their health as it is to yours.  “Too many parents try to fill up every moment of every day for their kids, so sometimes it’s important for parents to back off a bit and let the kids do what they want or make up their own plans– even if it’s nothing at all,” Dr. Oren Amitay, a registered psychologist and instructor, told Global News. 

Being there and present for your child is one of the easiest and best ways to make the most out of their summer vacation. Taking the time to be there for them is incredibly important and will help create stronger bonds between you both.