Summer vacations for children has always been times to explore the world around, experience new things, spending time with family and friends and to make lasting memories. Whether it is learning new things, engaging in fun activities, staying fit, or socializing with friends, summer allows time for everyone to follow their passions.
Unfortunately, the many Summer Camps that parents could choose from for their children is now not an option. Schools and colleges are closed and exams are postponed and the world all over is grappling with rising Covid cases.
As a result, parents and children are dealing with cancelled sports and other camps. Parents, especially working parents, relied on these camps to keep their children occupied and to engage them in useful activities.
Parents have, for the past year have taken over the responsibility for children’s learning and development. The lockdown and the challenges of learning from home have become the new normal and has taken a toll on parents and children!
It is now up to the parents to curate a list of activities that their children will have fun doing and learn through the process.
Tips to curate a list of activities for summer:
Outdoor Activities
It is very important to get children outside not just for a change of scenery but for their physical and mental health as well. Of course, while going to a park or the beach, all safety precautions need to be taken, it could even be just your backyard or terrace.
Gardening: This could be a good time to teach your children about plants and how to grow them at home. A small balcony or a terrace garden will do too.
This is not just to get them outdoors, but there are lots of opportunities to weave in a few science lessons as well.
Globally themed picnics: These socially distant picnics with a theme can be a good way to learn about different countries and their culture. Cuisines, dresses, and music specific to a country can be included in these picnics. These can be arranged in a safe outdoor setting or inside the house inviting a few friends.
Scavenger hunts: Plan a scavenger hunt with an interesting theme. Have interesting clues that will encourage real problem-solving. If possible these can be arranged inside the compound of an apartment complex or in the terrace.
Indoor Activities
As going out to public places may pose safety risks, it is important to have options available for indoor activities as well. The following ideas just might make them forget that they are stuck at home!
Science projects –There are plenty of experiments you can do at home with your children. You might even have a few of the materials just lying around the house. They offer your children good opportunities to learn and have fun at the same time. Ideas for these experiments are just a click away on the internet!
Board games and puzzles: Playing board games together offers quality time together, not only is it entertaining, it has other benefits as well: increases their brain function, helps develop their language development, and teaches them little life lessons. A few ideas include classic games like Snakes and Ladders, Ludo, Chinese Checkers, Monopoly, Scrabble etc.
Art projects: YouTube is filled with DIY projects for children of all ages. They can watch and choose the ones that interest them. Older children can try batik art and younger children can learn to ‘tie and dye’.
Cooking Competition: Organise an online cooking competition with your children and their friends. Pick out 3 to 5 key ingredients and give a time limit for them to cook something out of the given ingredients.
Theatre: Introducing a theater project to your children is a good idea as it offers different options like creating a story, dramatizing it, writing a script and dialogues etc., and children can work on different modules at different times. For older children you might have them and their friends independently work on scripts and all could come together online for reading. Musically inclined children can write songs and work out tunes.
Occupying children with productive and fun activities during this time is very important for their mental health. Very soon this pandemic will just be a memory, and it is up to parents to make it such that your children will remember this summer vacation filled with fun activities.
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