Best activities for kids to have productive summer vacations this year
Summer vacations are indeed one of the most enjoyable parts of childhood. Kids look forward to their time off from school to play games, watch late-night movies, and have extended playdates.
But there’s a catch.
Eventually, kids get bored, even if they get to play all day. Yes, you read that right. They get bored on their vacations.
They need something new every day to entertain themselves. Otherwise, they end up having too much screen time, which isn’t suitable for their mental and physical health. So, the burning question is, how can you keep your kids from getting bored during their summer vacations, while also keeping them away from too much screen time.
Keeping your children entertained and busy all summer is easier said than done. Fortunately, we’ve enlisted some excellent indoor and outdoor activities for your kids to try and be productive every day. Let’s take a quick look at some of them.
Fun and engaging games
Playing games is essential for your children’s mental and physical development. Not to mention that it’ll keep them busy while you work.
Look at it this way, even if your kids love playing virtual video games, they need to be introduced to some good old-fashioned board and outdoor games.
For this, you can choose from so many different indoor games, such as chess, monopoly, or scrabble. Also, you’ll be amazed to see incredible things young minds can do with a simple deck of cards.
And If your children are fond of playing outside, you can go for a one-on-one basketball game in the driveway or just let them play tag.
Fantasy books
Children might love being away from their textbooks on their vacations. Still, they won’t mind reading some incredible fantasy or comic books.
Let’s not forget the fact that it’s a great way to instil the reading bug in your little ones.
From Harry Potter to Marvel comics, let them choose what they want to read, and Voila! They have some fabulous new books to read every day.
You can also consider organizing a small reading club for your kids and their friends and make them read whatever interests them.
Arts and crafts
Do you remember those days when you used to make cool clay toys and got your hands dirty while painting? You can do the same for your kids as well.
Art is one of the best ways to channel your child’s creativity into something productive. It might be a bit messy but will keep them busy for days.
For this, you need to set up an ideal space to unleash your children’s creativity. You need to ensure you have all the necessary art supplies and various other printable crafts for kids to experiment with those DIY ideas. These things will encourage your little ones to incorporate art into their daily routine. The idea is to make art fun and frugal for your little ones.
You can go for some video art tutorials so that you can come up with new ideas every day. In the end, teach them to clean up so that you don’t have to deal with a mess afterward.
Enjoy nature
Generally, kids prefer to stay inside the home playing the latest video games or binge-watching their favorite TV shows. But too much of that will turn your kids into couch potatoes.
You wouldn’t want that for your little ones. Right?
You need to make the most of the summer vacations and show your children what all Mother Nature has to offer. And summer vacation is the best time to go out, explore and connect with nature.
So, ditch all your electronics, take your kids for a small hike or bird watching in the mountains.
Or you can simply plan picnics or camp nights at the nearby watering hole for your kids and their friends. Teach them how to roast a marshmallow over the fire, tell some crazy stories by the campfire and just have fun.
The idea behind this is to teach your little ones that they don’t need smartphones or video games to enjoy their summer vacations.
And yes, don’t forget to take lots and lots of pictures to commemorate your fun time with kids.
Pick a hobby
Hobbies are interesting, engaging, relaxing, and above all, fun activities. They appeal to your children’s cognitive and physical development.
And with school, homework, and extracurricular activities, it is a bit tough for kids to pursue a passionate hobby. But that’s what summer vacations are for. The best part of pursuing a hobby is that it channels your kids’ energy and helps them make the most of their free time.
Ask your kids what they are really interested in and passionate about. Maybe they want to learn a new musical instrument or new dance moves, bake a cake, paint, spend time gardening or build something in a backyard. The list of potential hobbies your children can pursue is endless.
As a parent, you can also help your kids with their hobbies to have some fun and strengthen your bond. Once your children know what they really love to do, summer vacations would definitely be the best time of the year for them.
Learn essential skills
As mentioned earlier, during regular school days, kids might not learn something apart from their lessons. So, use the free time to help them learn those essential life skills that can prove to be a lifesaver in their future.
For this, sign them up for swimming lessons or driving lessons (if they are old enough) or cooking classes. You can also utilize this free time to teach your kids how to use tools and fix things.
Apart from this, teach them basic household stuff such as doing laundry, folding clothes, cleaning a room properly, and doing dishes after dinner. It may be a bit boring at first, but your kids will definitely thank you for teaching them such important stuff.
The idea behind this is to use summer vacations to teach your children essential survival hacks or skills. These skills could really come in handy when they go on a trip with their friends or move to college.
Wrapping up!
Summer vacation is the perfect time to learn and do something new. Try to keep them busy with the activities mentioned above and fill their boring days with lots and lots of entertainment. After all, it’s all about having fun. Right?
