Anita Peppers
Girl-on-swing
Although most children claim that they cannot wait until the start of summer break, in reality, the end of the school year is a challenging time for many little ones. The daily structure and routine that both parents and teachers have worked so hard over the past year to build come to a grinding halt as kids are thrust into the freedom and looseness of the summer months. The initial excitement of vacation is quickly replaced in many households with complaints of boredom from restless, under-stimulated children. Here are five tips to help ease your family’s transition from the hectic days of school to the slower pace of summer.
- Create a Summer To-Do List - A summer to-do list allows the whole family to come together to organize a plan for the months ahead. Work together to brainstorm all the things that each family member wants to accomplish over the break, and then make them happen by scheduling time for each activity using a calendar that can be displayed for all to see.
- Build a New Routine - Children thrive on schedules. Their growing brains relish in the structure and consistency of a daily routine, so make sure to provide them with a daily schedule throughout the summer months. Just because it’s summer does not mean that children must forgo morning rituals, chores, or set times for meals, naps, or bedtime. Whatever daily schedule works best for your family should be followed consistently as much as possible, while remaining flexible at times when needed to accommodate the fun activities that summertime brings. Children like knowing what to expect and when to expect it, so give them as much structure in daily routines as possible.
- Have a Weekly Family Meeting - If your summer schedule will be changing week to week due to camps, trips away, or visits from relatives, let your children know what to expect in the week ahead by holding a family planning meeting. Sit down and discuss as a family what activities are planned for that week. For a week that has no set plans or trips, ask your kids what they would like to do in the days ahead, and then have them help you fill in the calendar and set the routine for that week.
- Keep the Learning Going - To prevent summer learning loss and keep kids stimulated, strive to include academic activities into your daily plans as much as possible. The summer is a perfect time for children to practice the many skills that they have learned over the past school year in a new, fun way. Help them to keep their minds sharp by checking out the summer programs at the local library, playing lots of board games at home that incorporate math and puzzle solving skills, constructing crafts that encourage fine motor skills, and encouraging play that fosters imagination and creativity.
- Schedule play dates - Children need to practice their social skills over the summer just as much as their academic skills, which makes spending time with friends so important during the school break. Get-togethers with classmates allow kids to remain connected to the school year and help generate excitement about the upcoming year. Make an effort to help your children stay in touch with their school friends by contacting other parents and scheduling fun events together.
