Southern Mom Loves: 9 Great Ways to Keep Your Child Active This Summer

9 Great Ways to Keep Your Child Active This Summer

Friday, June 3, 2016

Summer may be a time to relax, but try telling that to kids who are bouncing off the walls or screaming "I'm bored." As parents, we want each summer to be more memorable than the last, and with that comes the need for a few new ideas. Here are a few ideas to keep kids from getting bored and create memories they'll have for a lifetime.


9 Great Ways to Keep Your Child Active This Summer



1. Teach them to cook.  Cooking and baking teach valuable math skills while allowing your child to create something yummy.  Let them choose a recipe that interests them and teach them how to properly measure and mix the ingredients.  Make cupcakes or cookies they can later decorate with colorful frosting and toppings.

2. Make a summer bucket list.  Help your child write a list of things they want to do and enjoy over the summer.  Using a poster board, colorful markers and scrapbook paper, create a collage they can hang on the wall where it can be seen often.  Let them choose something off the board a couple of times a week and have an adventure.



3. Create a scavenger hunt.  Create a list of items for your child to search for or a buried treasure map.  You can make a list of natural items, or place some of their toys for them to find. Encourage them to explore the yard and neighborhood to find their treasures.  When they return, spend some time looking over all their treasures and listening to their stories about how and where they found them.

4. Volunteer.  Foster kindness towards others by teaching your child how to give back to their community.  Let them volunteer at a soup kitchen serving a meal, reading to the elderly at a retirement home or collect canned goods for the local food bank.



5. Plant a butterfly garden.  A beautiful flower garden will not only make your yard look nice, it will support nature by inviting butterflies and birds to spend time there.  Your child will be able to get dirty, have fun and create an attractive masterpiece in your yard.

6. Plan a family game night.  Let your child plan a family evening including activities and a fun menu.  They will learn organizational skills by getting the games and supplies together needed for a great family night.  Let them create a special rule for the night like everyone has to eat dessert first or everyone has to wear a special hat.  Build their confidence and esteem by putting them in charge of all the plans.




7. Go fly a kite. Kite flying can be a fun way to get out and get active. You could even make kites yourself out of different materials and in different configurations. Hypothesize about which you think will fly the best and why, then get out and test them!

8. Set up a lemonade stand.  This is a great way to earn some extra money for things they want or for a charity they believe in.  It will allow them to interact with people, teaching them social skills, while learning valuable money lessons when they buy supplies and sell the lemonade.


9. Play in the sprinklers. When it's hot, there's nothing better than cooling off with water, and running through the sprinkler can be a fun way for the kids to use up some of that never-ending energy!


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What are some of the ways you keep your kids active during summer vacation? Which one of these tips are your favorite? I love to read your comments!

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