Closures have had us all reeling lately. If they have put a wrench in your family’s summer plans, fear not. Here are some long-term activities you can start this summer to keep your kids healthy and entertained.
Plant a garden
Gardening is a great activity for all ages but can be especially rewarding for children. Children learn from growing things. Planting a garden can help teach responsibility, understanding, self-confidence and nutrition—plus creating it together presents an opportunity to bond.
If you plan to plant outdoors, start by building garden boxes with spare wood and take it from there. Don’t be afraid to get creative and spend a day or two painting the wood, another project you can do together. If you don’t have the space outside, consider tackling the project indoors with artificial lighting or applying for a plot at a local community garden.
Some great summer vegetables to start with: tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, beans and squash.
Build together
Building can do wonders for a child’s mind. It can improve fine motor skills, increase spatial awareness, teach patience and inspire creativity. If summer camp isn’t an option this year, building the ultimate backyard treehouse could be another perfect summer project. If that’s too bold a goal, start off smaller. Try building a birdhouse together or constructing a DIY jewelry box. Whatever structure calls to you, dive in together and have fun getting creative.
Catalog the neighborhood
A great way to get in touch with your surroundings is to immerse yourself in them. Start by collecting leaves and plants from the backyard and pressing them together. Once you have your samples, grab a field guide for your area or turn to the internet to start identifying leaves. Catalog your findings together with pressed samples to create the ultimate botanical guide to your backyard. If you run out of plants and trees to learn about, start exploring nature in your neighborhood.
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