The first couple of weeks of summer vacation are always fun. But then the boredom sets in. Your kids are bored, and you don’t know what to do with them. On top of that, you might not have a lot of money to spend on entertainment and camps. For many families, it’s important to keep children occupied as frugally as possible.
The good news is that there are options for you during the summer. Take a deep breath, and then set your kids on a path for a productive and fun summer.
Community Resources
Your first stop should be community resources. You might be surprised at how many free and low-cost resources could be available in your community. Many cities and towns offer activities during the summer time. These activities range from free to expensive. However, most localities have moderately priced camps, classes, and sports opportunities for kids of various ages. Additionally, many towns have programs set up to help those in need participate in more expensive endeavors.
Check with your town’s parks and recreation department to see if there are activities and classes available. This department might also have information about concerts in parks, and fairs and festivals.
Don’t forget about the library. There is almost always some sort of summer reading program at any given library. Check into it, and encourage your kids to read every day. This will provide you with a good way to help your kids stay on top of their learning as well as give them something to do. Encourage at least 30 minutes of reading each day.
Self-Improvement
One of the things that really helps my son stay busy during the summer is self-improvement. He continues to take piano lessons during the summer, so that means he needs to practice each day. I also require him to set aside time each day to work on a Scouting requirement or work on a 4-H project. This way, he’s making progress, and he has something to keep him busy.
Look for ways for your kids to be involved. If they are old enough, encourage them to get summer jobs. That way, they have something productive to do during the summer. Even if they can’t get a job, see if you can find service and volunteer opportunities for your kids. They will learn valuable lessons, and spend less time being bored.
Get Outside
Summer is a great time to get outside. Encourage your kids to go outside if it is practical for them to do so. Encourage them to ride bikes, go to the park, and engage in other activities. One summer, I encouraged my son to go out and learn about the plants around the neighborhood. He spent a couple of weeks, flower book in hand, looking for different varieties of plants and then telling me about them later.
It’s a good idea to have unstructured play time each day, since this encourages creativity and helps kids unwind, but you should also give them some purpose at times. That way, they have a task to focus on.
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