Check out these ten fun activities that can help engage your child’s mind during the warmer months!
Ride bikes. Ride your bikes around your neighborhood or in a local park to help your child practice gross motor skills, confidence and independence.
Have a picnic. Encourage your child to help pack the basket. You can talk to him about the different types of food you’re putting in the basket. What does it smell like, talk about different colors and textures and ask them if there’s anything they want to add like their favorite snack.
Go on a leaf hunt. Your child can learn about different types of trees by their leaves, and they can observe how the trees grow. To create a lasting memory of your wonderful walk, collect a few leaves, place them on a sheet of paper and color them with a crayon. This will produce an imprint of the leaf to have for the future.
Volunteer in your community. Many communities have public gardens where children and parents come to plant their own flowers to contribute to the beauty of the community. If your community doesn’t have a garden, consider starting one. This will teach your child the importance of being involved and giving back.
Plan a treasure hunt. For more enjoyment, include the whole neighborhood.
Prepare new summer recipes. Encourage your child to use their skills to help with the ingredients and measurements. Soon, they’ll be cooking meals for you.
Play dress up. Take some of your old clothes and place them in a chest. Now, you can have a dress-up day, which is a perfect inside activity for a rainy day. Your child will love dressing up just like you!
Create a craft table. Prepare a corner in your child’s playroom or bedroom with a table for craft activities, such as drawing, painting or building. This makes for another great indoor activity for rainy days.
Stargaze. On a warm, clear night, sit outside with your child and observe the various stars. Talk about what you can and cannot see with the human eye. Enjoy the starry night! If you live somewhere with too much light pollution, use it as a teaching moment and then research stars online or at your local library.
Learn to conserve. Teach your child to conserve water during their daily activities. Since we enjoy pools, oceans and lakes during the summer months, this is a good time to teach your little one about climate change, why we have to conserve water and that not everyone has access to clean water.
