3 Things You Can Do This Summer With Your Child

By Dr. Tyra Seldon

It’s summer time and many children are excited about having a break from school. However, a break from school should not mean a break from learning.

The following list is intended to give you some ideas about ways that you can energize and engage with your children over the summer break. The activities range in price and the amount of time that you will need, but they all have an educational edge.

Visit Your Local Library. Most libraries may actually be closed on the actual holidays, but they tend to keep their regular hours throughout the rest of the break. In fact, many even offer different workshops, lectures or reading activities in anticipation of the large number of children who will be home from school.
Visit Your Local Museum. Some museums actually offer discounted rates and even free days for students with picture IDs. Take advantage of the break to take your child to an exhibit at a local museum. If you call ahead of time, you can also find out if there is additional, free educational materials that the museum will provide you. Because museums are accustomed to having large groups of school children, they often print up curriculum that is aligned to an exhibit. Also, to best determine the age and educational appropriateness of certain exhibits, be sure to ask.
Go to Your Local State Park. No, your eyes did not mislead you and yes, I know that there may be mountains of snow where you live, but state parks are great, wide-open classrooms. With the proper clothing and foot wear, you and your children can venture out to take a brief hike, observe the water, foliage or wildlife. Like most museums, state parks often have brochures that will help guide you.

The added benefit of all of these activities is that they also give you time to bond with your child. School and work can be stressful, so taking time over winter break to just enjoy each other’s company, bond over a shared experience and talk about what you are seeing all have educational value. By exposing your child, you are opening his/her eyes to the vastness of the world around us.

In addition, by talking about your experiences, you are encouraging your child to express him or herself. If you want to add an additional academic component, ask your child to journal every day over break or you can have your child do research on the places that you visit. Who is it named after? Why? How long has it been in existence? How many people visit per year? These questions become the springboards for a research paper or a presentation that he or she can share with other family members when everyone is gathered together to celebrate.