How to Keep Kids Active and Engaged During Summer Break

Going to ‘Nani’s House’ (grandma’s house) was a summer holiday plan for most of us. In today’s time, with the parent’s hectic schedules, and kids’ interest in fancy gadgets, an extended holiday at Nani’s house has become one of the most lost activities for kids during summer.

However, keeping children engaged during summer remains a struggle for parents. While there are numerous options available for summer activities for kids, finding the one which interests your kid, is budget-friendly and is also helpful in their physical, mental, emotional and creative growth is super challenging. Also, it is essential to create a balance between spending more and more quality time with your children and sending them to fun summer classes. This leads parents to explore summer activities for toddlers at home.

Are you worried about your kid being glued to the television or video games all summer? Well, we are here for the rescue. Let’s explore some excellent summer activities for toddlers at home so that you can spend time with your little ones and keep them engaged too.

Did you know plenty of unstructured free time and a lack of educational activities can lead to learning gaps in your child once they return to school? This phenomenon is called a summer slide. Therefore summer activities for kids must be fun, entertaining and educational.

Organize A Family Game

Summer games for kids are one of the most engaging ways to keep them occupied. And what can be better than organizing a family game? Make your kid feel loved and pampered while enhancing cognitive skills with inquisitive games like Pictionary, Chess and Puzzles. You can also play board games like Ludo, Snakes & Ladder, Chinese Checkers, etc. Fix a schedule for a family game on the day. This way, summer games for kids will make them look forward to family time every day.

Create Summer Diaries

One of the best habits to inculcate while planning summer activities for toddlers at home is teaching them how to make summer diaries. You can help your kids note down all the fun summer activities for kids you do, places you visit, new recipes, restaurants you try, movies you watch, shopping you do, people you meet, etc. This will help them understand the value of quality time spent. They will also be able to cherish their summer memories by reading their summer diaries when they grow up. These summer diaries can be decorated with some craft elements and photographs too.

Encourage The Play

One of the most creative, engaging and learning summer activities for kids is to motivate them to perform the play. Tell them a short story and provide them with some materials like clothes, puppets, colours, craft items, props etc.

Now, tell them to narrate the story in a short play. Participate in the play if they request you to play a character. This summer activity for toddlers at home helps them learn about their surroundings, enhances their creative understanding and skills, and prepares them for extracurricular activities once they return to school.

Introduce Outdoor Summer Games

Remember playing ‘ice-water’, ‘kho-kho’, ‘traffic-cop’, ‘hopscotch’ etc.? Did we ever get tired of playing them? It’s time you introduce the same summer games for kids to your children. These games will keep them physically active, help them make new friends in their surroundings, and keep them tired to sleep well at night.

Involve Them in Cooking & Baking

Are you looking for summer activities for kids that can be incorporated into your daily plan? What can be better than involving your kids in cooking and baking? Assign your child some little cooking activities and allow them to help you in the kitchen. Who can be a better sous-chef than your little one? While you cook with them, tell them the importance of your ingredients. This activity will make them more aware of the food. You will have to put less effort into making them eat food they are generally fussy about. Also, it will give you the luxury of spending more time with your child amidst a hectic schedule. This is one of the rare summer activities for toddlers at home that will also teach your child about different colours, textures, smells, vegetables, fruits, etc. It will also inculcate a sense of independence and gratitude in them.

Encourage Reading

Regarding activities for kids during summer, reading can’t go without mention. Books are friends for a lifetime, and reading is a habit that guarantees lifelong learning. Reading helps in psychological, emotional, and cultural growth in your kid. It improves concentration, creativity, vocabulary and language. It also gives your child learning about being able to spend quality time with themselves.

Planting

Thinking of calm and insightful summer activities for kids? Go for planting. Assign them 3-4 plant pots. Give them the responsibility of taking care of those plants. Teach them how to water these plants and take care of them. Choose flower plants for planting activities for kids during summer. So that when a flower pops up, your little one feels rewarded. This activity will make them feel empowered. It will also create a sense of responsibility, accountability and empathy in them.

Conclusion

Many summer activities for kids can keep kids distracted from television, laptops, mobiles and video games. Summertime is an opportunity for growth and development. Keeping summer activities for kids attractive is essential for the complete involvement of your kid. Other activities for kids during summer can be introducing them to sustainable crafts, preparing them for long runs, playing with them on beaches if you live in a city with sea or river, going camping and gauging stars in the night, building relations by taking them to old age homes or orphanages, showing them mythological shows which will enhance their cultural roots.

At Eurokids, we understand the importance of physical, mental and emotional growth. We also ensure you take advantage of the beautiful moments of your kid’s growing life by occasionally sharing pictures and videos.