Want to involve your children in some fun, productive, and screen-free activities this summer break? Here are some great indoor and outdoor ideas for them! Some are individual, and others will be a great opportunity to bond with your children and make the most out of your family time. Let’s explore our top 5 choices!
Engage them in reading
A great way to involve education during summer break is to engage your children in reading some interesting books. Let them decide which book they want to read, but make it more fun this way: organize your unique family book club and choose a book that all family members will read at the same time. Limit the time for example to 5-7 days after which you’ll organize a chilled afternoon with snacks, music, and discussion. Ask your child for their opinion on:
- What did he/she like the most in the book?
- Which character he/she would like to be and why?
- What would the end look like if he/she was the book author?
Parents should express their opinions and even argue if they think the opposite of what their child thinks. In that way, you’ll teach your children critical thinking, but also to accept others’ opinions.
To make this activity more exciting you can also organize a quiz in which participants should answer the questions about the book they’ve read. The team or participant who won the most points should be awarded a prize
Cook with them
Another great activity which includes parents is cooking. Let your child help you next time you prepare breakfast, as it’s the easiest meal. Together you can make some pancakes, salads, and many other simple dishes. Allow your child to mix the ingredients, and even chop them. Participate together in designing the menu and preparing some tasty snacks. Kids will enjoy spending time with you, but also will learn to organize things, and prioritize them. They will develop their own senses such as smell, touch, taste…
Cooking is a great opportunity to introduce kids to scientific concepts and teach them about temperature, liquids, and mixing different structures. Children can watch how ingredients change their color, shape, and even taste. They will observe and even make predictions about what will happen if you use too much/little water, baking powder, oil…
Try some new DIY projects
If your child loves to create, paint and imagine things then DIY projects are great indoor, but also outdoor activities to enjoy together. Choose one interesting project, for example, making a birdhouse or a little garden in the yard. Make a list of necessary tools and materials. Let your child draw the project and choose what it will look like, and also involve the child in writing the list and even the building process. Let them paint, decorate their chosen object, and find a place for it.
If your child is, for example, interested in science, together you can make some nice scientific projects for his room such as the solar system, the periodic table, and many others… If a child is interested in music you can create a music corner or singing place, there are a lot of ideas.
Spend a day at the museum/gallery
The best way to share some real art and spend some quality proactive summer break time is to go to the museum or gallery together. Choose an interesting, interactive and of course, a child-friendly museum that they’ll like and organize an excursion. Make some sandwiches and prepare a backpack. Spend quality time in the museum trying to make it more fun by telling interesting facts, and give your children challenges or quizzes connected to the theme of the museum. At the end of the visit, don’t forget to treat their good behavior and knowledge with ice cream, or a nice picnic in the park.
Sign them up for an educational summer camp
If you are busy at work or want your kids to spend more quality and proactive time with their peers, then educational summer camps are a great activity to choose this summer. Educational summer camps are a great way for your kid to make some new friends, learn something new, and also have a great time by making such special memories.
The interactive and natural environment is also great for their mental and physical health and development while camping collective learning will help them to develop their respect, tolerance, empathy, and organization.
Summer Smart! Summer Fun Camp!
Looking for fun and valuable time without screens for your child? We have a solution!
If you live in the Geneva area, we warmly recommend our first bilingual (English/French) summer camp Summer Smart! Summer Fun Camp for children aged 4-6 and 6-8. The camp is designed as a synthesis of physical and mental activities for children, supporting their cognitive development, and well-being, at the same time ensuring a lot of fun.
Some of the planned activities include:
- Yoga sessions and meditation
- Cooking masterclasses
- Artistic projects
- Outdoor recreation
- Brain activities
Open dates: 18-22nd July; 25-29th July; 01-05th August; 08-12th August.
Duration: 8:30 – 16:00
Note: Parents that work until 18:00 can rest assured their kids will be safe and happy enjoying the 2 hours of free play without exposure to screens. The children will be able to choose among our selection of smart games, books, and indoor/outdoor activities to fulfill their time in a playful and constructive way.
For more information and additional questions contact us via the link.