Looking for Something for the Kids to Do This Summer?

I’m not sure how many of you have young children at home, but I have a 4 ½ year old little boy who has spent the last 9 months in an all-day 3 year old program at one of the public schools. While many parents think all-day programs for 3 year olds are a bit much, my son actually loved it. Not only did he love it, but he thrived with it. The program was offered by one of the nearby local schools and we chose to enroll him because he was getting bored at home. In addition, he is an only child (until this August) so he really needed the day-to-day social interaction the program offered him.

Anyways, my son and I both enjoyed the benefits of the all-day program, but now that summer is merely 10 days away for us, I’m panicking about what I’m going to do with him all summer. I’m afraid that he’s going to get bored really easy. Maybe there are some of you out there who can also relate? Even if your children are in pre-K, Kindergarten or another age in grade school, I’m sure I’m not the only one looking for ideas to keep the kids busy this summer.

I figured I would go ahead and share with you what I’ve figured out so far…just to help you get some ideas going through your head about what you can do with your kids this summer.

• T-Ball – My son loves to run and play various sports. This Saturday will be his last indoor soccer game, and so we enrolled him in t-ball again this year. Last year was his first year to play, and it went pretty well considering he was the youngest on the team. We play through our local YMCA because the league isn’t competitive at this age (3-5 year olds on a team) and is mainly for an introduction to the sport. So, we’ve got him signed up to play again this year. There are only 8 games, starting in May and wrapping up in the middle of June, so it won’t be that long for him.
• Swimming Lessons – Once t-ball is finished, I’ll get him signed up for swimming lessons. Swimming lessons are also offered at our local YMCA and they are once a day for two weeks (5 days a week) lasting only 30 minutes per class. He thinks swimming lessons are fun, but I do it to ensure he learns about water safety and how to swim. I’m considering signing him up for two summer sessions this year since he’s a little older.
• Art and Science Camp – We have a local organization that puts on summer art and science camps for kids ages 4-12. These camps are only 5 days each and you can choose for full-day or half-day. I’m enrolling little man in one week of each for only a half-day (8am-11:30am).

Above are the three main things I have planned for my son this summer. I thought about sending him to a Kid’s Day Out program once or twice a week, but I want him to be able to enjoy the summer playing at home as well as enjoying some other fun activities. Of course, we will be doing some other fun things this summer like visiting the local Splash Pad, going to the Zoo, attending Bible School and catching a movie or two. We’re also planning a fun week-long vacation to Colorado as well. And, at the end of the summer, my son will be dressing up in a formal tuxedo as the ring bearer for one of my friends’ wedding. So, I think the summer will be a pretty busy and fun one for us!

When considering things for your kids to do this summer, try not to cram pack the schedule too much. And, if your kids are young, like my son, consider just opting for half-day programs and/or camps to ensure there is plenty of down time at home for the kids to enjoy too!