Check Out Nearby Summer Camps

Summertime can be a great opportunity to help your child hone their interests and stay socialized by interacting with other children. You can do both of these things at once by enrolling your kid in a summer camp.

There are more traditional summer camps that encourage outdoor activities and exploration. But even if your child isn’t the outdoorsy type, you can still find a camp that suits them. There are also other camps that focus on more specialized interests, such as sports, technology, music, horseback riding, art, and more.

The variety of available activities is matched by a variety of schedules. For that, you can keep your child occupied for days or even weeks. Many camps now cater to specific interest areas like science, history, mathematics, etc providing an enriching experience outside of traditional classroom settings.

You can, for instance, enroll your kid at specialized camps for learning science in London, or your city that can allow them to explore scientific concepts through hands-on activities and immersive programs during summer or school breaks. The right camp can nurture your child's interests while making learning feel like an exciting experience.

Create an Obstacle Course or Water Park in Your Backyard

If you have a yard that can accommodate an array of different outdoor activities, summer is the time to put it into action. Bring out some of that competitive spirit and encourage physical activity by building an obstacle course. There are a number of ready-made kids’ obstacle course kits that you can install. Or, if you’re pretty handy, you can build your own. 

Of course, it wouldn’t be summer without some water. For that, you can turn your yard into a veritable water park with just a few implements. All around the lawn, set up a couple different sprinkler style water toys, a slip ‘n slide, a water balloon station, etc.  

Encourage a New Hobby

Why not use this summer to have your kid try something new? Encourage your child to try their hand at a new hobby, something besides playing video games or social media surfing, that can engage their mind as well as their hands. 

They may find out that they are actually pretty good at painting, knitting, frisbee golf, or whatever other activity has grabbed their attention. Or maybe they aren’t all that good at it. Either way, they have at least explored trying something new and getting out of their comfort zone.

Start a Book Club

Your child may already have been given a summer reading list from their teacher. If so, then the foundation for a summer book club is pretty much set. If not, it shouldn’t be too hard to come up with a list of books that can engage and help your child build on their reading skills. 

To encourage your child to actually read the books on the list, you can take the initiative to also read them yourself. Then, make a point of discussing what you’ve read with your child on a regular basis. This helps to make a reluctant reader more accountable. 

Giving summer reading a book club-like format can actually make the overall experience more fun and engaging for both of you. To expand on the fun, suggest having your child invite some of their school friends into your club as well. 

Take a Family Trip

With the large amount of free time that kids have available, summer is always the ideal time for a family getaway. And after being cooped at home for more than a year, this year a summer vacation away will be a particularly welcome respite for everyone. 

Things are opening back up all around the country, but not everything at the same time. So, be sure to do your research on your vacation destination for any continuing restrictions.

By employing one or all of these suggestions, you and your child will find the summer season fun and engaging…and flying by. Have a great summer!