The 5 Best Summer Activities For Kids

Outside would be the best place for children to spend some time in the sun during the warm summer months. Keeping them occupied shouldn’t be too hard to do, but there are ways of adding fun to their experience.

What most parents don’t realize is that there’s more to play than just a means of keeping them busy. Children develop many different areas and aspects of their lives during play, including social skills and physical development. They don’t even realize that even while playing, they’re learning.

Parents can play an essential role in expanding their children’s skill set, which would benefit them in the long term. So, get your kids started on their journey of growth with the best summer activities, including:

1. Hop, Skip, Jump, And Run

Kids that are physically active develop their bodies and vital structures, like the middle ear, to keep their balance. Children who don’t establish these areas may struggle to concentrate and fidget.

Games like jump rope, ball sports, and even sliding would help promote the qualities children would need as they grow up. Running around and physical play have declined in children of all ages, and it’s time for parents to bring back such elements to their lives.

One excellent activity that children will find appealing is going to skateboard school. Constant concentration and practice will help their balance, and even help improve their academic performance. In-person will help to get your kid engaged in the sports activity. Professional instructors know how to get started and how to progress.

Certain sports activities can provide children with the opportunities to improve their hand-eye coordination, which they’d need for future life activities, like driving. A good example of such an activity is tennis. Having said that, it’s also a great idea to have your kids take tennis lessons.

2. Playground Participation

Socialization and leadership are skills that children develop when they constantly practice them. There’s possibly no better place for kids to learn such skills than on the playground. They need to arrange themselves to take turns on the equipment, and you’ll also notice the older kids helping the little ones.

Stay close to the play area and guide them to making the best decisions when they come to you for advice. These interactions with others and with you as a parent are crucial to harness their decision-making skills.

3. Search And Find

Smiling kids wearing safety gear

Parents would agree that children set off to find their missing socks, only for them to come back empty-handed. Their visual skills need development in order for them to correctly discriminate among items, shapes, and colors.

Treasure hunts could be perfect for this, especially in the backyard during the summer. Children would learn how to follow instructions, and their eyes would also get to practice finding specific items.

Such games have become more important to add in this digital age, not only during the summer. Too much screen time doesn’t give the eyes enough movement to develop a range of motion, as well as their near and far focus needed for academic tasks.

4. Do As Simon Says

Simon Says seems like such a pointless game, but this helps improve a child’s vocabulary, and their ability to discern between the different words.

Auditory discrimination is a skill needed in the classroom and at home, so why not enhance this for them?  Children become good listeners when they know how to hear the different sounds around them and filter out unnecessary background noise.

5. Enlighten The Senses

Another critical aspect of a child’s development is their sense of touch. Proprioception and tactile abilities are skills many don’t consider when looking at child-friendly activities. But, not having these developed could lead to sensory issues and a lack of self-awareness.

Spending time outside in nature, climbing trees, running over grass, and touching different surfaces would improve their skills in areas like reading, writing, and self-confidence.

Children also love hot and cold activities, like chiseling a toy out of a block of ice. They get to practice their fine motor skills as they hold onto a digging tool, while the sensory stimulation from the cold block of ice stimulates the nervous system.

Final Takeaway

Parents should recognize the areas where children need more development, and combine this with their interests. Play is an integral part of learning—the summer months are perfect for outdoor activities, and children won’t even know they’re acquiring new skills while playing in a stimulating environment.

Make things exciting for them by adding fun and games that they’d truly enjoy, like tennis, skateboarding, treasure hunts in the forest, or socializing on the playground. They’ll become better humans with all the skilled play they’re exposed to regularly.