8 Ideas To Add A Twist To Your Summer

story by Cynthia Ford

8 things that you can do to add a twist to your summer

Bring out the slip and slide, the sweetest watermelon, the freeze pops, and flip flops! It is summertime! The blazing sun and songbirds are sure to greet you bright and early each morning. The weather boasts in its strength, climbing to its highest and scattering storms throughout. Students are free from school and parents are busy scheduling childcare, family trips, and cookouts. This scenario is not everyone’s story. Some struggle with trying to figure out what to do during the summer, how to stay active, or in some cases how to stay safe. As adults, we should remember that our children just spent 180 days in an educational institution and only have a little over 60 days for freedom for the summer. The continuous routine of education is required by law for students from kindergarten until age 17. Many students are either 17 or 18 by the time they graduate from high school. There is additional time spent towards afterschool activities such as homework and school activities.

As we age, let’s never forget what it was like to be young, for we may be that one shining example for a young person in our path. This summer let us commit to ensuring our children take a moment to understand the value of time, seize moments to enjoy, create everlasting memories, and ensure that they are safe. In this article, I will share eight brief ideas of things that you can do to add a twist to your summer.

First, give your child a Yes Day. In February of this year, the movie Yes Day was released. In the movie, the parents agreed to say yes to their children’s request for a whole day. There were a few ground rules to this special day, however, it was an exciting day for the children. Pick a day, let the children know ahead of time that you are giving them a YES Day, and get ready for an exciting venture. Children will be engaged in following rules, making decisions, and planning. Make it as fun and safe as possible. second, have a family or community field day at a local park. Feld day is one of the highlights at the end of the school year. Pick a day and invite other family members or friends. Decide which games and obstacle courses you want to prepare and have inexpensive prizes for potential winners. Children will learn to be competitive, encourage others, and exciting ways to stay physically active. thirdly, add a twist to summer reading. Pick a day to check out books at the local library. Have a family drama night, and let your child do a dramatic performance based on a book they chose. It is often suggested for children to continue reading during the summer. Many libraries offer summer reading camps and would love to help with individual summer activities. Reading helps to keep the mind engaged and vocabulary increased. This time add a twist to your reading adventure. The Fourth idea is to discover history and arts. Sometimes history and the arts end up being a hidden treasure tucked away. History should always be remembered. One important piece of history that you can share with your children is your family tree. Start a family project and see how far back in history you can

go. Take the time to show them how to recognize and appreciate the skill and beauty in art. They may even begin to discover a dormant artistic talent. The fifth suggestion is to take a moment to appreciate nature. Nature always has a way of teaching us something new. There’s a big push to get more youth involved in science and mathematic activities. A simple task such as planting something and watching the progress in its transition would give youth a piece of nature. Discovering the joy in nature can be found in activities such as nature walks or even trips to the nearest zoo or museum. The sixth idea is to help them discover their strength and help them monetize it. This is an opportunity for the children to discover who they are and what they are passionate about. The world of entrepreneurship has increased in so many ways recently. Get started by having them list things they are passionate about. Businesses flourish if it is solving a problem. Teach them to select an idea that solves a problem, while still allowing them to enjoy and remain passionate about their chosen idea. The seventh idea is to teach them how to become engaged in their community. The youth can assist in coordinating a community outdoor movie event. The event can include citizens participating by drive-in or watching the movies outside their vehicles. Another engaging community activity would be to create a community youth bicycle club. Both ideas create opportunities for engagement and building community rapport. The eighth suggestion is to take a family trip to a location you’ve never visited before. The key to planning the trip is to not compare your trip to what someone else may have planned. Your trip should be planned based on your budget and the destination agreed upon by your family. Family trips create memories that can’t be bought and provides your child with exposure to the world around them. Everyone’s summer may look different, and it is okay. The key is to make a memory, do something different, and to be safe. Some desire to make summer an amazing memorable time but may not know how to start. The first way to start a new family tradition is to make up in your mind that you will do something different. Take action. Make the best of this summer while you have time. Make a priceless memory that cannot be bought and discover the joy of summertime again.