Summer
Camp Just Isn't Right for Everyone
Summer is quickly coming. Since
we know that summer
camps just plain aren't for every child, we
began considering the many other activities available
during summer vacation to keep children busy and help them grow
as individuals. Research has shown that children with scheduled
activities that keep them active and focused are more likely
to be self-confident and less likely to become depressed
or overweight.
So the question becomes, how do you create a schedule of activities
for your child during the summer months? Fortunately, there
is a ton of information about activities available online. Some
areas we think are worth considering when making plans for kids
are:
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Fitness
Summer
time offers great opportunities to get
fit or remain in-shape. But, it may also be a trap
that leads to our children spending their days inside enjoying
air conditioning and eating snacks all day long instead of running
and playing outside. And since planning kid's
health, can have positive effects for the whole
family, it is important to plan nutritious
meals and physical
activities that will give our kids plenty of energy
for exercise and promote strong
bones and active
minds.
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Community-based
activities
Libraries
and local newspapers are great places to look for information
about community-based activities for kids. Communities across
America offer recreation
activities to fill our children's days. Some community-based
activities are location specific like: water
sports at beaches or lakes, hiking
through national or state parks, or visiting historical sites.
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Arts
Art
projects are fun and entertaining for kids whether they happen
inside or outside of the house. And there are tons of websites
offering suggestions for projects. Government agencies like
the Department
of Justice, the Department
of Veteran's Affairs, and the U.S.
Coast Guard have kid's pages that contain coloring
books and other games. For a centralized point to begin looking
at art projects for kids online, Kids.gov
offers a list of government and private web sites that suggest
art projects that cover singing, painting, building, making
instruments, and learning to play musical instruments.
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Learning
While
physical activity is very good for our kids, we realize that
summer can also be a great time to learn. After all, some days
are rainy, and some days are just too hot to go out and play.
Nowadays computers draw children's attention more and more,
but they shouldn't be the only option for inside activities.
The Department of Education has a website that links to a number
of excellent summer
reading programs. Ideas for educational
activities can also be found at a number of government
and private websites. If you decide to go the web route for
finding educational materials keep in mind that historic
sites and museums
often have their own websites that can be located online.
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Volunteering
It
is never too early to introduce children to public
service. Volunteering
in our communities gives children a chance to learn personal
responsibility, participation in society, and valuable job skills
that may lead them to internships
or jobs.
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Other
Resources
This is just a brief overview.
For more information, check out these resources:
Read
these publications online:
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and their inclusion does not mean that they are endorsed by
the Savvy Consumer Information Center or any Government
agency. Also, if a particular resource or organization is not
mentioned, this does not mean or imply that it is unsatisfactory.
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