By Elisa Curtis, YMCA/JCC Early Childhood Specialist
Summer vacation is right around the corner. Are you wondering what to do with all that time? It is statistically shown that children lose some of what they know during those long summer days. Here are some ideas to help keep your child's skills sharp and have fun at the same time.
• Start a collection – Bugs, marbles, coins or whatever is of interest to them. Have them count and sort their collection.
• Record and catalog information – What type of birds have they spotted in the back yard, what kind of flowers or animals have they seen? Have them start a record book and continue it through the summer. They can draw and write about what, where and when they have seen it. There's no better way to learn science than from hands on experience.
• Visit the Zoo – Don't just walk through. Sit and draw animals, figure out what they are doing. Go home and research where the animals came from and what do they eat. Have your child pick an animal to research and go back several times to visit that animal.
• Visit the Museum –
o Art Museum – Have them pick one of their favorite pieces of art and an artist. Research where did they come from and what other works are they known for. Have them try to replicate the piece.
o History Museum – Research their favorite part of history. Build a model a shadow box to represent that part of history.
o Science Museum – Find something of interest to them in this area and research it. Build a model or do some fun experiments.
• Go to the Park – Pack a picnic lunch, invite some friends and organize a scavenger hunt. Look for types of birds, plants, trees.
• Go Fishing – Learn about different types of fish, where they live and what type of bait to use.
• Go to the Library – Join the summer reading club.
• Participate in Community Service Work – Pick up litter, it teaches them to be a good citizen.
• Journals – Have them write daily about their thoughts, feeling and experiences.
• Teach Them to Cook and Bake. Great learning happens in the kitchen with measuring and following instructions on a recipe.
• Go to the local farmers market to see all the vendors and fresh produce. Talk about where it came from. Have them count how many different types of fruits and vegetables they saw.
• Visit your local YMCA/JCC to stay active. The YMCA/JCC offers many free program that are open to the community such as Splash water safety and swimming skills, Healthy Kids Day and Family Night activities. Visit www.ymcatoledo.org for details.
