Summer Activities

School is over, now what?

Parent's, I have survived the 6 grade scare. Middle school was a one of our biggest challenge, facing reality that your child is no longer a baby was going through a milestone in our household. Being in between grammar and high school age was a huge step for both the kids and the parent but we all survived.

As the school year quickly comes to an end, one big issue I have is, how will I keep my kids occupied for the summer. After some sleepless nights, and many thoughts processing, I came up with some creative ideas.

Summer camp may be one of the best options. Although my son was not thrilled about attending, this was no option. Day camps offer many benefits, including plenty of physical activity to keep kids healthy and tackle obesity. Organized games and outdoor activities work to build up cardio health and boost muscle strength and endurance. Another advantage of summer camp, of course, is the social interaction, which promotes healthy connections between peers. If camp is not a viable option, there's plenty to do close to home. Below are a few ideas that works for me and hopefully this will for you.

• Outdoors activities, such as playing outside with the neighbor or their sibling.

• Playgrounds are another plus, this promotes strenght, stability and coordination and balance in the body.
• Play on a small trampoline to build lower-extremity strength while increasing power. Trampolines require adult supervision.
• Along with the parent, always practice to learn a game like tennis, soccer, volleyball, baseball or basketball. These sports helps gross motor coordination and improve the child's ability to learn a task, while strengthening the the bond between parent and child.
• If you don't have a pool, then take advantage of a local swimming pool. Kids can spend hours playing in water, and water provides good resistance to develop both upper and lower extremities. Pool time provides a great opportunity for making new friends as well!

Finally, consider enrolling your children in summer sports. Sports encourage healthy competition and teamwork. As kids build skills and make social connections, they also build self-esteem. For their growing bodies, sports help develop strong, healthy bones and muscles. Be sure to encourage adequate stretching regularly to decrease risk of sprains and strains.

With some planning and creativity, you and your family are sure to enjoy an active, fun summer!

Happy Summer,

xoxo

griselle