Growing up Summertime was one of my favorite times of the year. It meant hanging out with friends, playing capture the flag after dark, early morning swim practice, summer camps, and tons of fun.  Almost 2 months of no homework, and that was bliss for me as a kid. It also meant that I would have more chores to do too, but that was okay.

Now having kids who are on their summer break it’s a whole different world. I see what it was like more from my parents angle. When your kids are young you feel the need to find things for them to do. If you are like my parents you aren’t able to stay home with your kids everyday so you have to find somewhere for your younger kiddos to go. As they get older you don’t want them to have too much free time either.

If you’re in my position where you either stay at home or work from home then you need things for them to do to stay busy. That way you can get work done around the house or for your own business. Plus you need ideas of fun things to do when you have time to spend together throughout the summer months. After all there’s only so much time they will watch their favorite television shows, movies or play their video games. Not that most of us growing up weren’t told at some point or another to, “Go Outside!” It’s still nice to have options.

In the Kids Summer Break series I’m going to share about fun ideas for day trips, rainy day activities, and ways to keep cool around the house. Also I’ll share ideas about how to keep those math and reading skills sharp throughout the summer. Plus I’ll share some ideas for snacks to take on the road as you’re on the go. Along with some more non-toxic sunscreens and insect repellents that we use so much more of throughout the summer.

It’s really important that kids get time to play and have fun. It’s crucial to their development. Playing helps kids to learn how to solve problems, exert self control, make decisions, and follow rules. During play kids learn how to deal with their anger and other emotions. They learn to find their own interests and develop friendships. It’s also just a source of happiness that kids need.

Often nowadays with our on the go over scheduled lives play gets thrown out the window, especially if you think back to when you were a kid. Chances are you will probably remember having more free time then what most kids have today. Summer Break is a perfect time to give our kids that much needed play time, but also have lots of fun with them and not have too much free time.