How to give your kids a classic summer
This generation of children has had a lot to deal with. Technology and social media have put immense pressure on today’s youth, not to mention the mental strain of growing up during a pandemic.
Lately, I’ve been giving a great deal of thought to the simplicity of my own childhood and it’s something I want to share with my own three boys. With that in mind, here are five ideas for old-fashioned, low-tech fun that you can enjoy with your own kids this summer.
RELAX THE SCHEDULE
Organized sports and activities are fantastic, but summer provides a wonderful opportunity to relax the schedule and let kids have a bit more freedom. Kick the kids outside after breakfast, give them the opportunity to roam the neighbourhood, feed them when they’re hungry, send them back out again and tell them to come home when the streets lights come on.
Play classic outdoor games There’s something special about children gathering a group of neighbourhood kids and playing simple outdoor games. They pick teams, they establish rules, they resolve conflict and they have fun.
I spent much of my childhood riding my bike around my neighbourhood, gathering friends and playing outdoor games. Some great options to share with your kids are hopscotch, a slip and slide, jump rope (with rhymes), watermelon seed spitting, red rover, Simon says, hand-clapping games, hide and seek and flashlight tag in the dark.
ENJOY LOW-TECH INDOOR ACTIVITIES
When the weather isn’t great, it’s very tempting for kids to place themselves in front of a screen, but there are many other options they are sure to enjoy. Some of my childhood favourites included trading stickers, painting rocks, playing board games, enjoying a family fondue and building blanket forts.
EMBRACE NATURE
Social media plays a big role in our culture now, so it’s more important than ever to get back to the basics and encourage our children to embrace nature. Consider setting up a tent in the backyard, laying down a blanket and stargazing, going berry picking, building a fort in the woods and/or collecting sea glass.
EAT OLD-SCHOOL FOODS
Nothing invokes childhood memories like the tastes and smells of the foods we enjoyed as kids. Who doesn’t remember the excitement of hearing the bell from the ice cream bike travelling through the neighbourhood?
I really love the idea of sharing some of my favourite childhood treats with my own kids. Some classics include boiled hotdogs, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on white bread, chocolate-covered frozen bananas, lemonade and homemade ice pops.
I hope I’ve inspired you to reminisce about your own childhood and share some of your favourite memories with your children this summer. Take a little break from technology and enjoy some simple family fun.
Gina Bell is a mother of three and can be found online at www.eastcoastmommy.com.