Happy Friday, everyone!
With an upcoming heat wave and today being the last official day of school for the Manchester-Essex Regional School District, it’s clear that summer is finally here.
With the future and safety of summer camps in doubt, and summer travel plans hanging precariously in the balance, it’s essential that we think about how we will entertain our kids throughout the summer. This proves to be especially difficult for those of you out there who are balancing a job along with child-rearing -- so I hope this post proves supportive to some extent.
While there are absolutely myriad ways to stay engaged and active, research has proven that children need intellectual stimulation in order to continue their skill development. What better way to further your child’s development than to begin learning the basics of a new language? Free platforms such as the mobile app Duolingo are very user-friendly and intuitive, allowing you to join your child on this linguistic journey. While you’re at it, check out the many other educational apps and games on the App Store and Google Play Store. Educational videos on YouTube (with parental supervision, of course) are also a great option!
Another essential tenet of the childhood experience is that of socialization. Typically, we reinforce social behavior through playdates and sleepovers, with a trip to Canobie Lake Park every now and then. While that isn’t feasible at the moment, with social-distancing guidelines, there are alternatives. Zoom can be an excellent resource for socialization for the younger ones, and there are many fun activities that can be conducted through Zoom, ranging from sing-alongs to virtual cook-offs (judging based on appearance and creativity, not on taste of course).
But most importantly, just be there for them. Children’s minds are developing, and it is essential that, in these difficult times, we step up and demonstrate to them that everything will turn out fine and this crisis will subside eventually.
Stay strong, and have a fantastic weekend!
