We hope these activities will lead to some quality time for you and the kids you care about.

Quality time happens when we least expect it, often around the smallest and least expensive events.  You can’t schedule it. It doesn’t take a lot of time. Instead, it takes a lot of small moments. Be prepared to be surprised by many “magical” moments while doing our summer activities.  If you fully tune into your child, you and your child can make an amazing connection.  

ACTIVITIES

1.  Let’s make a movie. Let your child use a mobile phone, ipad, or video camera to make a movie.

• Talk with your child about what he wants his movie to be about; what the message of his movie is; and who he wants to see his movie.

• Plan the things he will need pictures of to get his message across.

• Shoot the movie according to the plan; review the movie; make changes and additions, if needed.

• Plan a “showing” for those people your child said he wanted to see his movie.

2.  Let’s chalk it up. Use sidewalk chalk to create an art gallery. Talk about all the different types of pictures your child thinks should be in his gallery. Plan the different locations on the sidewalk. Let your child draw the pictures. Have a “showing” of the art with neighbors or relatives. If you can’t share safely using social distancing, take pictures and share on the internet or FaceTime. It may surprise you that this activity will be interesting to your older children as well as your toddlers

3.  Let’s make a handmade gift.  Make a gift for someone. While making it, talk about the person you are making it for and how much you think he might like it. Also talk about how much fun it is to spend this time together making the gift. Wrap it. Send it, or deliver it. If you can’t safely deliver it right now, take a picture and share it on the internet or on the phone.

4.  Let’s learn geography.  Pick a place – your own state or country, an interesting city, etc. Read about that place with books from the library or on the Internet. Make a list of the interesting
things about that place. What it is near; what it is famous for; who lives there – people, animals, plants; what the weather is like; etc. Have your child draw pictures about the things she learns about.

5.  Let’s sail the seas. Make cardboard boats and try them out on some water – a pond near your house, the bathtub, the pool, a big barrel. Talk about why some boats worked and some did not. Make some more boats trying to improve on the ones that didn’t work the first time.

For more activities see:

Summer Activities #1

Summer Activities #2

Summer Activities #3

Summer Activities #4

Summer Activities #5