PARENTS – STOP WORRYING AND LET YOUR CHILDREN CLIMB TREES AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS ON OUR SUMMER TIME BUCKET LIST!
For past generations, all the things on our list were a quintessential childhood experience, on a par with running under the sprinkler on a hot summer day and skinning your knees when riding your bike just a tad too fast on a gravel road. But today, these activities aren’t offered for many kids, and for a number of reasons. For one, we all know that they spend more time indoors on electronic devices, which leaves less time to romp around outside in the first place. And we aren’t just saying this that out of nostalgia. Our Summer Time Bucket List for your kids will produce such amazing benefits for their wellbeing, growth and development. Sometimes the simplest activities extract the best and happiest results. LONG LIVE SUMMER!
#1. Celebrate 4th of July – Because FUN can just be good old fashion simple FUN. Celebrate July 4th with a collection of great games, decorations, crafts, and more — all perfect for an Independence Day party! One Easy Idea is do a Star Spangled yard. Give your lawn some flour power this Fourth of July with a simple stencil and a dusting of flour. Draw a star shape on cardboard and cut it out. Lay this stencil on the lawn and spray the grass with water from a spray bottle. Leaving the stencil in place, use a flour sifter to cover the damp star shape with flour. Remove the stencil and repeat to fill your yard with a galaxy of stars.
#2. Run & Play in the Sprinklers - Kids love playing in the water, especially during hot weather, and keep your child entertained. Kid sprinkler time is an excellent option that will cool down the young one at the same time stimulate their minds as they have fun outdoors. Playing in the sprinklers is also a great way to keep your child away from the screen.
#3. Rock Painting - Rock painting is one of our favorite activities. Get outside with your children to collect rocks, and then paint them, for a rock activity that kids are sure to love. If you don’t have any areas that you can go to collect rocks, you may have to go collect your rocks a home improvement or a landscaping store that carries smooth round unfinished river stones in bulk.
#4. Take a walk with your sibling in a beautiful place – Siblings grow up and summer is the perfect time to give them time to bond. Just allowing your kids time to hang out and enjoy each other with no expectations evokes conversations that may not otherwise happen.
#5. Dance in the Summertime Rain - The rain won't make your kids melt, get sick, or turn into a raindrop! ... If your kid likes being in the water, then playing outside in the rain is definitely for him or her. Not only can it be a great source of exercise, but it's also a great way to de-stress and have some fun!
#6. Gardening – Let your kids bloom where they are planted. Planning a garden, planting the seeds and watching them grow give kids a sense of purpose and responsibility. ... Furthermore, studies show that when children have contact with soil during activities like digging and planting, they have improved moods, better learning experiences and decreased anxiety.
#7. Swinging – Go swing your cares away with your children. Swinging is good for your physical health at any age. It can condition joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. The activity is good for pelvic muscles and helps with balance. ... Swinging is good for your mental health.
#8. Paddle and Canoe - Everyone loves to paddle or canoe into a beautiful sunset on a warm summer’s eve. Record your child's first canoe journeys and what they saw along the way, creating a perfect memento that documents their beginnings as a paddler.
#9. Climb a Tree - Tree climbing helps us develop a better connection with ourselves. Climbing trees provides a rich sensory experience for the developing child. Tree climbing helps us learn to think for ourselves and feel confident about the choices we make. Climbing a tree can help develop strong spatial reasoning skills.
#10. Make a Campfire – Besides having the enjoyment and excitement of being around a campfire. There are so many benefits of children learning to do campfires. They learn a lot of science, they learn basic survival, they learn fire safety, they learn about managing risk, they learn organization skills, they learn to respect fire and they learn how to cook on a fire and about outdoor meal preparation.
#11. Chilling with your Bestie – Scheduling time for your child time to hang with their bestie really is best. In fact, research shows that having a best friend during childhood can help strengthen kids' resilience and build adaptive coping skills. One very strong friendship during childhood can actually set kids up for a lifetime of resilience and coping with stressors.
#12. Fishing– Gone Fishin’ really is a good thing. Fishing leads to a stronger self-concept and greater independence. Once your kid sees that they can catch a fish, their confidence lifts, and in turn, may translate to increased self-esteem. They will take this confidence to classwork, sports, and friendship development.
#13. Reading Outside – The Benefits are endless for children that read. Getting to read and hear the sounds of summer is just a bonus. The Top Ten Benefits of Reading for children are:
- Their vocabulary is larger and more extensive.
- They perform better academically.
- Their imagination can run wild.
- Their creativity skills develop.
- They develop empathy.
- They gain a deeper understanding of their world.
- Their concentration levels improve.
- The parent and child bond improves.
- Their cognitive development is supported.
- Their social skills and interaction improve.
#14. Rock Climbing – You live in Colorado where the Skies the limit and everyone needs something that seems a little harder and maybe a little exhilarating to try. Children develop their bodies and motor skills, practicing rock climbing and at an even earlier age can be specially beneficial for their development. It allows them to build strength in their arms, legs and core, and helps with coordination, balance and stability.
