As summer break allows youth to be at home, you may run out of ways to keep students busy.
In Psalm 127:3, the Bible shares “See, children are a heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.” Keeping your children busy and learning has become the number one priority for many parents in order to avoid laziness from settling into the daily routine. Your children are a gift from the Lord, and you should make sure that you give them the best opportunities to flourish.
How do you make sure that your children will be able to spend time learning even during the summer break? We have some useful suggestions.
Take Some Courses
There are some fun courses that your children can take during the summer break to keep them busy. The benefits of reading a magazine daily help keep the mind engaged in things of interest, and taking a course for the summer break is another way to expand skills and interests.
YMCA Courses
There are a lot of YMCA courses in the United States. Nationwide, they have served 1.4 million youth and adults at camps every year. Prices often vary per location and depend on the income level of the family that is applying. However, some of the prices that we have seen range from $25 to $38 per day.
Let Your Children Join The Scouts or Church Youth Program
The Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts programs cost about $25 per year for membership and usually come with additional costs and fees for uniforms or trips. You can find a girl scout or a boy scout camp. There are often camps, programs, and activities that are often open for all. Church youth groups have similar programs for nearly all ages, and the fees can be less at times.
Local Library Programs
You can also check out some local library programs. Summer day camps and study programs can run all summer long. Depending on your location, your local library could have programs that require a certain fee, but others may be at no cost.
Sur La Table Summer Series Cooking Classes
You may also take the Sur La Table Summer Series Cooking Classes for kids aged 8 to 12 and teens 13 to 17 that run about $250. When you visit their website, you will find the different courses and cooking classes that you can take.
Get Into The Unit Studies of Creation Illustrated
Make sure that you get information and materials that you can easily share with your children. The Alpaca Unit Study, Manatees Unit Study, and the Orchid Unit Study are just some of the Unit Study subjects that you can get into during the summer season.
Creation Illustrated is more than just a children’s magazine. There are many things that you can learn from this publication. There are so many advantages of reading magazines because they prioritize visuals throughout their pages, not just on the cover. Magazines create a highly sensory reading experience, which improves memory.
Encourage Your Children To Read on Paper
It may seem like a lot of effort for you and your family, but you should emphasize reading on paper vs. screens for your children. Try out the various nature articles that you get from Creation Illustrated and set aside some quiet time for your children to even enjoy the outdoors through reading about wonderful adventures that build a character with spiritual enrichment.
An hour or two of paper reading is one of the things that you can help become a habit for your children. With the use of many online sources, and even with online learning, you need to make sure that there is a balance between electronic learning and the use of tangible books.
Join Summer Skills Programs
You may have summer programs in the area near you that teach your children some basic life skills that would keep them busy as well. Ask your local community associations or area churches about programs that may teach how to repair things, how to handle money, and how to help elderly people. If they do not have any summer programs, you may want to get something organized for the community or your church.
Local sports programs are a great way to develop teamwork skills. Swimming programs or a local basketball program can greatly benefit your children
Summer Programs are Great Ways to reduce anxiety in children and families
The summer is often the hottest time of the year. Getting your children busy with a summer program or a course is a right way for you to keep them disciplined and happy during the summer.
In Proverbs 22:6, the Bible shares the way that we should always teach our children with their future in mind. “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
In Proverbs 29:15, the Bible says that “The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself brings his mother to shame.” So it is important to avoid lethargy or laziness in a child’s development
These are important Bible quotations that you should know about when considering what activities you need to offer your children. Some programs will take only a couple of days while others can take the whole summer. Give yourself time to assess which programs will work for your children and which ones should be done later when they are ready for them. You hold your children’s future, and it is up to you to decide what is best for them.
Make Good Memories
Even if you are going to enroll your children in a camp or a course, you should still consider how you can create positive memories with them. Your children will not be children forever. There will be summers where they will have their plans and enjoy their time with their friends. While they are young, make sure you do things that are special and memorable.
Join them for a day during their activities. Plan summer events around their courses and their lectures. Keep in mind that you have control of their schedule, and you should take advantage of it. After the summer is over, you and your children will have precious memories that you can go back to and will cherish for as long as you both live . . . and maybe beyond that.
