Beyond summer boredom
Don't settle for keeping kids busy. Here are 5 ways to make the summer transformative.
Originally published in the Moultrie News.
I often get questions about how to occupy kids during the summer. But why settle for just keeping them busy? Here are 5 things, in no particular order, you can do to make this a transformative summer for children of any age.
1. Replace the phone. The developmental risks associated with smartphones have been well documented, but what’s the alternative? Summer is a great time to find out because it allows kids more runway to adapt. Many parents are turning to devices that allow kids to communicate with friends but restrict internet access. Options include smartwatches, “dumb phones,” feature phones, landlines, shared tablets, and “house” smartphones.
Not only do such alternatives alleviate the social, mental, and intellectual dangers of smartphones, but they also ensure kids won’t squander the most precious free time they may ever have lying around scrolling.
2. Build something. Research shows that building things with their hands gives children repeated opportunities to practice planning, problem-solving, spatial reasoning, fine motor control, creativity, persistence, and collaboration. It helps them learn processes, follow directions, and build confidence. And when their project is done, they see that hard work pays off with something useful or beautiful.
Like what? If you have tools and are willing to supervise, woodworking projects like birdhouses and chests are great options because they keep on giving after completion. Supervision may also be required for meal-making and sewing. But many things don’t require much oversight, including model sets, terrariums, crocheting, scrapbooking, gardening, and needlepoint. One thing that jumps out from research is that the biggest benefits often come from projects with a real purpose and a real audience. A child who repairs a bike they actually ride, sews a pillow they actually use, or grows tomatoes the family actually eats is usually more invested than a child completing a purely academic project.
3. Get a library card (and use it). A reasonable way to restrict kids from wasting their days scrolling or playing video games is to tie it to reading. For example, you might allow them an hour of screen time for every hour of reading. With a library card, kids can pick out any books they want at no cost. Being able to choose books without having to take tests or write reports pumps up the excitement, so encourage them to browse, follow their interests, and ask the librarians for suggestions.
At first, it might feel like drudgery, but all it takes is for one book to capture their attention, and the rest of their lives may be forever changed.
4. Get a pet. And, no, it doesn’t have to be a dog or cat; gerbils, fish, praying mantises, and geckos qualify, too. Studies suggest that caring for pets helps kids build confidence, feel less lonely, develop empathy, and reduce anxiety. Most importantly, pets help build responsibility — provided you actually hold kids accountable for their care (otherwise, it’s just another way to reinforce that if the child shirks his obligations, someone will always bail him out).
It can be hard, however, to instill that responsibility during the school year because of academic and extracurricular duties, making summer the perfect time to begin a daily plan for taking care of the pet.
5. Find a place of worship. Modern childhood and adolescence are filled with unique anxieties and pitfalls. But studies show that kids who participate in healthy, supportive faith communities can gain a range of positive outcomes, including lower rates of depression and anxiety, greater resilience after hardship, higher life satisfaction, greater sense of purpose, more optimism about the future, stronger moral frameworks, and clearer identity formation.
Researchers have also found links between religious participation and traits such as gratitude, forgiveness, generosity, self-control, and compassion. Perhaps best of all, you can do it together, which leads to greater family cohesion.
Each of these summer quests has the potential to become a turning point for children, helping them discover new horizons and develop new interests. Don’t just look to pacify children’s summer boredom today. Do it in a way that transforms who they become ten years from now.
Jody Stallings has been an award-winning teacher in Charleston since 1992 and is director of the Charleston Teacher Alliance. To submit a question, order his books, or follow him on social media, please visit JodyStallings.com.