Kids are excited this first week in June.  Teachers are scheduling field trips and otherwise trying out lots of fun curriculum ideas they’ve been saving up.  Parents are looking at topsy turvy schedules for the next twelve weeks.  What’s the cause of all this energy?  SCHOOL’S OUT!   Kids, whose days have been filled from end to end with school activities, now face days with new schedules, new activities and yes maybe even time where nothing is planned.   This is a time where parents can really test out their new Say Yes to No parenting strategies.  Media often becomes the fall back child care option for summer.  Plan your kids’ summer media (TV, video games, and computer) carefully, so it doesn’t become the dominant activity for the summer. 

I tell parents to watch two things for a MediaWise summer:  quantity and quality.  Make sure electronic screens are just a small part of your child’s day and make sure that what they are watching or playing is appropriate for their age.  Especially check videogame ratings.

Summer can be a time for creative fun for kids.  One parent I know encouraged her kids to set up a mini golf course in the back yard.  The kids had a great time creating different challenging holes.  If you don’t have a back yard a living room or dining room will work just as well.   For more fun ideas, check out our MediaWise Summer Parent Guide.  Do you have any more ideas for summer fun for kids?  Share them here.

David Walsh