Summer is the season of freedom – even the most cautious parents let their children get wet or run around naked, we spend more time outside and on vacations. All this appeals to the little ones. They gladly accept every opportunity to explore the world around them and experiment through games. Even better – the day is long and no one is in a hurry to go home. And despite all these positives, sooner or later the question arises “what should we do to have fun today”?
If the heat has exhausted your ability to come up with a new, intriguing activity, we have gathered a few ideas to help you.
Pleas, pleats
When the thermometer outside is approaching 30 degrees, we can safely get wet from head to toe. Take out the inflatable pool that you use for the beach, fill it with water and have a pool party on the terrace. The children will be delighted. You can include all kinds of balls, bath toys, boxes, clothespins and more in the game. If you don't have a pool, even a basin or bucket of water is enough. If you don't have a terrace, these activities can easily be transferred to the bathroom or another room with a suitable floor.
Tip: Don't forget about shade. You can provide it with an awning, a beach umbrella, or even a sheet.
Gardening
Little hands feel great when handling different textures such as sand, soil and pebbles. Provide them with this opportunity by planting seeds together or transplanting one of your home flowers. The participation of your helper depends on the level of development of fine motor skills, but it can include sifting, tamping, digging the soil. And what could be better than showing your child later how the plant you planted together has grown. Of course, because it is warm, you don't need to worry about how dirty and wet you will get during the activity.
Tip: Keep sharp tools like scissors, dangerous liquids like fertilizers and pesticides away. Cacti and roses are not the best choice.
In the kitchen
Children are always ready to experiment in the kitchen. In the summer, you can easily involve them in preparing something refreshing like tarator or homemade lemonade, which you can then try together. A Montessori helper tower would work great so that the child can be at your level on the worktop. If you don't have one, you can improvise by using a low coffee table or children's table, or even the ground. Stick to child-friendly activities such as stirring, crushing, pouring, sorting, kneading.
Tip: Be careful with utensils and sharp objects. If you have to use them, immediately move them out of reach of children after use. Keep an eye on your child so that they don't have lemonade with salt or tartar with sugar and cocoa, for example.
Outside
Summer offers countless opportunities – from a picnic in a park, to a hike in the mountains, playing on the beach, or a day by the river. Besides the priceless learning that children can do while exploring the flora and fauna around them, there’s an added bonus of how sweetly tired they are at the end of the day and can’t wait for their favorite bedtime book.
We wish you wonderful summer adventures!
Vyara Gavrilova-Nikolova, mother of Boris, 1 year old.