Summer During Coronavirus
Happy Summer!
Typically, the start of summer is marked by school ending and the excitement and joy of children spending their day playing together at playgrounds, camps, and homes. However, this summer will most likely look different. Many camps have been canceled, playgrounds closed, and playdates postponed. On top of what was already a steep learning curve, as we entered three months of distance learning, we are now looking at 10 weeks of summer again in uncharted territory. For some families, the biggest concern comes from the missed opportunity for socialization for their children, for others it is the childcare piece, for some it is lack of structure or missed opportunity for enrichment. These are just a few challenges we may face as we navigate this summer.
Here is a list of ways to summer your children this summer!
For those of you create opportunities for socialization:
This is a tricky one! How do we create opportunities to socialize while staying socially distant?
Encourage letter writing- Children love getting mail! Explain that their friends would enjoy getting mail as well. Talk about how to write a letter and what sort of things you might want to ask them since you have not seen them in a while. This builds important skills such as writing for a purpose, letter writing and communication skills. Here is a great kit to get you started.
Call your friends- With texting and other apps quickly taking over the way we communicate, often we forget to pick up the phone and call others. Teach your child the importance of a conversation. Have them call their friends and talk about what they have been up to at home. This is a great way to build conversation skills.
Socially Distant Outdoor Playdates- When you feel comfortable with it, I would suggest having your child pick one friend and try an outdoor playdate. Remind your child the germs are still here and that we need to keep our space while playing with our friends. Try bubble wands, picnics on separate blankets or bike rides.
For those of you looking to fill a childcare void:
This is probably the most challenging one on the list! It is incredibly challenging to work while also caring for your children.
Find a family to do a childcare swap with-You take their children a few days a week and they take yours the other days. This minimizes contact with others and helps give you the care you need.
Find a high school or college student that is socially distancing- One benefit of school being out is high schooler and college students are around and looking for work. Interview and make sure they are practicing social distancing practices that meet your family needs.
Look for outdoor based camps- In some areas, camps are starting to open up. There are many guidelines camps need to follow to keep kids safe. I would suggest looking at outdoor camps and reading over their COVID-19 precautions carefully.
For those of you looking to add structure:
Create a daily visual schedule- Explain the schedule to your child so they know what to expect and in what order to expect things.
Add in time for yourself (often called independent playtime for the children)- This is very important for you and your children.
Do your best to stay consistent and stick to the schedule- This can be challenging especially during summer, but children do best with consistency so once you have made a schedule that works for your family try and stick to it. If it is not working, be gentle with yourself, it is a learning process and adapt your schedule to meet your family needs and try again.
For more ideas check out my post-Supporting your child during COVID-19
For those of you looking for enrichment opportunities:
Write to a favorite author- Many authors have website that encourage readers to reach out to them either via email or letter. My daughter and I just read The Adventures Lily Huckleberry in Scandinavia at the end of the book they include an address and encourage young readers to reach out to them!
Go in search of new books at your local Little Free Library- With many public libraries closed this is a great way to get new books and explore your local area on foot or bike. You can use the map feature to find Little Free Libraries close to you.
Have a bake sale -There is a lot of math in cooking as well as in handling money- the organization, prep-work and marketing are all important skills as well.
Go Geocaching- You never know what you might find!
Explore your local nature- Tidepools, trails, deserts- create a museum of the collections you find, research the items, and give museum tours to family members.
While this is not the summer many of us were expecting, it is important to do your best and make the most of it for both you and your children’s sake. Hopefully, next summer we will be back to enjoying summer the way we want to remember it!