It’s the time of year that all kids look forward to and almost all parents are nervous about—summer! While kids have images of days at the pool with their friends, bike rides around the neighborhood and freedom, parents are worried about keeping their kids safe and active while not losing any of the academic progress they made in the past year. Many parents are also looking for opportunities for their kids to get involved in new things this summer. Fortunately, there are plenty of opportunities for parents and their children this summer depending on what the goal is and the age of children involved. Read on for some great options!
Keep Them Active
With childhood obesity on the rise, most parents are concerned with keeping their kids active this summer. While some kids are involved in sports or are running around with their friends all summer, other kids are more inclined to play on their computers or watch TV. For these kids, providing them with a fun and new activity is a great way to show them that staying active is a great alternative to technology.
“Summer brings many opportunities for kids to have fun and learn at the same time,” states Jeff Dousharm with Tiger Rock Academy. “From athletic fun to enrichment opportunities and camps, both Lincoln and Omaha have a lot to offer for kids and families. Tiger Rock Academy offers summer programs that provide fantastic workouts, lots of fun, AND the skills to be focused and ready for school when it’s time to go back. University studies have proven the results of Tiger Rock’s curriculum and how it impacts kids’ social initiative, focus, and reduced fear of failure. Also, Entrepreneur Magazine recently recognized Tiger Rock as #1 in its category of martial arts and fitness.”
Getting kids involved in sports is a great way to keep them active, help them make new friends and maybe even develop some new skills they can use when the school year rolls around again. Check with your child on what sports they might be most interested in, then ask around to see what summer leagues or casual pick-up games might be available. Teaching your child to enjoy physical activity from an early age is a good way to instill lifelong habits of health. Pair that with healthy eating lessons (or even having them help you in the kitchen prepare healthy meals) and your child will have a headstart on leading a health-conscious life.
Buying your child a bike is also a great way to keep them active this summer. One of the most important keys to encouraging them to ride is to get them a bike that fits them. It’s important to visit a store that has professionals in the industry working there, like Joyride Bicycles. Leading the team and shop management are men with over 30 years of combined experience in bicycle retail and other staff include avid cyclists, racers and elite athletes. This means that not only can the team do a top-notch job of finding the perfect bike for your child, they can also offer a variety of programs or help your child improve riding skills, fitness and cycling knowledge.
Gymnastics classes also provide a great experience for kids. Gymnastics offer children benefits in strength, flexibility, coordination, dexterity, discipline, confidence and self esteem. Gymnastics is the core of all athletic movement and the skills and techniques that students learn will greatly enhance their performance in all athletic endeavors.
Pioneer Gymnastics Academy offers a full range of gymnastics instruction for children of all ages and ability levels. Their youngest gymnasts start at a mere 18 months of age while their oldest gymnasts are training through their high school years. Although the great majority of their gymnasts are recreational, they also have one of the top competitive programs in the state. They are proud to be home to local, state and regional and national champions.
Their goal at Pioneer Gymnastics is to teach children of all ages and ability levels the sport of gymnastics in a safe, energetic and fun environment. They believe that the best way to teach and encourage young athletes is by positive reinforcement balanced with structure and discipline to ensure everyone’s safety. They also encourage that each child is a unique individual and should be taught in a manner that is most conducive to their learning and skill ability.
Sometimes the best place to keep your child active is the same place where you yourself stay active—the gym. Gym memberships are great motivators to stay in shape this summer, and if you choose the right gym, they can also be a great place to keep your kids active and having fun as well. Lincoln Racquet Club has a number of programs and activities for children, including their Excel Program, Junior Gym with a basketball court, maze and other fun activities for kids and their summer camps. Their PeeWee Camps are for children 2.5-5 years of age and consist of eight one-week sessions with themes such as Music and Muscle Camp and Cooking Camp.
Junior Camps are for children 5-11 years of age and consist of eight one-week sessions. Themes include Theatre and Improv Camp, Slammin’ Sports camp and Adventure and Fishing Camp. Camps are available to members and non-members alike, so anyone can help their child experience these camps.
Keep Them Learning
Summer is the perfect time for your child to learn something new! Husker Divers has “Try Scuba” programs for 8 and 9-year olds and 10 and 11-year olds called Manta and Sea Lion. They also have a Family Try Scuba program where the entire family (minimum age 8) can enter the water and have a basic introduction to scuba diving. Participants in Husker Divers classes learn scuba basics and have the opportunity to scuba in their pool. Husker Divers provides the equipment and certified instructors.
Bright Lights is another excellent resource for helping your children learn this summer. Bright Lights summer classes read like a who’s who of possible dreams and passions: dancing, magic, test tubes, computers, mummies, baseball, photography, weather, fishing, robots, oceans, astronauts, nanotechnology, chess and more! Quality summer learning experiences for kids K-9 is what Bright Lights has been doing for over 25 years. Classes and camps include the arts, science, math, social studies and a big dose of fun. Kids can come morning, afternoon or all day. And best of all, every one of the classes is hands-on (and messy!).
Are your kids into bowling? If not, this is the summer to introduce them to this sport! There are a number of benefits to bowling. It’s fun, it’s extremely affordable, helps get your kids out of the house and hanging out with their friends (or family), helps provide exercise and it’s a great activity when it’s too hot or rainy to be outside doing other activities. There is even a program offered locally called Kids Bowl Free, designed by bowling centers to give back to the community and provide a safe, secure and fun way for kids to spend time this summer. Children whose age does not exceed a limit by the participating bowling centers are eligible to register for two free games a day, all summer long, courtesy of the participating bowling centers.
Is music in your kids’ blood or would you like to give them the opportunity to experience music lessons? Summer is the perfect time for music lessons. Nissa’s String Studio offers a 9-week summer session of private lessons in the stringed instrument of your choosing and students can also enroll in the summer session of their fiddle group, The Spitfire Fiddle Band, which is open to all ages and skill levels. Each student will conclude the session with a performance at their Summer Recital.
“For most of our students, music making is such a regular part of their life that the instrument is enjoyed year-round,” says Nissa de la Torre. “Taking lessons over the summer allows a student to maintain and develop his or her skills. Without the pressure of homework and school activities, the students are able to focus on their instruments and find more time to practice.” If you’re wondering what type of lessons to get your child into, Nissa has this advice: “The student will already have a notion of which instrument they’d like to play. We are happy to show the student all of the instruments to help make a final selection at their New Student Orientation and to discuss options with the parents. We are close to reaching capacity for our violin and viola lessons, so please contact us promptly if you are interested in summer lessons.”
Art classes of any type are also highly recommended for kids. Even if your child is not interested in pursuing further education in art, it’s still fun for them to create and to bring projects home. One idea is to take them to ArtGlass Unlimited for a Saturday class. They have a number of projects to choose from including magnets and jewelry, 4” tiles, nightlights, spoon rests, candy dishes and more. After finished, their project is kiln fired and ready for pick up approximately one week later.
Keep Them Engaged
Camps are usually a good summer option to keep kids active and help them make new friends, but if mental engagement is your goal, camps may not spring to the top of your list. However, the Strategic Air and Space Museum has some excellent summer camps that will spark your child’s interest and provide an experience they won’t soon forget. Their Super Science Summer Camps, which include a robotics camp, a mad scientist camp, a weekend flight camp and an astronaut academy, will keep any kid entertained and probably teach them something new.
Their new The Sky’s the Limit camp is especially exciting as kids ages 10-14 will get to fly in a private airplane, launch a weather balloon, examine real meteorites from space, fly model rockets and airplanes, explore the night sky through giant telescopes and even ride aboard a hot air balloon! If your son or daughter is not already interested in science or aeronautics, these camps will very likely spark the interest in them this summer.
If the camp times don’t work for your family or if your kids aren’t in the age range to attend, you can still visit the Museum to view amazing exhibits on aircraft, history and space or attend some of their exciting events like Helicopter Day and the Museum Family Fun Carnival.
Keep Them Busy
Too much free time can be too much of a good thing, especially for older children. If your child is old enough to have a job, this summer might be the perfect time to get them a part-time gig where they can earn some of their own money and learn responsibility.
If they aren’t yet old enough to work, consider giving them jobs around the house. Mowing the lawn, cleaning the house, doing laundry or caring for a younger sibling are all great jobs for kids and you can reward them with allowance, special privileges or whatever you deem is appropriate for your children. Working is one way that your child will learn independence, money management and responsibility. If you can get them involved in an internship, it might also be a good opportunity for them to experience a few different careers that they might be interested in pursuing after they finish school.
Keep Them Entertained
Summer is, of course, a time that kids should enjoy as well. Although many of the activities that will keep them engaged, active and learning will also provide plenty of fun, make sure you also give them time to do what they love, whether that’s video games, hanging out with their friends or just relaxing at home.
Make sure you put an emphasis on family fun this summer as well. It’s good for kids to see that they don’t need to be constantly stimulated by outside activities or their friends to have fun. Try implementing a family game night or enjoy the back yard after a barbeque with a family game of t-ball or touch football. Summer weekends can be a good opportunity for family activities like going to the zoo, playing a round of golf together or even just spending the day heading out to the mall, a movie and dinner at a fun restaurant. Just because you need to keep working while your kids out of school doesn’t mean you can’t also take a break when the work day is over and enjoy the summer just as much as your kids!
Don’t Overload Them
It might be tempting for you to pack your child’s summer schedule with activities. Soccer on Mondays, T-ball on Tuesdays, acting classes on Wednesdays and so on and so on. However, when you do this, you are not only stressing yourself out as you’ll need to keep track of everything (and probably drive them back and forth!), but you’re also not allowing them to just enjoy some of their summer being a kid and relaxing or spending time with their friends. Choose a few activities that you think will interest or be good for them, but allow them the time entertain themselves as well.