For many parents, keeping kids busy in the summer is easy, but for others it can get a little crazy—that's okay, too. The pandemic kept many families at home, avoiding gathering with anyone outside of the home. This summer may look different from the summer of 2020, because COVID-19 vaccines allow a little more freedom (stress-free), but, of course, it comes with some confusion about how to navigate family plans while living through a pandemic, where some families are vaccinated, and others are not.
Not to mention, camps are now back in-person with only a few virtual options. But, the pandemic has taught us that children are highly affected by social isolation and the lack of access to in-person schooling and technology. Some children with developmental delays or mental health challenges are more likely to be sensitive to these changes, because of difficulties with emotional regulation, sleep, behaviors, health, etc., while other children might have done simply fine.
Nevertheless, we can figure it out together. Let’s say you are a parent or caregiver who is not certain about in-person camps and virtual is the way to go. Maybe you’re a parent or caregiver who is comfortable with in-person camps. Either way the new norm of living in a pandemic can give families more options to survive the summer safely.
Virtual Options:
Signing kids up for fun virtual camps, cooking classes, and art classes can give them multiple ways to enjoy their summer, meet other kids, and help parents ease their minds. However, for families like mine, virtual camps may not always be an option. To counter this, I created an “At-Home Summer Camp with Mom” routine two years agon during the mist of the stay-at-home order. This allowed my kids to still take part in reading, math, and other fun activities.
A daily summer routine is another way to enjoy the season and keep everyone from feeling stressed. I made sure to add both structured and unstructured time to our daily lives while I worked a hybrid schedule. My kids love it when I give them frequent breaks, free time to do what they please, and reward them for positive behaviors.
“During the school closure, parents may have been able to get a better feel for their child's need for structure. If there was a daily schedule in place, and it was working well for the family, it may be best to continue it...even a modified version of it would feel more reassuring and safer to the child than abandoning it," says Kimberly A. Gerth, MA, CCC-SLP Rockwood Early Childhood Speech-Language Pathologist, Ballwin Elementary and PBS All-Star Digital Innovator 2020
Keep in mind that it helps to continue the routine you had during the school year and modify it based on what best fits your child’s needs for the summer.
Here’s an example of summer routine.
9 am - Morning routine (breakfast, get dressed, brush teeth, etc.)
10 am - Morning walk (yoga, stretching, exercise)
10:30 am - Family academic time (learn something new)
11 am - Creativity time (DIY projects, painting, Legos, etc.)
12 pm - Lunch
12:45 pm - Check daily chore list
1 pm - Quiet time/prayer time (read, pray together, rest)
2-3:30 pm - TV time—educational only (screens okay)
4-5 pm - Outdoor play (fun in the sun)
5-6 pm - Dinner
6-8 pm - Wind down/free time (showers, family movie night, games, read)
8 pm - Bedtime (option 1)
9 pm - Bedtime (option 2: for kids who fill the entire daily schedule, good behavior)
This routine was a great fit for my kids, so be sure to alter it and find what works for you and your child. If you’d like to add some virtual camps, here are a few links to virtual camps that serve kids and teens throughout the St. Louis area.
Nine PBS Virtual Financial Literacy Power Hour
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/virtual-financial-literacy-power-hour-cohort-tickets-367139763917
Nine PBS Virtual Science Power Hour Camp
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/virtual-science-power-hours
Nine PBS Explore the Outdoors Virtual Camp Experience
https://www.pbs.org/video/getting-ready-for-camp-ghsixs/
St. Louis Virtual Options
https://fun4stlkids.com/Camps/Virtual-Camps/
https://www.stlsprout.com/virtual-camp-fair/people
Other Ways to Keep Kids Active and Safe
We’re all trying to make the best of our lives by adjusting to the “new normal” with new routines, hybrid work schedules and in person opportunities. Change can be scary and overwhelming, but parents can continue to promote physical play and learning activities indoors and out. Giving kids the opportunity to engage and play outside is great for their mental, physical, and emotional health, so here are a few ideas to enjoy outdoor activities and stay safe.
- Sidewalk chalk (drawing, hopscotch, or tic-tac-toe)
- Bike riding or scooter (with helmet!)
- Beanbag toss
- Jump rope, hula hoop, etc.
- Tennis
- Skate in an empty parking lot or on a bike trail
- Fly a kite
- Create an outdoor solar cooker to roast s’mores
- Walk or jog
- Kickball, baseball, catch, etc.
- Painting
- Family picnic and/or scavenger hunts
- Solitaire and other card games
- Make your own bingo game
- Learn and teach magic tricks
- Go on virtual trips around the world
- Create an at-home movie theater
There are so many things that families can do together to stay active. Creativity is key, and the most important thing is making sure your kids are playing and staying active. Remember that it is recommended that children have at least 60 minutes (1 hour) of physical activity every day. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/physicalactivity/guidelines.htm
We want our kids to have fun and enjoy the outdoors. Keep CDC guidelines in mind for safety measures, according to them people who are fully vaccinated can engage in normal everyday activities without wearing a mask. You may want to still mask up during healthcare settings, while traveling, via bus, plane, and public transit: and when it is required by your state or local law and hand washing even if you're vaccinated. https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#datatracker-home
Indoor activities can also be fun and serve to relieve anxiety, such as bingo, board games, indoor scavenger hunts, word searches, puzzles, painting, DIY projects, baking, and even science experiments. Children love to curl-up with popcorn and watch a family movie, my kids love getting together and watching movies as a family, so I added movie night to our summer routine and now they look forward to it each night.
To find more fun and educational activities, be sure to check out Nine PBS Kids for Parents Summer Activity book to spark some fun and Nine PBS Parents https://www.pbs.org/parents
https://www.pbs.org/parents/printables/pbs-kids-summer-activity-book
This summer join Nine PBS Teaching in Room 9, a 30-minute at-home learning series led by teachers from Missouri and Illinois, on Nine PBS, Monday–Friday, from 11:30 am–12:30 pm and continues from 3–4 pm. It also streams on Nine PBS’s YouTube channel.
Even with so many activities, with summer approaching, children can become lonelier, which can affect their social and emotional health. But Nine PBS has a few great Summer of Possibilities for you and your family.
www.pbs.org/parents/printables/pbs-kids-summer-bucket-list
Summer Camp: Fill Each Day with Possibilities
https://ninepbs.pbslearningmedia.org/collection/summer-camp/
This simple activity is a wonderful way to learn all about wildlife and nature in your own backyard! With just a few household items, and peanut butter you too can create your own homemade bird feeders. ninepbs.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/easy-diy-bird-feeders-full-time-kid/full-time-kid-birdfeeder/
Explore the outdoors virtual camp experience today and learn to make observations.
https://www.pbs.org/video/getting-ready-for-camp-ghsixs/
Caption: Demarco built an indoor roller coaster out of cardboard pieces from Nine PBS Learning Media.
Staying Connected with Peers
During the pandemic kids might have been discouraged from enjoying their summer. But with technology, kids can still be kids during a time like this. That’s why my family and I stay connected using apps such as FaceTime, imo, Zoom, and Houseparty. Most apps allow you to have large groups of people on a video. Houseparty has the added benefit of a built-in trivia games. How cool, right?
“During the pandemic I enjoyed bike riding with my friends while keeping our distance along with having a car trunk picnic, where you park your car or truck in a huge circle, six feet away. Each person brings their own snacks, and you chat in person. This gives teenagers the ability to still engage in a physical form.” Nariah Moorer Ladue HS Graduate c/o 2021
My son Demarco likes to video chat with his cousin through FaceTime and Zoom while playing games, reading, and drawing together.
Avoid Stress and Anxiety
Children miss their friends, play dates, and COVID-19 can be confusing. My own kids were confused, and they worried about my health as I made trips to the grocery stores, pharmacy, and work. The lack of “normal” and the changes in my children’s routines has been a challenge.
COVID-19 has changed our lives dramatically, especially the mental aspect of my children’s health. Helping our kids cope with the anxiety and stress of all the changes can be challenging, but as parents, educators, and caregivers we must first ease our own concerns. It’s not easy trying to stay calm with all the uncertainty but being calm will also soothe our kids.
“As a parent, one of the hardest things you can do is shield your child from your own stress. When my children were young, there was quite a bit of tension and daily stress in our household, even though I tried to keep it from interfering with my ability to be a good parent. The strategy that I found to be the most helpful was compartmentalizing, to a certain extent,” says Gerth.
Tips to Help Stay Stress- and Anxiety-Free
Establish a summer routine to keep you and your kids somewhat engaged in a “normal” life. It takes time to get used to a new routine.
Engage in positivity and mindfulness activities, such as downloading apps to help with mediation or participating in stress-reduction exercises and activities for you and your child. My daughters have anxiety, and my son is autistic, so family yoga is the way to go in our home. Another example is “talk time,” a way to ease minds while taking walks or stretching. Stay positive and remember there are heroes in the world helping others stay healthy.
I know it might be difficult to take time out for self-care. Don’t worry, I have a few tips to help with self-care at home for you and the family. One activity I love is daily gratitude, which is taking time to say what you are all grateful for. For example, during our daily quiet time/prayer time as a family, my kids and I each take turns saying what we’re grateful for. Here are some other great ways to engage in self-care:
- Take walks outdoors, at a park, or around the block
- Rest and take naps (going to bed earlier than usual is healthy!)
- Wake up 30 minutes early to pray
- Clean out your closet (get rid of clothes or items not needed)
- Read a novel or watch a movie you’ve always wanted to watch
- Listen to a podcast that interests you
- Mediate and/or workout
- Take long and relaxing bubble baths
- Decrease social media use
- Send an encouraging text message to a friend or colleague
- Call a friend or family member to catch up on good times
- Painting (it soothes the mind)
Establish a new social life and schedule time for you and your kids to engage and connect with friends and family members via technology. Use video chat apps such as Zoom, Houseparty, FaceTime, or imo. These apps are very good for children to have virtual playdates, read-alongs, and even participate in fun and friendly crafts and cooking activities. Being able to stay connected virtually is healthy developmentally.
Add additional break time. For example, my son has frequent meltdowns, so throughout the day I must have methods ready to redirect him from what's frustrating him:
- Listen to music
- Engage with a sensory tote
- Take a deep breath
- Read or listen to audio books
- Color/draw
- Puzzles or Legos
- Blow bubbles
Limit screen time. According to the CDC, kids ages 8–10 should limit their screen time to 1–2 hours per day. Of course, as the parent, you can decide how much screen time is appropriate.
Above all, encourage your kids to still enjoy the beautiful outdoors as much as possible. Nine PBS Learning Media https://ninepbs.pbslearningmedia.org/collection/pbs-kids-explore-the-outdoors/
Caption: Khloe surprised her big sister for her birthday with her own outdoor painting with a twist picnic.
Remember, it’s still a difficult time for all kids. Keeping them safe is a priority, but still allowing kids to be kids is a great feeling as a parent. Take it from me. I have three children, ages 19, 13, and 10. Not having anything for them to do this summer would be very hectic in my house, so being creative while managing work is a plus for me, along with creating memories! I can’t change what’s happening in the world around us, but I can shape the way my children experience and remember it. You can do it! I am rooting for you because you’re the right person for this job. Your kids need you.
Caption: Demarco and Khloe playing bean bag toss at the park.
Come figure it out with us in the Nine PBS Parents Corner Facebook Group. A place to share ideas, resources, and discuss the needs of parents, caregivers, and families in the St. Louis region.
Fatama Moorer, Parent Engagement Manager, Nine PBS
Office: (314) 512-9020
Cell: (314) 332-9613
Email: fmoorer@ninepbs.org
About Fatama
Fatama engages parents and partners in Nine PBS’s early education resources in child development for families in need. In addition, she creates early learning content, serves as a community-based intermediary for families, facilitates and coordinates Ready to Learn (RTL) experiences, and provides partner training. Previously, Fatama served her community by providing families with a community wellness shop. She has served on the Parent Advisory Board of Saint Louis Crisis Nursery, the FLOURISH Community Leader’s Cabinet, and the Generate Health Board. She holds several certificates in early learning, including Early Warning Signs of Learning Disabilities, the PBS Virtual Professional Learning Series, and Parent Advocacy. She loves hiking, yoga, and spending time with her kids.