Seven ways to keep your children engaged during summer vacation

Summers are around and school vacations have just begun. While children are eagerly looking forward to the vacation time, parents are scratching their heads and frantically searching for activities that can keep their kids engaged. If you are among those parents who want to plan out activities in such a way that kids not only enjoy but also have a great learning experience, we have jotted down a few options you are likely to like:

1. Plan out educational trips to museums, national parks and heritage sites

Visit to historical places, museums or national parks, is a wonderful way to help children learn. Needless to say, experiential learning is the best learning tool which stays with children for the rest of their lives as compared to learning from books. Children will not only enjoy such visits but also won’t realise how much they have learnt and assimilated through the process. And, of course Delhi-NCR has no dearth of such historical sites and museums. Railway Museum, Shankar’s Doll Museum, Air Force Museum, Bal Bhavan, Natural History museum and Zoological park are few of the names one can check out. Heritage sites include Red fort, Old Fort.

2. Visit a library

Reading a book should not look like an extension of school homework to your children. For that, it is important that you do it in a way that would make them interested in reading. Take them to good libraries in the city, primarily meant for children. Let them explore the bookshelves and pick up the books of their choice on their own.  Don’t say anything negative about their choices like ‘you should not have picked this, you should have picked this, Comics are waste of time.’ It’s important to read. Whatever it may be. It could be comics, magazines or picture books. Let them explore the world of reading. Some of these libraries do organise story telling sessions for children on weekends. We are sure, your kids would love them a lot. Some libraries you can checkout – Shankar’s library at ITO (outside the Doll Museum), Reading Caterpillar, Dr. BC Roy Children’s Reading Room, The Treasure Trove. (Read Also: These online libraries will deliver books at your doorstep)

3. Scrapbooking

Introduce your child to the idea of scrapbooking. Ask him to paste the pictures of the people whom he loves the most – his family members, friends or the interesting memorable photos which are funny and amusing.

4. Get them involved in household chores

Don’t let your child sit like couch potato in front of the TV or a tablet or computer. Try to minimise their screen time by engaging them in household chores. Ask them to help you in arranging grocery in refrigerator and arranging their clothes in almirah, ask for their help in folding clothes. Ask them politely, “Can you please help mummy in doing this? Mummy alone cannot do it.” These words will make them feel important; and young children love to take responsibilities. They will be more than eager to help you out.

5. Cook with them once a week

Plan out something to cook with the help of your little ones. Zero down a dish like sandwiches, fruit chaat and potato patties and provide all the ingredients to them and let them prepare something on their own. Stay there to help them but refrain from doing it on your own. These little activities will not only keep them busy but will also help you to bond with them.

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6. Gardening

Children love to mess around. Anything in which dirt is involved, they enjoy it. This summer break, you and your child can go for planting and vow to make this world a cleaner place to live in. Give them some seeds, a pot and a spade and let them be dirty. Choose a plant that grows little faster so that the initial excitement doesn’t fade away. Children will be happy to see how their efforts have borne a fruit. Also, ensure to plant at least 4-5 seeds so that, in case if a seed doesn’t sprout, their spirits aren’t dampened.

7. Colouring and Painting

Every child enjoys colouring and painting. Give them old t-shirts, rocks, pebbles, big boxes, candy boxes, white show boxes and colours. We bet, they won’t come to you at least for an hour or so, and you can have your ‘me’ time.

READ ALSO: Seven interesting food facts for children that you must know

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