Activities Bottle Up Classic Whine
“Every two minutes my kids whine, ‘I’m bored,”’ complained Jody, the mother of a threesome of boys ages 9, 6 and 2. All parents know that those two words are common in July and August.
Today’s parents understandably launch into speeches which go like this: “When we were young we entertained ourselves. Our parents were not recreation leaders!” Such tirades rarely fly, however.
In fact, they are downright obsolete, insists Susan Perry, a California human development specialist and author of “Playing Smart, A Parent’s Guide for Enriching, Offbeat Learning Activities for Ages 4-14” (Free Spirit Publishing, 800-735-READ). Perry explains, “Nineties kids are very different. Their world is not like ours, with large families and neighborhoods full of roaming children. Today, smaller families live in neighborhoods where freedom is no longer an option.”
What’s a parent to do when kids haven’t a clue how to amuse themselves over the long stretch of summer? “There is a difference between coordinating activities and being the entertainer on a stage,” cautions Perry. “If you take total responsibility for keeping your child occupied, s/he will never discover the riches inside.”
Here are some examples of ways to ignite curiosity and creativity in your child this summer: Request a wish list. Judy Gamble, a Long Island, N.Y., elementary schoolteacher and mother of five, recommends you start like this. “I instruct my students to list what they enjoy most - painting, pets, cooking, computers. With this litany of favorite things, I incorporate ingredients that make learning fun.”
Design a time capsule. Perry suggests having kids assemble a variety of objects to bury for future discovery. For example, have them write up a day-in-their-life schedule. Include a list of favorite books, TV shows, video and computer games, movies and toys. Add photographs, drawings, report cards, ticket stubs from sports events or concerts. Put all these treasures into a can or box, date and put away in the attic or basement or even bury in the back yard. Wait 10 years.
Turn your child into your travel agent.
Most families vacation during the summer, whether on day trips, weekend sprints to local attractions, or extended distant traveling. Ask your child to do some vacation planning in exactly what he is interested in. Is your son or daughter dying to walk historic battlefields, watch whales, track the paths of Native Americans? Get a copy of “Books on the Move, A Read-AboutIt To Go-There Guide to America’s Best Family Destinations” by Susan and Margaret Knoff (Free Spirit Publishing). The authors/librarians have provided a reference book to sites around the country listed by hobby or interest.
Play the psychologist game. Your child can explore herself and everyone else by consulting “Psychology for Kids: 40 Fun Tests That Help You Learn About Yourself” recommended for age 10 and up and “Psychology for Kids II” for ages 12 plus by Jonnie Kincher (Free Spirit Publishing). This book is great for guiding kids toward summer fun. In September it can become the basis for an instant science project.
Nurture a young architect. Give out large pieces of chalk and let kids map out the neighborhood. This can be an indoor activity in the basement or an outdoor one on the driveway. Use Legos to build a mock-up of your town or their favorite place. My daughter spent hours one afternoon re-creating the lighthouse, buildings, boat yards and even sharks of a vacation spot we had visited. This architectural assignment can include train sets, Play-Doh, clay creations. Let imagination be the guide.
Have fun with puzzles and photographs. Dump pieces from three puzzles and have a race to see how long separating and assembling the puzzles takes. Older kids can work on marathon 1,000-piece puzzles or the new three-dimensional types. Then get out the stacks or books of family pictures. Kids love to spend time poring over these. Ask them to reorganize some pictures into a special family keepsake album or to build a family tree.
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