Create A Meaningful Summer For Kids

As the school days draw to a close and the long, bright evenings make the days feel even longer... you might feel like you have run out of ways to entertain the kids. Parents, minders and family everywhere are all wondering ‘How much longer can I keep them off the screens?’.  

In today’s generation, children’s attention spans are reducing by the minute, with the likelihood of them going out to play outside and knocking for their friends slimming. We all know the pressure to ensure you give your kids both a fun and meaningful summer, without exhausting yourself in the meantime! If you are caring for kids full-time during the day, it can seem like a never-ending stream of ‘I’m bored’, and as much as you love them, you might be longing for the summer holidays to end! Equally, if you are working full-time, summer holidays can be quite taboo... Are you experiencing feelings of guilt for the reduced time spent with your kids? This is why it is so important to make the time you do have with them count. 

Summer is a time for children to relax, explore and create lasting memories and family bonding. At The Head Plan, our mission is to inspire, empower and motivate individuals at ALL ages... including kids. As we know, keeping the kids entertained and occupied is at the forefront of many minds this summer, so here are some ways that do just that while also weaving in opportunities to nurture your children’s growth, personal development and creativity.  

10 Ways to entertain kids this summer (that will actually benefit them):  

1. Journaling  

Make journaling your child’s superpower! Introduce them to the tools they need in life NOW at an early age and enable them to create meaningful, healthy habits.  

The Head Plan Superpower Pack is the PERFECT way to introduce the art of mindfulness and inspire and empower young minds. This is a specially designed bundle, created by a Qualified Life & Wellness Coach, designed to nurture self-discovery, resilience and overall wellness in children.  

The Head Plan Kids Journal encourages healthy habits, instils empowering beliefs, replaces screentime and helps young minds manage anxious thoughts. The Head Plan Kids Journal also provides fun, yet meaningful, family bonding as the kids can work through this journal with you alongside them! We recommend completing the kids journal with them while you complete your own Head Plan Journal, creating opportunity for connection and giving you an insight into their world. 

Invest in your childs personal development this summer and watch as their imagination expands, and they begin to develop a positive mental attitude this summer.  

 

2. Young entrepreneurs  

Remember an old-fashioned lemonade stand?  

Well, it turns out there are many more benefits to this than what meets the eye... not only does it keep the kids occupied for a few hours and is a fun activity, but it teaches them the benefits and rewards of hard work, responsibility and the importance of communication and friendliness.  

Approach the idea with your children, and perhaps introduce some of their friends to your idea – this will make the whole experience much more fun! Start by planning the idea together, decide on your recipe, create engaging signs to display and set up your stand. Encourage your child to incorporate goal-setting into the mix too, by setting goals of how many customers they want to serve! This teaches them the importance of goal-setting from an early age and motivates them to reach their target!  

They can then reflect on the day and their accomplishments in The Head Plan Kids Journal, reflecting on what they’re grateful for, how they felt, what they learnt and a different bonus question at the end of everyday. 

By setting up a lemonade stand, a library or a bake-sale you’re sure to provide long-lasting memories, while also instilling a strong work-ethic and important life-lessons!  

 

3. Get moving! 

Get out and get moving! Physical activity is absolutely essential for childrens mental and physical well-being. Summer provides the perfect opportunity for kids to engage in lots of activity as they have more time on their hands and the weather is (hopefully) warmer, meaning you can prioritise fresh air. Exercise is a great way to explore nature and get some much-needed fresh air, while also keeping fit and healthy.  

Here are some things you can do: 

• Spend a couple of hours at the local swimming pool. Enroll your kids in swimming lessons if they are beginners or bring them to an open swim where they can splash around in the water. 

• Host a sports day with friends or family - this is sure to give great memories, teach teamwork and enhance bonding!  

• Go on a cycle! This is a great way to explore your city or a new nature trail.  

• Go on a walk to grab an ice-cream! (weather permitting)  

• Visit the local playground. 

• Have a water-balloon fight (this is the day they will talk about the most and tell all of their friends about!)  

 

4. Affirmations 

Positive affirmations can have a major impact on your child's attitude and their mindset, helping to build confidence, resilience and improve their overall outlook on life.  

Begin each day with a positive mindset by incorporating The Head Plan Kids Affirmation Cards into your morning routine. This is a magical deck of 52 cards, specially designed for children, to encourage them to discover the secret to unlocking their full potential.  

With affirmations such as ‘I believe in myself’, ‘I am proud of myself’ and ‘I love who I am’, by regularly re-affirming these beliefs, they will seep into your child's subconscious, empowering them with the self-belief they need to thrive!  

Include this in your morning ritual, for example, after brushing your teeth every morning or before lunch, pick the affirmation of the day and encourage the kids to repeat it out loud. This offers a fun and engaging way for children to embrace positive thinking and self-belief!   

 

5. Set a summer goal  

Introducing goal-setting and goal-getting to children of a young age will benefit them as they take these tools with them through life. Encourage kids to set goals this summer... examples of a goals they might set include:   

• A reading goal eg. I will read 3 books this summer  

• Mastering a sports skill eg. I will move to the next class in training 

• A project goal eg. Creating an art project  

 

Encourage them to align their actions everyday and work towards achieving this goal. Motivate them along the way and provide rewards to make the goal-attainment more attractive. Goal-setting is a powerful tool that can teach children motivation, encouragement, focus and direct outcome as a result of their efforts. It can also be a fun and engaging way for children to feel a sense of accomplishment and purpose, all while teaching them the skills they need.  

 

6. Kind-deed Jar  

Fill a jar with multiple kind-deeds and a couple of times a week randomly pick out of this jar. This is a great way to teach children the importance of kindness and the effect that their positivity can have on others around them.  

Encourage the kids to decorate their jar as they please and place it where it is easily accessible. Examples of things you can put in the kind deed jar include: 

• Holding the door open for someone 

• Letting their friends or siblings play with their favourite toy 

• Make a hand-written card for a family member 

• Set the table for dinner 

This is a simple, yet powerful activity that will aid your child’s personal development and compassion, both with themselves and others. 

 

7. Learn a new skill 

Summer is the perfect time for children to develop and enhance their personal passions and interests by learning a new skill or improving a current one. This will help keep them occupied, focused and give them something to work towards everyday.

P.S: It helps if it’s a skill they can practice without you!

Cooking or baking is always a fun skill to learn, but this requires supervision... we recommend incorporating this into their summer holidays by encouraging them to help you prepare lunch when possible. Homemade pizza is always a fun one to do, kids love putting on their own toppings!  

Pay attention to what excites them, and what they are automatically drawn to... do they love watching sport on the TV? Are they enthralled by music? Do you notice them picking at the weeds in the garden? Whatever it is, lean into it and encourage them to explore their interests. Provide them with the resources they need (this might be books, classes, YouTube videos, or guidance) and watch as they grow, flourish and develop this new skill over the summer. 

 

8. Arts & Crafts 

A great way to encourage kids to be creative, engage with their imagination and express their feelings is through arts & crafts... and it’s a great way to keep them busy for a couple of hours without getting stuck in a screen! Introduce them to drawing, painting, or scrapbooking, encouraging them to explore new opportunities for expression and skill development. Create a designated crafts station, where they can go and get lost in their imagination and spend time creating.   

 

9. Playdate  

Playdates are a great way to enhance kids socialisation skills and their imagination, providing them with escapism from the everyday while they develop their communication and teamwork skills in a relaxed environment. We recommend scheduling a playdate with some classmates to create a memorable and meaningful summer. Let them pick the friends they would like to invite over to play with and discuss the activities they would enjoy! This will create great joy and excitement, while giving them something to look forward to and break up the summer.  

 

10. Gardening  

Gardening teaches kids responsibility and patience as they plant a seed, tend to it daily and watch it grow... similar to how we encourage them to nurture their goals. Go to a garden centre and allow the children to pick something to plant, whether it is an indoor plant on the windowsill or a full flower bed, this gives them a sense of purpose and ownership... as they grow to care for it daily! This is a fun project and something you can build on with the kids.  

Creating a meaningful summer for kids involves a mix of activities that entertain, empower, inspire and motivate. By incorporating these activities into their summer holiday, you are providing them with the tools they need to grow and develop, by not only keeping them off the screens, but by helping them build valuable life lessons and lasting memories.  

The Head Plan Kids Superpower Pack will transform them to a world of mindfulness, imagination and self-discovery... this is more than just a gift, it’s an investment in their personal development. Trust us, they will thank you later!  

Remember to not be too hard on yourself too, creating a meaningful summer for kids can be a challenge. Be kind to yourself and lean into the slow moments, making sure to prioritise yourself and your needs too.