School’s Out! Tips on Having Fun Summer Family Time T O G E T H E R!

At long last, school’s out for the summer. Here’s a few Montessori Method tips on how to continue your toddler and preschooler’s education throughout the shortest months of the year.

Let’s Nurture Our Children!

Now is the time to create continued learning. What your child learned at school from ‘pick up and put away,’ to ‘kitchen time,’ to numbers and words, and ‘learning by doing’ needs to be continued at home every day.

Although school is a distant memory for many during the summer, home is where the heart is, where the head is, and where growth is best stimulated.

So, moms, let your child continue to help you prepare dinner in the kitchen by cutting simple items; placing them on plates; drawing water (it’s okay if they’re messy); and cleaning up after each meal.

Let your child do for himself or herself!

Get Personal!

Historically, summer is when families spend time together and see new places.

No, we don’t mean ‘Star Wars’ at Disneyland. We mean visiting our beautiful city together,

listening to the symphony and seeing fireworks together, seeing tide pools, examining the terrain at the beach and mountains together, and yes, spending a night or two out-of-doors in the backyard together—or a park.

Surely, we’ve heard many times how quickly childhood vanishes. Mom and dad, now’s your chance! Get personal with your kids. Talk with them, not at them. Ask them questions all day long. Find out about them and what makes them tick. Dollop out advice and ‘how-to’ as needed. Use these summer moments to get off your phone and get on your child’s wavelength.

Ride a Bike!

A recent article written in the Washington Post by Jacob Bogage sadly shows a decline in children’s bike ridership.

Mom and dad, what better time than summer than to ride a bike with your children?

Take a ride around the neighborhood together. Let your kids visit their friends on their bikes.

Use the time for exercise, looking at flowers and trees and plants and bugs.

The natural world is what it’s all about but our children are so screen-oriented and sedentary that we’re defeating the purpose of childhood. Get out there! Pop on your helmets, see and talk. And, take them out of the TV room. Summer is for out-of-doors.

See A Movie and Talk About It

Summer movies are designed for children to be entertained, informed and to laugh.

Go to the movies together with your kids and their friends. After the movie, ask them questions about what they saw and heard and liked and why. Answer any of their questions. Talk about the characters and ask them their opinions of why they liked or disliked them.

The opportunity to talk together is a core bonding element.

And Finally, Let’s Go Fly a Kite!

Mary Poppins had it right! Up to the highest height!

Something as simple as buying a kite together at an actual retail store and then assembling it together may seem mundane to us but it is a great experiment for our kids. The kite colors or design that they choose says a lot about them. The tail they choose says a lot about them.

And the glee they get when it flies is an Instagram moment.

Visit the beach or the backyard and start something glorious!

Parents, this is the time of our lives! Our children are preparing to fly into their next classes in just a few short months. Now is the time to get them ready for their next journey—together!

So, get out there with them.

To quote a phrase from 50 years ago, tune in to them, turn them on to nature and drop out of society for a morning, afternoon or weekend with them.

Enjoy your summer!