July is the peak of summer and kids want to have as much fun as possible! With the current landscape of our society and COVID19, we need to be responsible to our families and others in how we celebrate this month of freedom from school.

Here are some simple ways you and the kiddos can stay active, engaged, and most importantly, safe!

Set the Routine

Event though school is out routine is still very important for everyone, not just the kids. Split up the times into things like getting ready for the day, mealtimes, and types of activities.

You can have a set rest time for the day, as well as designated craft and physical activity time. It’s like making your home an exclusive summer camp!

When you start thinking about scheduling out your day, we would like to point out the advantages to an active morning in the cooler temperatures and relaxing afternoons indoors to escape the heat.

Get Active

Summer is a great time to learn new skills! This could be the perfect time to lean how to roller skate, ride a bike, or skateboard. There are also the classics, like playing catch, shooting some hoops, or kicking the soccer ball around.

You can also plan a family workout time using YouTube or another platform. It doesn’t have to be extreme, just get your body moving.

Make Chores a Game

Work hard and play hard. Clean up your living room, kitchen, and common areas and as a reward have a fort movie night! Creating a fort is fun for all ages, and you can also use the clean kitchen to create a fun treat to eat while you embark into a cinematic adventure.

Are your kids a little older and need more incentive to participate? Well make it a competition; set a timer and whoever cleans their area fastest gets a reward. You can even make weekly chores worth points with a weekly prize. Maybe it’s picking dinner one night, deciding on a movie, or even a cash prize.

Get Creative

Crafts are more than just a way to pass the time. They create an outlet for kids to express emotions, which may be hard to verbally express. They help develop motor skills, creativity and art appreciation.

You can celebrate your artistic endeavors by virtually visiting a museum. Make it even more enriching by adding a snack themed after your favorite art or the country the museum is in.

Learn Something

There are so many free or affordable resources for kids. It’s one of the benefits of living in 2020. You can find tutorials on YouTube or membership-based sites.

If you want to get off the screen, try reading good old-fashioned books. Go through a series as a family, start a family book club, or read and enact the books aloud, taking turns as you go.

We're Here for You

Finding fun ways to spend summer is just one aspect of being a parent during these unprecedented times. At Victor FFA, we are here to support you in all aspects of your foster parent or foster to adopt journey.

Know we are always here for our families and celebrate when we are able to welcome new ones into our organization.