Keep an “art box” handy full of supplies: scissors, fabric, felt, glue, paints, brushes, stickers, paper, markers, canvass, needle and thread, beads, yarn, picture magazines, etc. Rummaging through a box of art supplies can ignite the imagination and occupy children for long periods of time. They could even begin an entrepreneurial enterprise and sell their wares at the end of the summer!
You
The national tour of the latest big Broadway hit show is coming to town and you want to plan a great night out. But you waited too long to buy tickets and instead of sitting third row center, the only seats available are in the nose bleed section. So, it’s another dinner and movie night.
Well, the same thing may be true for summer camp. If you wait too long to register your kid for that top notch theater camp, instead of playing the role of Ariel in The Little Mermaid, she may be watching reruns of Happy Days in your cousin Mary’s living room, and not being real happy about it, either!
School gets out on May 29th for summer vacation. By the time you are reading this article you may only have a couple of weeks before the first week of summer camp. So, what do you do now?
the middle of the night or while still in their PJs. But, when you’ve procrastinated until the very last minute, an IMMEDIATE phone contact really DOES matter! Even if the desired camp is sold out, a little negotiating (or begging) on the phone with an actual human, might be all it takes to get that coveted spot!
of activities, including field trips Many of these camps can be found at the local recreation enters, but be aware, many of these camps are very reasonably priced and that fact alone will cause them to fill up quickly.
If you have not yet begun the process, the time is right now to start calling the camps your child most desires. Yes, the internet with online registration is an enormous convenience for busy parents who can register their kids for camp in
Besides the particular camp, the issue of available weeks becomes a problem. If a camp that your child wants is beginning to fill up quickly and certain weeks are closed, grab an available week and start planning around it. Many sports or activity specific camps, like dance, sailing or hockey, may have limited weeks to begin with and those slots go fast, so nail down as many of them as you can NOW!
Once that is done, start looking at more general summer camp programs that offer a wide range
If staying home with the kids during holes in the summer camp schedule is not more than an occasional option, then you need to think outside of the box.
Reach out to parents in your neighborhood or kids’ school and see if there are four or more others who are in the same boat and would like to start a rotating daily play group.
Maybe you can split the day between mom and dad so you don’t end up unemployed? Maybe you have grandparents who would love to take the grandkids for the odd week to fill in the gaps?
Remember, summer doesn’t need be a harried race to Labor Day. With a little planning and ingenuity, you can make the summer a manageable experience for the whole family!
Alice Cooper wrote a song about it, “School’s Out for Summer!”
It’s a great time of the year for kids, the weather is warm, and it’s time to play. There may have been a week or so of summer camp, but the rest of the time is what man has always wanted, Freedom! The ability to do whatever you want, whenever you want, until you’ve done it for a while. That’s the time you may hear your ADHD child speaking the most spine tingling phrase, I’m bored, there’s nothing to do.
If you’re the parent of an ADHD child, the summer could bring some special challenges.
The kid who is spinning around in the outfield and picking flowers in a T-Ball game can be locked in on the basketball court where the speed of the game doesn’t make it harder to focus, but in many cases, easier. The high speed of the action is processed fast and he is, as they say, in his wheelhouse. The same way your child may be climbing the drapes while someone explains the history of this particular museum, may be totally focused on the computer screen of a computer class.
It’s amazing how quickly the thrill of nothing to do can wear off, sometimes in a matter of days. That’s when you realize it’s not so easy to switch from the routine and structure of the school year to the lazy days of summer.
between free time and planned time.
Even during the laid back summer months, these kids need structure to feel secure and to know what’s coming. Putting a calendar of events up on the refrigerator lets your child see what’s coming. Fill in ahead of time a mix of major summer activities, such as the family vacation or trips to visit relatives, and casual recreational activities, such as a weekend trip to the zoo or museum. For your younger child, you may also want to prearrange and mark down play dates.
When your child has ADHD, you can make two safe predictions about summertime:
So, it’s important to find those “wheelhouse” activities and avoid the “picking the daisies” projects.
Your child is likely to get bored easily and often; and he’s almost as likely to become demanding of your time, attention, and patience. The way to manage summer’s lack of structure is to strike the right balance
Try not to over schedule.
One trip to the amusement park on a weekend is plenty, if you try and load up with the aquarium and zoo it may be too hectic and become overwhelming. Leave room for down time every day, when your child can do whatever he or she wants, even nothing at all. And make time at the end of the day for the family to relax, kick back and even you know...talk.
It’s not called summer vacation for nothing, but even adults have basic responsibilities when they are off from work. So keep some basic family rules and routines in place. It’s tempting to let kids stay up later in summer, and a bit of that
is OK. But remember that even a little sleep deprivation can lead to irritability and meltdowns at any time of year. So try to maintain basic bedtime habits. Stick to scheduled chores, as well as other established routines. For example, a whole day in front of the TV should be off limits even during summer months.
Take advantage of the summer recreational and educational opportunities that are abundant in the Tampa Bay area. Sports is a great way for your child to burn off some energy and the structure and interaction of a sports camp can also have some great benefits. Try and suit the camp to the child.
If you have a young child with ADHD, baseball camp may be way too slow, where a basketball or soccer camp that has more constant movement may be more suitable.
If your child has an artistic flair, a children’s theater group might be just the ticket. In addition, visit local zoos and museums, and find out where and when summer festivals are scheduled in your area. Don’t forget to add selected activities to your calendar. When you plan ahead of time and write it down, you’re more likely to do it.
During the school year, you set a regular study time for your child because it helps him or her get the work done. In the same way, schedule play times in summer. So after work, toss the ball around in the back yard, take a bike ride, or go for ice cream. These relaxed times provide just the change of pace you and your child need to de-stress after nine months of school, or even a day’s work.
The key to your child’s summer vacation success may be simply letting kids be kids.
Being a kid, even a hyperactive kid, is natural, spontaneous, and easy. You encourage this process when you allow your child the time and freedom to do what he feels like doing. Some structure during summer vacation is important, but don’t over schedule. Some of the best social and creative summer moments are when kids get together in the neighborhood for a pickup game of stickball.
ADHD kids can be amazingly creative in finding ways to have fun. With your encouragement, the freedom to do nothing opens up countless possibilities to do anything and everything. ADHD parents need not dread the summer. With some planning and wise choices, the summer can be a great time full of new experiences and new friends. So go ahead and schedule some activities, then get out of the way and let your child do what comes naturally.
Ages 5-18 • June 1 - August 7
Make a splash this summer with Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s Marine Science Summer Camps! Where education meets real-world exploration!
Each week-long camp is packed with hands-on activities, exciting animal encounters and unforgettable experiences designed to inspire the next generation of ocean advocates. Campers will explore Florida’s coastal ecosystems through activities that may include snorkeling in seagrass beds, kayaking through estuaries and discovering marine life in its natural habitat - all depending on camp theme and age group. Campers will also get to know our resident animals while learning about marine biology, conservation and animal care.
Morning & Afternoon Camps for Ages 5-11
Full Day & 1/2 Day Camps for Ages 12-18
Camps
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Grades 2–8 | Mon–Fri | 9am – 1pm 6 weekly sessions starting: June 8 - July 20
Snapology provides interactive, STEM/STEAM programs for children featuring technology and popular building toys such as LEGO® bricks and K’Nex.® Kids have so much fun in our programs, they don’t realize just how much they’re learning!
• K-Pop Hunters • Animals on Land, Air, And Sea • Under the Sea
Crafting Mines
Flowers & Insects
Cartooning
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HANDS-ON LEARNING THROUGH S.T.E.A.M. PROGRAMS INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION Become a Partner Location TODAY! Learn more at StPete.Snapology.com or email stpete@snapology.com
