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Challenge: Summer Fun

5 Classic Activities to Do with Your Child

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A shout out to all the parents who are managing their toddlers without having a mental breakdown every day! Having children around the house is pretty much like riding a roller coaster; sometimes it’s fun, most times its plain scary. It is extremely exhausting to keep the child entertained; you always have to come up with new and innovative ideas. Looking for unique games and activities to involve your kids in? Don’t worry we’ve got you covered, listed below are some of the classic activities that you can do with your child this weekend. Check them out:

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Flying a Kite

“With tuppence for paper and strings, you can have your own set of wings”. Pick a day this spring and go fly a kite with your kids. Both you and your kid would benefit from the rigorous exercise and fresh air. If Mr. Banks could bond with his kids over kites then so can you! Every child must experience the thrill of flying a kite on a lazy Sunday afternoon. The exercise is not only fun but also highly beneficial. For starters, it improves the motor skills of your kid. Flying a kite in a rough breeze is no piece of cake; it involves a lot of quick thinking and understanding of the aerodynamics. Your kid gets to learn a lot of about wind speed, direction and is able to make on-the-spot decisions.

Black and White Photography

A picture speaks a thousand words and photography helps you immortalize a memory in a frame. Kids today are using their phones to snap pics. Taking a photograph is something unfamiliar to them, especially a black & white one.

So if you have a real camera (Polaroid or digital), start using it with your kid! Set the camera to B&W (or buy B&W Polaroid film) and capture anything and everything that catches your eye, from simple mundane activities such as family breakfasts, picnics or playing in the garden to special events like birthdays and anniversaries – your kid will be delighted by the monochrome magic.

Documenting your family life with your kind in monochrome is a pretty creative way to keep them engaged. It takes time to learn how to shoot black & white photos, but it’s definitely worth the effort; portraits, landscape images and still objects turn out to be quite artistic when captured in black & white. Inculcating the habit of photography from an early age gives your kids a finer eye for detail and a creative perspective that will help them in the future.

Building a Toy Train

Playtime is an important aspect of child development that every parent must be a part of. A train set not only keeps your kid occupied for hours but also teaches him/her some crucial life lessons that would really help them in their later years. Building a toy train together is a great way of showing your kid the value of the organization, sequencing and structuring things in a proper order. These toys are an ideal gift for all children irrespective of their age or gender. Some train sets also come with numbers or letters painted on the compartments that pique the little one’s curiosity. It becomes a lot easier to show your kids the proper sequence of numbers and alphabets this way rather than sit them down with a book.

Playing Marbles

Going down the memory lane, do you remember playing marbles as a child? Well, its time you revive that age-old classic game and re-create the fun with your kid! Technology for all its perks has made our children quite lazy and reluctant to leave the confines of the couch. They are holed indoors all day busy with their Xbox and PlayStation consoles. Introducing the traditional games such as marbles helps them get the much needed fresh air and social interaction. Marbles can be played by any age group; from toddlers to teenagers everyone can participate. During the game, your kid learns to interact with other kids, make alliances, work in a team and abide by the rules. It also teaches your child the worldly lessons of making negotiations and dealing with loss.

Making Homemade Popsicles

Popsicles are a must-have treat all throughout the year when you have kids in your house. Now, being a homemaker you obviously don’t want to risk their health by giving them the packed store-bought candies that contain preservatives and chemicals. Besides, it is so much fun to make popsicles at home - an activity both you and your child can enjoy. You can make these yummy treats from just about anything like fruit juices to milk or any leftover jams, jellies and even chocolate. It is absolutely eco-friendly, healthy and cost efficient!

The Bottom Line

As a parent, it is important that you establish a profound bond with your kid in their formative years and teach them valuable lessons on friendship, honesty, patience, perseverance, and tolerance. These activities mentioned above are just some of the many things you can do with your child. So slather on some sunscreen and take your children out for an adventure!

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