Summer break offers a valuable opportunity for parents to help their children stay active, engaged, and balanced. Our Summer Parenting Resource Guide covers various aspects of summer activities, focusing on the benefits of sports, supporting anxious children, and avoiding over-scheduling. The Florida Center for Reading Research, where several CEHHS faculty hold joint appointments, also provides a wealth of reading resources and digital activities to keep children entertained and motivated this summer.
Maximizing Summer Fun Through Sport
Community sports participation can help children stay active, build self-confidence, improve mental health, build friendships and improve social skills. Amy Kim and Katie Flanagan from the Department of Sport Management emphasize the importance of choosing the right sports program based on family goals, affordability, and the type of activities that fit your schedule. They also offer creative ideas to keep kids physically active outside of organized sports, such as scavenger hunts and destination activities.
Summer Sanity: Strategies to Avoid Over-Scheduling Children in the Summer Months
Over-scheduling can lead to overwhelming stress for both children and parents. Ming Cui, a Fulbright Scholar and professor in the Department of Human Development & Family Science, highlights the importance of balancing scheduled activities with free play and downtime. Parents are encouraged to leave empty spaces on the calendar, prioritizing quality over quantity to ensure their children have enriching yet relaxed summer experiences.
Engaging Anxious or Shy Children in Summer Activities
Associate Professor Heidi Gazelle offers valuable insights on helping anxious children engage in activities that foster social and emotional development. While sometimes challenging for parents to organize, social interactions, playdates, and summer camps are beneficial for anxious children. Parents play a crucial role in supporting their participation. Exploring local opportunities and finding suitable activities is a good first step. For children facing school transitions, summer programs designed to ease these changes and introduce new classmates can significantly reduce anxiety and promote a sense of belonging for the upcoming school year.
Additional Resources for Summer Reading and Education
Leah Register, Ph.D. student at CEHHS, created a website as a resource for Freedom School scholars and their families to find diverse books, get connected with community resources, and springboard families into reading together. Learn more here.
The Florida Center for Reading Research (FCRR) offers a comprehensive resource database that parents can use to enhance their children's summer reading and educational activities. They offer:
- Summer Reading Logs and Challenges: Tools to track reading progress and aid in reading motivation.
- Coloring Sheets and Activity Pages: Fun, simple, and educational activities to keep children engaged at home or during summer travels.
- Digital Activities: Age-appropriate activities separated by grade level (Pre-K through 5th grade), focusing on fluency, vocabulary, phonics, phonological awareness, and comprehension.
Explore these resources:
- Student Center Activities (for K-5 students)
- Slide into Summer Reading Challenge
- Summer Arts Adventure
- Score for Reading
- Early Literacy Book Nook Bundles Now Available Through LeRoy Collins Leon County Public Library System
- AtHomeWithFCRR
- For Families
- FSU literary experts offer tips for navigating back-to-school disruptions and building strong reading habits for young learners
- Summer coloring sheet
By combining these strategies, parents can create a fun and beneficial summer for their children, fostering physical health, social development, and mental well-being.
