Parents often think of activities that they can spend with their children to strengthen their bond. However, seasonal changes often limit their options. The intense heat of the sun during summer, or the extreme cold weather during winter may entail the need for you and your kids to stay indoors. But you should not let seasonal changes hinder you and your children from enjoying some time together.
Rest assured that there are numerous activities that you can enjoy from one season to another.
Summer
It seems like almost everyone looks forward to summer, even Olaf the snowman, one of the protagonists in the famous Disney movie Frozen. It is the time of the year that you get to enjoy days on the beach, swimming in the pool, as well as afternoon barbeques. Summer is one of the great seasons where you can spend more time outdoors, as long as the heat of the summer sun permits. Hence, below are the activities that you and your kids would enjoy during summer.
Swimming
Summer is almost synonymous with beaches and pools, which is why more and more parents enroll their kids to swimming lessons during this time of the year. However, if you are a great swimmer, teaching your kid to swim can be a fun activity that will allow you to spend some quality time together. On the contrary, if you are not that good of a swimmer yourself, then it would be best to enroll in a swimming lesson together with your kid and learn together. In any case, summer is one the best seasons to enjoy a trip to the beach and make memories with your children.
Biking
Biking is a great outdoor activity that will exercise your entire body. It is not only good for adults, but it is also one of the best physical activities for kids. Make sure that you get the perfect bike for you and your child. If you have little kids, according to the article 10 best kids 12 inch and 14 inch bikes: 2020 published by Natalie Martins for twowheelingtots.com, 12 and 14 inch bike sizes are perfect for toddlers. There are also tandem bikes that seats two to three people, which is also a good option to encourage your child if he or she is not yet used to pedaling on his own.
Outdoor Games
Summer is a great time to spend your day outdoors, and the best way to make sure that you and your kids will have fun is by playing games. You don’t have to travel far, especially if you have a patio or a yard where you can host the games. Merely running around and playing catch is surely fun already for your kids. But you can level this up by installing giant board games, or setting up a goal, a net or a hoop for a game of ball. You can even host a treasure hunt in your yard or other parlor games with prizes that will surely excite your little ones. For starters, you can create a Lego hunt wherein you need to hide blocks, composed of at least four colors, all over your yard. Place four papers that reflect the colors of the Lego blocks in the middle of your yard. After which, trigger a start for your children to find all the blocks and place them on the papers in the center of your yard until all the pieces have been found. The one who found the most pieces wins the game.
Autumn
Fall is a great season because it is the time when families get together and remember all the things that they are grateful for. It is also the season wherein your creativity is put to a test by creating the most superb costumes for your little ones in time for trick or treat and Halloween. Aside from thin, autumn is also the season when the smell of pumpkin soup is more aromatic, and the sound of cracking leaves underneath your feet is most soothing. Without further ado, below are some fun activities for you and your kids during the fall.
Arts and Crafts
With Halloween just around the corner, autumn is the perfect season for you to spend time with your kids doing arts and crafts. Ask your kids what they want to be for trick or treat and allow them to help you make their costumes because this is a great bonding activity for you. You can also stock up on coloring books and art materials and make every day an arts and crafts day. Explore on printable coloring pages over the internet, if you feel like coloring books are limited. For sure, you will be able to find a design that is appropriate to the age of your child. In the same manner, there are also several drawing ideas over the internet and you might even be overwhelmed in choosing the perfect one for your child. In this case, the best thing to do is to ask them what they like to draw with you. Nowadays, there are also paint by number kits which will help you and your child create masterpieces by painting the canvas according to the numbers on the drawing. Dedicate a coloring activity for certain days, a drawing activity on other days, and a paper making activity on the rest of the days of the week.
Baking and Cooking
Pumpkin soups and homey dishes are what autumn is known for. Teach your kids to appreciate the food they eat more by involving them in the kitchen. Let them help you out in making pumpkin soup or in preparing your meal for thanksgiving. Ask them to mix the dry ingredients for your cakes and cookies or beat the eggs that need to go with it. You can also ask them to decorate your pastries and without a doubt, they will have fun in being entrusted with the responsibility of being your sous chef. In baking and cooking with your kids, it is important to take your time and expect that your kitchen will incur a lot of mess. This is the reason why it is important for you to plan ahead and get them ready by dressing them in clothes that you wouldn’t mind getting soiled. Teach them about the proper hygiene in cooking and walk them through the recipe that you will be creating. Baking and cooking is not only a fun activity, but it is also a great avenue for learning.
Winter
Some people dread winter. However, there is really nothing to be anxious about when winter kicks in, aside from the extreme cold. Winter is a great season because it is also the season when people get together to celebrate the holidays. It is often during this time that your kids get to spend some time with your extended family and friends. In line with this, consider the activities below for you and your kids during winter.
Board Games
With the advancements in modern technology, more and more children today can be found glued on their gadgets and handheld devices. Winter is the perfect time for you to reintroduce board games to your little one. Apart from being able to help them develop their cognitive skills, board games will also bring back nostalgic memories from your childhood. Teach them how to spell words through scrabble, or count by playing monopoly or snakes and ladders. You can even form teams instead of playing individually to be able to assist little kids throughout the game.
Storytelling and Interactive Reading
The cold weather is the perfect time for cuddles with your little one. Enhance your bed adventures by reading books to them or engage your kids in an interactive reading. With this reading format, you and your child take turns in reading the story and bringing the characters to life. Bring their imagination to life by dressing up as the characters of the book, or ask them what the story would be like if they were the ones who wrote it.
Storytelling is an incredible way of helping your kids develop a sense of understanding and appreciation for other cultures, promoting a more positive outlook in life. This is not only fun for you and your kids, but it will also help them greatly with their reading comprehension. Apart from staying indoors, you can also visit a local library or your favorite bookstore with your kids and let them gravitate towards the books they prefer. If there is an open sample of the book they like, try to read some of the pages with them.
Indoor Dance Party
You don’t necessarily have to go outdoors to enjoy a physical activity. Hosting an indoor dance party during the winter will not only shoo the cold away, but it is also a fun way of bonding with your kids. All you need is some music, preferably the favorite dance songs that your kids listen to. Play the beat and let everybody dance it out. You can even dress up and set up blinking or colorful lights to make the overall ambiance more appealing. You may even turn this dance party into a game wherein everyone needs to freeze as soon as the music stops. Conversely, you can set up a play area and have a game of musical chairs or a trip to jerusalem. Keep in mind that for children, playing games is always fun.
Spring
Spring is the season when fresh flowers bloom. It is usually the time of the year when the weather is perfect, not being too cold, and not being too hot and humid either. Most people conduct a general cleaning session of their homes during this season and you have the option of turning this into a fun activity for you and your kids. Aside from this, here are some other activities that are perfect for you and your kids during spring.
Camping
Let your kids experience the outdoors by setting up a tent and camping outside your yard. You have the option of hosting a day camp, or if you are up for it, make it an overnight camping. If you want fresh scenery, take your kid on a camping adventure on national parks or nature reserves. It is in this wilderness where they will learn to appreciate nature and its beauty. Teach them how to make a campfire because this is where the fun in camping begins. Once you have fire properly lit up, roast marshmallows and share stories over the fire. You can even bring your guitar with you or any musical instrument that you play and sing songs together. The most important thing to take note of is to make the most out of your adventure with nature.
Gardening
Gardening is a fun and productive activity for you and your child, especially if you have a keen interest in it and you are blessed with a green thumb. Conversely, there are several sources of information that can help you with this venture if you are new to gardening yourself. Reserve a certain portion of land that is allocated for your kids and let them decide which plants they want to grow in their area. As much as possible, equip them with child-friendly gardening tools to ensure their safety. The key thing to take note of is to make the entire gardening process fun and you can do this by turning the garden into a place of adventure. This will surely keep your kids interested in digging the soil. In the end, you will be amazed at how wonderful it is to watch you kids take on the responsibility of caring for another form of life.
There are indeed several seasonal activities that you and your kids can enjoy. Leverage on this to spend some quality time together and strengthen your bond with each other. In the process, you will be making childhood memories that your children will treasure for life.
