By Dinah Torres Castro
Summer is almost gone, and most parents are consumed with the start of school this fall. Will it be done in person, remotely, or will school districts decide on a hybrid learning situation? What are the safety concerns for children and teachers? These are big questions and there is not much parents will be able to control. What we can do is make the most of the rest of summer time before children return to school.
Think of ways to enjoy these last few days of summer. Whether our current crisis situation or our economic constraints are key reasons, many families are opting for “staycations”. They are remaining in or around their homes and discovering new ways to appreciate their homes and neighborhoods. Make the most of a staycation by asking yourself what is it that you want to do regardless of these trying times. What do you want your children to remember? Our children will remember this summer…and it is up to us to make sure we create precious moments and positive memories for them. These summer memories don’t have to come with souvenirs. Here are some ideas of things to do on your staycation:
- If you’re creative, think of an art project that you can do together as a family.
- If you are on social media, take photos and post them—create a Summer/Fall 2020 montage and document the special moments (this also makes a wonderful holiday gift for family members who couldn’t visit this summer)!
- Create your own private resort in the backyard or inside your home.
- Sleep under the stars in your backyard.
- Map out a neighborhood adventure walk
- Organize a family cooking contest with prizes for the most creative, best tasting, and most likely to __________ (fill in the blank).
- Organize scavenger hunts in your backyard and branch out to surrounding neighborhoods.
- Have a fancy night out at home. Have everyone dress up and use the nice china. Dinner doesn’t have to fancy—it can be your favorite meal, even if it’s just pizza!
- Have a do-it-yourself Olympics at home: indoor bowling (line up empty water bottles and knock them down with a ball); volley balloon (tie a string between 2 chairs to make a net, and hit a balloon back and forth over the line while on your knees); a human wheelbarrow race (have your child walk on his or her hands while you steer them by holding their feet), beanbag races (walk or run with a bean bag on your head).
You don’t need to spend a lot of money to create meaningful moments with your family. Keep in mind what is most important to you and follow your heart.
Dinah Castro is a Bilingual Family Well-Being Educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County’s Family Health and Wellness Program. She can be reached at 631-727-7850 ext. 351 or at dc258@cornell.edu.