![\"large_summer-fun-title-0719\"](\"https:\/\/itsnotaboutme.tv\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/large_summer-fun-title-0719.png\")
<\/a>The world is very different now, so it takes a mix of old school and modern activities to keep the kiddies entertained these days, especially when they\u2019re off from school for a couple of months. You definitely don\u2019t want their summer to be full of just video games, television, and being glued to their phones.<\/p>\nSo, as a former elementary school teacher myself, not to mention a major fun-lover, here are some of my ideas on how to keep the kids entertained on a daily basis this summer:<\/p>\n
~ Beach day<\/p>\n
<\/a>A real-life aquarium visit with my old pals Isaac and Sharon Abromov(a.) Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n
~ Visit to the zoo or aquarium<\/p>\n
~ Day trip to visit close-by-but-out-of-town pals who have kids of similar ages<\/p>\n
~ On a rainy day, stay in and make written or picture diaries of \u201cwhat I did this summer.\u201d<\/p>\n
~ Movie days, at home or in theaters again. (Watching one on a sheet in the backyard is especially fun!)<\/p>\n
~ Nature walks<\/p>\n
~ If you have to work throughout the summer, look into sending your kids to Day Camp, if there\u2019s one in your area.<\/p>\n
~ Have them do lots of fun basic sports, as long as there\u2019s a safe place to do them, with some grown-up supervision<\/p>\n
<\/a>My almost grown-up pal Marcus Jocelyn, engrossed in one of our favorite young adult books! Photo by Amanda Hazel.<\/p><\/div>\n
~ Here\u2019s a novel<\/em> idea\u2014have them read books<\/em>!\u00a0 Perhaps your childhood faves. Or have a book club with your fam, or they can do it with the kids in your neighborhood. Or\u2026visit the library!<\/p>\n ~ Go to special summer festivals, carnivals, bazaars, and fairs<\/p>\n ~ Visit amusement or water parks<\/p>\n ~ Have them emulate a young Steven Spielberg! His mother was a fan of my show, and called to ask me to review her restaurant on it! My parents were in town then, so Leah Adler hosted us all for dinner. My mother loved the story she told us about how Steven used to always make his own mini-movies when he was a kid. (My friends and I produced stage shows<\/em> for the neighborhood, so I guess Spielberg was more prescient than we<\/em> were because movies make waaay more money!) Your own<\/em> children can do it all<\/em> over the course of the summer, from writing to casting to wardrobe, to shooting. It will be very fun and uber-educational. (And who knows\u2014perhaps it will also be a prelude to their own<\/em> Oscar down the road!)<\/p>\n ~ Take a day at a lake or park<\/p>\n ~ Go on mini road trips to explore<\/p>\n Keir (in the middle) and Ellery (on the left) Sampson being kind, back in the day, by treating their old pal Karen Salkin to their favorite treat! Photo by Thea Kearney.<\/p><\/div>\n ~ Do a lot of \u201ckindness days.\u201d That’s the most important activity in my<\/em> book. They can help at a hospital, clean-up a beach, do small errands for elderly neighbors, make cookies for friends, or just go through their closets and toys for donations. I hope there will be several of these days all summer, at least one a week.<\/p>\n ~ Even have them do a \u201cclean up the house day\u201d<\/p>\n ~ Hikes, (but never alone)<\/p>\n ~ Dance parties<\/p>\n ~ Camping under the stars, (in the backyard, of course, and only where it\u2019s safe and with adult supervision.)<\/p>\n ~ Barbecues, either at home or in the designated area of a neighborhood park<\/p>\n ~ Drive-in movies, if you\u2019re lucky enough to have any near enough to you<\/p>\n ~ Museums, now that you have a whole day to spend there, without having to rush or be stuck in crowds.<\/p>\n<\/a>