What to do with kids this summer?

[MoreTravels]

Most summer camps will not operate due to the late announcement of lockdown changes. Most kids have stayed at home with online learning since 3 months ago. I am worried about their mental and physical health after prolonged isolation...

I have been using Nintendo Wii for fitness and sport simulation and Zoom for class lecture simulation. I have tried to bring them outdoor to bike and kick balls but it's not the same without a team sport... There is no teammate to cheer with.

By this upcoming September when schools reopen, most kids have not interacted with another real human outside of their family... I am worried that after 6 months, the kids will have a hard time coping. What are you doing to help your kids coping with this difficult time?

 

[TammyLynn33]

I have 4 so they are hanging out amongst themselves . We try to go to a diff park every weekend day.. we go early to avoid any crowds , we have booked two long weekends in a cabin at Koa and a week at a cottage as I feel like our walls are closing in .
FaceTime with their friends even the littles like to say hi to classmates and teachers and just doing the best we can . It’s hard but I try to support their fears and I’m encouraging them to learn what they are interested in ( Dinos sports animals ) a few outschool classes here and there .Hugs to you Mama we are all doing the best we can .. kids are adaptable little creatures .. they will get through this

 

[hdrolfe]

I share your concerns. It's just me and my son, he's been too scared to go out much and spends too much time online watching videos and playing games with friends online. I am glad we are finally able to expand our circle, I am hoping we will be able to visit my parents to get him out of the house at least.

I am looking forward to the pools opening, and hopefully we'll be able to go there once a week. I am also hoping some of his friends will be able to play basketball at the park with him, though I am not sure if he will be too scared to go. I hope we will be able to go to the beach, though the one we like is closed this summer for dredging. I do hope he will be able to keep in touch with friends though, 6 months is a long time to not see them! It is a very isolating time, I have my work (even though it's at home, I stay in touch with the people I work with). He doesn't really have that.

I'm interested to hear what other people are doing as well. I'm wondering if I should book a weekend to take him camping? As long as it's dog friendly and not in a tent I think it might be fun? Just not sure where to do that. Or even how to do that. Give me a Disney trip to plan and I'm all over it, camping? Not a clue where to even start!

 

[bababear_50]

Yesterday my sister in law mentioned that her neighbour was looking for stuff that her kids could do.
They seemed quite happy making an extra $50.00 cutting my sister in law's grass.
I have no kids at home to plan for but I think if I did I'd be writing up a contract with them.

1) kids make dinner/BBQ one evening a week.
https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/kid-friendly-recipes-for-the-grill-article
2) kids choose one special movie a week,,check the 5 package on Airmiles.
Maybe make milkshakes and pop some popcorn.

3) 1 hour outside walking /biking/skateboarding/scooter min a day

4) ok I am the queen of hotel rooms but for my kids I would do one weekend in a tent.
https://www.active.com/outdoors/articles/how-to-plan-a-camping-trip-4-simple-stepsI think my guys would say their favorite thing to do when camping was telling ghost stories and building a campfire.

5) Maybe teach them how to play euchre, blackjack/ 21,double dominoes.
https://wehavekids.com/parenting/Card-Games-For-Kids
6) Dessert duty for a week,,they have to make dessert every night for a week.
https://www.delish.com/cooking/g4150/easy-dessert-recipes-for-kids/
7) re arrange any room in the house they want .

8) build a fort,,I come from a family of 5 kids and this is something we did all the time.
https://people.com/human-interest/navy-seal-foundation-fort-challenge-coronavirus/
9) Dog walk for a neighbour.


10.) I am planning on trying to locate as many gardens /waterfalls as I can this summer.
I plan to take a few photos. (Make a scavenger hunt).

11) Backyard ideas for kids
https://playtivities.com/backyard-ideas-for-kids/
12) set up some targets in the backyard,,water gun Archery.


13) shooting hoops. each kid brings their own ball.

14.) .................................................................. Golf driving range,,,,go hit some balls.
https://teezonegolf.com/
15) ah I remember doing this with my guys...rollerblading. (in-line skating).
https://www.rollerblade.com/canada/en/
16. stand-up paddle boarding sport,,SUP I think my granddaughter is going to try this.

17) canoeing,kayaking.

18) Look for outdoor Farmers Markets in your area.

19) Granddaughters contribution


20) Good read for parents of tweens and teens
https://www.mykidstime.com/things-to-do/50-fun-activities-for-teens-to-do-in-the-summer/
21) Learn how to play a new instrument,,
ukulele drums,guitar,keyboard etc.


Well that's it for my ideas.
Hugs to all you parents.
Mel

 

[TammyLynn33]

I share your concerns. It's just me and my son, he's been too scared to go out much and spends too much time online watching videos and playing games with friends online. I am glad we are finally able to expand our circle, I am hoping we will be able to visit my parents to get him out of the house at least.

I am looking forward to the pools opening, and hopefully we'll be able to go there once a week. I am also hoping some of his friends will be able to play basketball at the park with him, though I am not sure if he will be too scared to go. I hope we will be able to go to the beach, though the one we like is closed this summer for dredging. I do hope he will be able to keep in touch with friends though, 6 months is a long time to not see them! It is a very isolating time, I have my work (even though it's at home, I stay in touch with the people I work with). He doesn't really have that.

I'm interested to hear what other people are doing as well. I'm wondering if I should book a weekend to take him camping? As long as it's dog friendly and not in a tent I think it might be fun? Just not sure where to do that. Or even how to do that. Give me a Disney trip to plan and I'm all over it, camping? Not a clue where to even start!

We booked two long weekends at the Koa in their executive cabin . Sleeps 7, AC, wifi flatscreen bathroom kitchen with dishwasher wraparound patio with private hot tub . I’m not a rough it kinda girl either .. ohh and they are doggo friendly so big smelli dog coming with . We travel a lot for sports and since the little kids aren’t getting out Just big kid works 12 hours a week and i work and do All the hunting and gathering aka grocery shopping , the walls are closing in so different walls will be welcome..
so check out local campgrounds cottages etc. Camping doesn’t always mean tents a lot have rental trailers too.

 

[wdwmom3]

Posted this in another thread but I thought I should post it here too. It looks like African Lion Safari is open. If you are in the area it may be a good idea.

 

[bababear_50]

I remembering going to African Lion Safari a few years ago,,,,I think I lost some rubber off my windows (weatherstripping) ,,,lol.
It looks like you need to buy tickets online and in advance.

https://lionsafari.com/
Sounds like a fun outing though!

I also like their Safari from home page
https://lionsafari.com/safari-at-home/
https://lionsafari.com/hotel-packages/
Hugs Mel

 

[wdwmom3]

I remembering going to African Lion Safari a few years ago,,,,I think I lost some rubber off my windows (weatherstripping) ,,,lol.
It looks like you need to buy tickets online and in advance.

https://lionsafari.com/
Sounds like a fun outing though!

I also like their Safari from home page
https://lionsafari.com/safari-at-home/
https://lionsafari.com/hotel-packages/
Hugs Mel

I just read though that the monkeys (or baboons I think) aren’t out. I guess they can catch covid. Which is a bit of a bummer. But I guess means your car is safer lol

 

[bababear_50]

I just read though that the monkeys (or baboons I think) aren’t out. I guess they can catch covid. Which is a bit of a bummer. But I guess means your car is safer lol

Lol
I actually have some of my school kids watching the Gorillas here
Explore Live Cams,,I hope and pray they don't get Covid.
Hugs Mel

https://explore.org/livecams/grace-gorillas/gorilla-forest-corridor

 

[bababear_50]

Ok
not sure the kids would love this but my soul would.
Bring your own water, sanitizer and PPE (personal protective equipment)
RBG will be offering a light “grab and go” menu at the David Braley and Nancy Gordon Rock Garden (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) as well as the Turner Pavilion Teahouse at Hendrie Park (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.).

As part of a phased re-opening, Royal Botanical Gardens will be opening all outdoor garden areas to the public, beginning Friday, June 5. These areas include Hendrie Park, David Braley and Nancy Gordon Rock Garden, Laking Garden and the Arboretum. RBG Centre and the Rock Garden Visitor Centre will be open only to provide access to garden areas. Building amenities and areas such as the Mediterranean Garden remain closed to the public.

https://www.rbg.ca/blog/

• Hendrie Park: Public washrooms are available at the Turner Pavilion Teahouse (RBG Centre washrooms will not be available)
• Laking Garden: Public Washrooms are available at the garden’s main entrance
• Rock Garden: Public washrooms are available within the Rock Garden lower bowl located at the base of the Garden House (Visitor Centre washrooms will not be available)
• Arboretum: Portable washrooms will be available

 

[Silvermist999]

Most summer camps will not operate due to the late announcement of lockdown changes. Most kids have stayed at home with online learning since 3 months ago. I am worried about their mental and physical health after prolonged isolation...

I have been using Nintendo Wii for fitness and sport simulation and Zoom for class lecture simulation. I have tried to bring them outdoor to bike and kick balls but it's not the same without a team sport... There is no teammate to cheer with.

By this upcoming September when schools reopen, most kids have not interacted with another real human outside of their family... I am worried that after 6 months, the kids will have a hard time coping. What are you doing to help your kids coping with this difficult time?

If you are still interested in placing your children in day camps this summer, keep checking announcements made by your town/city as restrictions start to get lifted.

We are in the GTA, and my daughter was hired back in early March to be a camp leader with the town’s summer camps and was just notified this week that they are working on starting up modified day camps in early July. There will be reduced capacity and some specialty camps will not be offered. She hasn’t received any official email yet, gives us more time to decide whether we will allow her to work during this pandemic, she hasn’t even gone anywhere since schools closed. Tough decision as she prepared so well for the interview and is excited about her first job with a paycheque.

 

[mshanson3121]

NM

 

[Donald - my hero]

People put way too much stock in the "necessity" of socialization and activities. Studies have been showing for years that kids are too busy, enrolled in too many directed activities and have too many demands on them, and that it is has been hurting them, in many ways. While yes, it's been a hard adjustment, in the grand scheme of things, the shut down has helped youth mental health. Early stats show lower suicide rates, improvement in depression, anxiety etc... amongst our youth. People need to stop trying to entertain their kids, and let them learn how to entertain themselves. If they're bored, so what? My kids soon learned that the words, "I'm bored" are met with, "Great, help me with the chores". Funny how quickly they suddenly find something else to do, lol.

I agree with you on the statement that some families have their kids enrolled in what's IMHO, far too much and leaves little time for independently entertaining themselves. However i don't agree that cutting ANYONE, children included, off from their peers (especially thru an enforced, sudden, mandate measure) is helping mental health. I would like to see the stats you refer to because there are numerous articles that show that there has been a spike in families feeling stressed and parents reporting that their children are having trouble coping with daily life. We won't see the numbers for death by suicide for months because of how those are recorded and then reported on.
https://cmho.org/covid-19-mental-health-impacts/
Sick Kids in Toronto, a world-renowned leader in children's health care released a statement about school reopenings and their recommendations
here's the whole statement
http://www.sickkids.ca/PDFs/About-S...mmendations-for-School-Reopening-SickKids.pdf But I've highlighted parts that stood out to me: (highlighting is MINE not in the statement itself BTW)

The community based public health measures (national lockdown, school closures, stay at home orders, selfisolation etc.) implemented to mitigate COVID-19 and “flatten the curve” have significant adverse health and welfare consequences for children. Some of these unintended consequences include decreased vaccination coverage16, delayed diagnosis and care for non-COVID-19 related medical conditions, and adverse impact on children’s behaviour 3 and mental health.17-19 Increased rates of depression, trauma, drug abuse and addiction and even suicide can be anticipated. Several organizations including the American Psychological Association (APA) and World Health Organization have highlighted concerns about the potential impact of lockdown on family *******, exposure to domestic violence, child abuse and neglect
And this on social connections
4. Physical distancing The objective of physical distancing is to reduce the likelihood of contact that may lead to transmission and has been a widely used strategy during the pandemic.25 However, strict physical distancing should not be emphasized to children in the school setting as it is not practical and could cause significant psychological harm. Close interaction, such as playing and socializing is central to child development and should not be discouraged.
It can be anticipated that children and youth may experience increased stress and anxiety related to the COVID-19 pandemic.18,29 In addition, children and youth may have mental health conditions, such as anxiety, depression and substance abuse, which may have been exacerbated by social distancing, including school closures, and may experience symptom escalation on return to school.

This is from my personal experiences with mental health (i much prefer that to the term illness because it needs to be addressed as a whole, not just when we're in distress):
One of the questions I'm always asked when seeing one of my doctor's is about my level of interaction with others because there is a direct correlation to my mood - the less i put myself out there and connect with others the more likely i am to spiral into depression. I don't have a wide circle of friends because people tend to shy away with someone with my diagnosis and don't seem to tolerate my need to suddenly change plans (the nature of my beast!) but being cut off from them right now is really difficult and has led to an increase in medication and loss of sleep.
When our daughter was really struggling with depression the warning bells rang loudly when she started cutting herself off from her friends. It was in connecting with others her own age, that she was able to feel more "solid" if that makes any sense.
When our son was off school (in kindergarten) for an extended period of time for emergency surgery he begged to see his friends because he was lonely. When they stopped coming over he became sullen and angry, eventually refusing to interact with his sister and us as well.

You can explain the above comments away with the words "pre-existing conditions" if you'd like to but that doesn't make them any less valid. There are far too many children and adolescents in our country who are under-treated for mental illnesses and they are at risk of worsening symptoms during this isolation. They see no end to it and due to their age they aren't able to draw on life experiences that prove things can and will get better. I'm sorry if i come across as preachy but this is a core issue for me and i felt compelled to comment.

 

[bababear_50]

Hmmmm,,,many thoughts on children and social isolation.
While we are a social group of beings I do think parents (because of Covid 19) have had to reconnect with their kids in some instances. Yes I did read the *Hurried Child* book a few years ago which helped me when parenting my own kids.

https://books.google.ca/books/about...p_read_button&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false
I do know my role as an educator is being recognized and respected a bit more by parents.
Economics plays a great role in what is available to different children and not all kids have equal opportunities. 80% of some of the things
mshanson3121 mentioned above are just not available to some children.I know it's sad but true.
Children when asked what is the best part of school will 9 out of 10 answer MY FRIENDS!
Somehow these everyday interactions and relationships mold our future selves.
I dearly want a future generation of people who know well how to care, share, empathize ,trust , coexist with each other.
Yes I will agree with the kids,,my friends are very important!
Be well everyone
Hugs
Mel

 

[ottawamom]

People put way too much stock in the "necessity" of socialization and activities. Studies have been showing for years that kids are too busy, enrolled in too many directed activities and have too many demands on them, and that it is has been hurting them, in many ways. While yes, it's been a hard adjustment, in the grand scheme of things, the shut down has helped youth mental health.

While I agree with some of what you have to say re children learning to entertain themselves I believe it is dangerous to generalize comments regarding an individuals mental well being at this time. Each and every person out there has their own triggers and what is good for one isn't necessarily good for another. For every study out there with one point of view there is another one with the exact opposite interpretation.

Some simple factors that can affect how a child manages. Is the child or child and introvert or extrovert. This factor can play a huge role in how someone is able to manage during this pandemic. Does one live in an urban or rural setting? Are parents having to work full time jobs and manage the activities the children are up to.

I have two introverts and one extrovert adult children. The introverts are taking this in stride their days are much like they always have been (they just work from home now). The extrovert breaks the "rules" at every turn. Everyone is different and reacts to this situation in their own way.

I'm not an expert in child psychology but I do believe my years of being a helicopter mom have taught me a few things along the way.

 

[Frozen2014]

If you are still interested in placing your children in day camps this summer, keep checking announcements made by your town/city as restrictions start to get lifted.

We are in the GTA, and my daughter was hired back in early March to be a camp leader with the town’s summer camps and was just notified this week that they are working on starting up modified day camps in early July. There will be reduced capacity and some specialty camps will not be offered. She hasn’t received any official email yet, gives us more time to decide whether we will allow her to work during this pandemic, she hasn’t even gone anywhere since schools closed. Tough decision as she prepared so well for the interview and is excited about her first job with a paycheque.

Same. My kids camp is running this summer. They will be in small groups and have heavy rules of how they run things. My older one is a counsellor and is super happy that camp is going ahead and he can enjoy his summer. My younger one is a camper. We decided to send her as well but reduced the number of weeks. Otherwise, she would be in the house for 2 months in her room on her phone. It's a hard decision to make.