Memorable Summer Activities for Kids
For creative and fun summer activities, look no further than the July issue of Successful Student. This month's newsletter offers tips and ideas for families to make summer activities truly memorable!

Kids are always looking for something fun, lucrative, or rewarding to do during the summer months. After all, there are only so many TV reruns to watch and video games to play before their cries of "I'm bored!" begin. In the summer months, parents have the ideal opportunity to encourage their kids to do something special-and maybe even a little different-this year.

Here are some ideas to create memorable summer fun!

Put on a play or concert and enhance creativity. Kids love to show off their talents. If you have an aspiring actor or musician in the family, suggest she get together with other performer-friends to entertain families or neighbors. Kids can write their own short plays from their favorite books-Amelia Bedelia books make for fun, silly plots-or Google "short plays for kids" for other ideas. If your kids are musicians, they can choose their favorite selections or write their own songs. If they're really lucky, they can do both, and put on a musical!

Help a neighbor and develop caring and responsible values. Many neighbors in your community would greatly appreciate some help around the house, in the yard, with the shopping, walking pets, washing cars, or with errands. An hour or two a week allows your child to be helpful and gives your neighbor some assistance and company.

Start a book club and sharpen reading skills. If your kids have been given a summer reading list, they'll have an easier time of it if they work with study buddies. Invite their friends over for reading and discussion followed by pizza, swimming, or a movie.

Start a new sports team and learn research skills. Kids are always interested in the new and unusual. Find a safe sport that isn't on your school's physical education curriculum-windsurfing, sailing, bocce-and help your kids learn about it, try it, and have fun with it.

Do some gardening and learn geometry, botany, and working within a budget. Organize a small plot of yard for flowers, plants, or vegetables. At the library or online, help kids research gardens and gardening techniques. Give them an allowance for seeds. Help them design the plot, nurture it, and reap the benefits.

Play marathon board games and encourage logical thinking. Once or twice a summer, it's fun to have a game marathon. Choose your game: Monopoly®, Scrabble®, Clue®, cribbage. Invite friends over, serve snacks, laugh a lot. Take a few pictures for the summer journal.