As a parent and now grandparent, I know that finding something to do to help cure a child’s summertime boredom can be quite a chore.
You may think that you’ve found the perfect solution with a craft or trip to a playground, but more often than not, whatever you come up with is not quite right for the youngsters at that moment.
It’s a good idea to brainstorm with the child the day before and plan out your next day’s events in advance so you know what you’re going to do and simply go and do it. If the child says “No, I don’t want to.” you can remind him or her that you made the decision together the day before. Get excited! Point out a couple of great things about the activity and use the keyword, “adventure,” when talking about it. Who doesn’t love a good adventure?
Believe it or not, young children love being given a ‘job.’ Once it’s completed, there’s a sense of accomplishment and pride and something to talk about later.
So, this summer, when the kids say, “I’m bored,” what are you going to do? How about a trip to the Beardsley Zoo? But not just a regular zoo trip, where you walk around and look at animals, but an adventure. Why not try a scavenger hunt at the zoo?
The Beardsley Zoo is just a hop, skip, and a jump from Orange, either on the Merritt Parkway (Route 15) or I-95.
The Zoo’s website has links to different subjects for scavenger hunts that you can print out, such as • Animal Characteristics • Who Am I? • Endangered Species • Who’s at home in their habitat? • and the new Fourth of July Scavenger Hunt.
Just print the form out and don’t forget to bring a pencil and clipboard.
After your child has all of the answers, the possibilities for future projects are endless: story writing, conversations, art activities, library research to further what you’ve learned.
Summer doesn’t have to be boring, one thing always leads to another.
