Top 3 Tips for Keeping Kids Productive this Summer

It’s been a full week since the last bell rang and the kids came home for summer! After the first week of relaxation, the boredom of non-scheduled days may start to take over. We have you covered with our top 3 tips to keep your kids busy and productive this summer!

• Academic Time

  According to Psychology Today, the “Summer Slump” is a real thing. Studies have shown that students can lose or forget some of what they learned over the school year. Fight the summer slump by requiring some daily academic time tailored to your child’s needs and interests. This can be as easy as reading a book as a family such as “Summer According to Humphry.” Or you can consider purchasing an academic book to keep their skills sharp through summer. We love the Brain Quest Summer Series that offer a bridge from their current grade to the next grade. With levels and sticker rewards, learning is fun and affordable. Most of the books are close to or  under $10 and available on Amazon.

  If your kids enjoy online learning, there are many educational programs available either free or for a small monthly charge. Prodigy offers a free Math program and an upgraded monthly subscription program parents can purchase just for the summer months. ABC Mouse and Adventure Academy are other great programs geared for ages 2 – 13. Coming in around $12 a month, these programs turn learning into an interactive game!

• Household Chores:

  During the school year, our kids are BUSY! Between getting up early, school all day and sporting activities and homework every night, our kids struggle to add anything to their schedules. Summer is a great time to teach basic household chores and give kids an opportunity to help contribute to the household tasks that keep our homes running.

  Consider offering a chores list that includes required tasks and tasks that could earn kids some extra money. This is a nice combo to teach contribution to the family and learning that hard work can earn you money. 

  Weekly Chore List:
  Required Chores:	Optional Paid Chores:
  Make bed and keep bedroom clean	Weed mulched landscaping – $2.00
  Feed Dog	Vacuum living and dining room floors – $2.00
  Stock bathrooms with toilet paper	Clean the upstairs bathroom – $2.00
  Dust baseboards	Disinfect all light switches and doorknobs – $1.00

   

   

 

• Summer Playground

  Look for summer playground programs in your community! These are typically offered by townships, local recreation departments or even your local church. This will help keep the kids both active and social throughout the summer! Many playground programs include organized sports, crafts, games, water activities and even talent shows.

Looking to splurge on a big summer get-a-way for the whole family? Take advantage of our Summer Skip-a-Pay Program and skip your July loan payment! We are also offering a Summer Fun Loan! Take out up to $2,000 for 12 months at only 7.99% APR*. Member Loyalty Points do apply and could save you up to 1% off your loan rate. Visit www.bluechipfcu.org/promotions for complete program details!