Tamara Fyke 
In 2019, Tamara Fyke argued that unstructured summer time gives children room for creativity, and suggested four activities. The section below adds activity guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and a simple way to turn the ideas into a weekly plan.
School’s almost out for the summer, opening up at least an extra 35 hours of time each week for kids to learn and play outside of their normal structure and routine. That likely means some time watching TV or advancing through the levels of a favorite video game, which can both be fun and worthwhile. But, for many parents, there’s still a goal of limiting how much total time kids spend sitting in front of a screen. In a previous era, it was a given that kids would spend their summertime outdoors, from sunrise until it was time to rush to the dinner table. That’s no longer the norm, but there are still plenty of different ways for kids to spend their summer days. What can parents plan for?
Of course, the first thing many parents might hear when putting a limit on device time is a loud chorus of “I’m bored!” Contrary to kids’ opinions (and sometimes parents’ opinions), though, boredom is not bad. It’s a typical first reaction to the concept of unstructured time, especially in our heavily-scheduled modern era―when there’s often a consistent string of external stimuli, from school to soccer practice to homework to TV, and so on, an open calendar can seem…boring. But, with the right mindset, unstructured time is understood as freeing. It is the time when kids can explore, figure out what they’re most passionate about, and learn to become self-directed in determining their activities and projects. Unstructured time, or “boredom,” is a breeding ground for creativity―thinking of new ideas; dreaming of what can be. Boredom is, in a sense, the transitional phase between an externally-driven activity and the point when a child takes control of their own narrative.
So how do we jump-start our child’s self-directed creative motor? Whether you are a parent yourself, an educator sending your students off into the summer break, or both, there are lots of productive ways we can encourage kids to use their valuable time wisely. Here are a few ideas to share:
• Be active! Practice your favorite sport. There are a lot of sports camps where you can learn to perfect your skills. Or maybe you could find a new activity, like bike riding or trail running. You can exercise with your friends. Have a good time and stay fit!
• Read for the fun of it! Visit your local library or your favorite book store and discover what types of stories you like best. Sci-fi? Pioneer? Mysteries? Journey to another planet. Meet the Queen of England. Answer questions about life as a Mayan warrior. Get lost in a book!
• Volunteer! Whether it’s helping at the local animal shelter, teaching younger kids at summer camp or traveling to another country on a mission trip, there’s a lot you can do to give to others. For ideas, check out the bulletin board at your local community center or place of worship.
• Try something new! Have you ever wanted to learn how to play the guitar, speak Spanish or make a cheesecake? Well, here’s your chance! Make a list of things you’d like to do, and then do it! You’ve got plenty of time to try. And your friends and family will probably thank you for your efforts in the kitchen.
Summer activities for kids: turning four ideas into a plan for the weeks ahead
Summer activities for kids work best when children have some choice and adults have a rough plan. As Tamara Fyke explains above, an open calendar can first look boring to a child, and that early boredom can lead to self-directed projects. Fyke’s four ideas are to be active, read for fun, volunteer and try something new. Fyke’s view that boredom helps creativity comes from parenting experience and not from a single study, so parents can treat it as a starting point and watch what works for their own children. This section adds activity guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and shows how to build the four ideas into a flexible summer week.
How much activity children need
The CDC’s physical activity guidelines for children say that ages 6 to 17 should get at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity each day. Most of that time should be aerobic, such as walking, running or anything that raises the heart rate, with vigorous activity on at least three days a week. Muscle-strengthening activities, such as climbing, and bone-strengthening activities, such as jumping or running, should each happen at least three days a week. Fyke’s suggestions of sports practice, bike riding and trail running fit these guidelines, and so do unorganized games with friends, which means the activity does not need a camp or a fee.
Turning four ideas into a week
A plan does not need to fill every hour. Many families find it helps to sit down together at the start of summer and let each child choose from a short list. A week might look like this:
- Be active: a daily stretch of outdoor play or sport, with one longer outing such as a bike ride or hike.
- Read for fun: a library visit, with the child choosing the books, and a regular time for reading aloud or silently.
- Volunteer: one regular, age-appropriate task, such as helping at a community event, with an adult responsible for supervision. Fyke suggests the bulletin board at a community center or place of worship for ideas.
- Try something new: a small project over several days, such as learning a few songs on an instrument or cooking a recipe from start to finish.
Leaving some time unplanned is part of the idea. Fyke’s point is that free time lets children decide what to do next, and a short list on the refrigerator gives them somewhere to begin when they say they are bored.
Low-cost choices and safe choices
Fyke points to community centers and places of worship for volunteering ideas, and the same places, along with public libraries, parks and local recreation departments, often list free or low-cost programs. School and district websites sometimes post summer offerings as well. Before signing up a child, parents can ask about supervision, cost, what happens when a session is cancelled, and the minimum age for volunteers, since many sites set one. A child who helps choose the activity is more likely to keep going, and a parent who stays involved in the first week can see whether it suits the child before the commitment grows.
Screens and balance
Fyke does not ask parents to ban screens. The article says television and video games can be fun and worthwhile, and that many parents want to limit the total time. Parents can decide on limits together with their children, for example screen-free meals and a time in the evening when devices are put away, and write them down so everyone knows the rules.
Keeping learning going
For how summer affects what children remember from the school year, and what teachers suggest for the weeks before school restarts, see edCircuit’s Summer Learning that Restores Balance and Provides Prep for the School Year. That article reports that daily reading and everyday math practice are useful at-home activities, which fits well with Fyke’s suggestion to read for the fun of it.
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