Global Courant
In the mid-year vacations, children can enjoy a lot of free time, since classes are suspended and they spend more time at home. Although their rest is important, it is also vital that they dedicate a few hours to free play in open spaces, that they enjoy nature and maintain a routine. This will help make going back to school less frustrating.
When we carry out any type of physical or mental activity, our body needs to rest to compensate for the energy and effort it required, and thus have a good performance capacity. If you do not have a balance, then fatigue increases and the body begins to present different symptoms.
In childhood, rest is a factor that allows maintaining good physical and mental health for their development. This recovery time can be done through sleep and relaxation, through free play.
“The more physical activity children have, the more rest they will need. Therefore, when we go to the pools or spend more time than usual running and playing, they sleep more. But rest is also given through play because it takes them out of their routine”, says child psychologist Ángela Carrera.
Activities like singing, talking, dancing, painting, and playing favorite games help reduce fatigue levels and improve cognitive and social abilities. This relaxation is not exclusive to the child’s vacations, during the school year it is recommended that they have this type of activity to improve their school performance.
However, during this period it is important to plan what children will do, as free time can be boring and frustrating. “Boredom is not bad because it promotes creativity, but that doesn’t mean you should always be bored,” emphasizes Carrera.
How to prepare
During the holidays, games and recreational activities for children predominate, therefore, it is vital that parents or adults in charge prepare to make the most of their children’s days off and thus can enhance their rest and creativity.
For the mid-year vacation to be a success, it is recommended:
Keeping a schedule: A routine helps children know what to expect during the day and keep order. Therefore, it is advisable to maintain sleep and meal schedules. As well as establishing hours to play in the garden, on digital devices and spend time with the family. Do not overload with activities: remember that it is a vacation, so the activities should be lighter and not stress about not doing something or sleeping a little more than you should. Nor do they need to be busy all day, or have 24-hour scheduled activities. You can choose your freedom and let them do what they want. Encourage outdoor activities: on vacation, especially young people, choose to use digital devices all day. Ideally, varied activities should be done in short periods of time, combining physical and mental activities, so that they are active all day. Promote actions that allow them to go out into the garden or give them fresh air. Family activities: since time is spent at school, now on vacation it is important that they spend time with the family to get to know each other and strengthen ties of love and trust. Recreational activities: during the school year, leisure time is limited, so it is common for children and young people not to know what to do on the first days of vacation. So encourage new activities, like crafts, going for a walk, etc.
What activities to do with children on vacation
“Entertaining children, especially when they are young, is not easy. We need to be creative”, emphasizes the pedagogue Alejandro Solís. Because each person is different, asking the little ones in advance what they would like to do during this time will help both the adults and the little ones feel comfortable and happy on those days.
“You can have papers, pens and a box ready. So when the child has an idea of what to do during the holidays, they note it and put it away. Then, when they are already resting, each day in the morning they can take out a certain number of papers and see what activities they will have to do today. It is a way of surprise and game for the children”, adds the professional.
Involving children in household chores helps them take responsibility. (Free Press Photo: August de Richelieu at pexels.com.
Nissely Herrera, a psychologist certified by the Positive Discipline Association and founder of Guatemala Living in Positive Discipline, also recommends that children get involved in the routine of the house. That is, that tasks such as cleaning and cooking are part of recreational activities. This will help them learn some household attributes.
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Identify what kinds of activities your children like so you can make some recommendations and tailor your schedule so that you both share time together. In case there are games that the child can do alone, you can take advantage of it to work or do something that she needs.
Giving children the material so that they can have fun and explore their creativity is also healthy for their development. (Free Press Photo: Alexander Gray at pexels.com).
If you can’t spend the whole day with them, remember to offer them a space to play, talk and entertain together when available. This will strengthen communication and family bonding. Don’t forget to have your own space to relax and dedicate yourself, this will benefit your emotional well-being.
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Crafts, board games, crayons and coloring books, cooking together, doing age-appropriate science experiments, talent shows, and gardening are some of the actions you can do with the little ones in your home.
Do not forget that going for a walk, visiting family, going to the movies, the theater, even enrolling in an online course are also healthy entertainment options.
