Summer is approaching...

​     For most of us, this past winter had such a tenacious grip that didn’t seem to want to let go but now it seems that the warmer weather is finally here to stay and summer is just around the corner. For parents that means summer vacation and sometimes, countless hours of endless boredom to combat. But summer should ultimately be a time for children to gain independence, build memories and partake of new experiences. The best way to do this is by embracing nature, encouraging creative play, supplying them with good books and reading aloud to your child or having them read aloud to you. Over the next several months, we will be blogging about how to encourage your child to connect with nature, the joy of gardening and cooking, helping your child to become unplugged and offering ideas to help combat the summer learning slide and, of course, recommending books to share that follow these themes. 

     Summer truly should be about play and ideally, outdoor play. Research tells us that children who engage in play are healthier, happier, more intelligent and more curious. But not all playgrounds offer the same benefits. In recent years, there has been research emerging from the Natural Learning Initiative at North Carolina State University that details the need to embrace natural playgrounds and the many benefits of connecting children with nature. Researchers at the University of Western Australia found that natural playgrounds provide children with more opportunities to develop gross motor skills than typical, pre-fabricated playgrounds do. Natural playgrounds also encourage children to engage all of their senses and stimulate creativity and imagination. So when seeking out a play place for your children, look for those that use natural elements such as wood, stone, sand and water creating natural landscapes where children can climb, dig, build, explore and unleash their creative potential.

​Stay tuned for our next summer blog offering ideas and suggestions for making this summer unforgetable!
 
In the meantime, snuggle up and share one of these stories with your child to get in the summertime mood:

And Then Comes Summer by Tom Brenner

Summer by Gerda Muller

'Twas the Night Before Summer by Anne Margaret Lewis

Mama, Is It Summer Yet? by Nikki McClure

Scarecrow Pete by Mark Kimball Moulton

The Night Before Summer Vacation by Natasha Wing

Happy reading and outdoor adventuring!