The best toys are not always what you might expect.
Sticks, rocks, water, dirt, and buckets may be the best toys for your children this summer. With more time at home and less time traveling and on vacation, it is important to note that there are many ways you can encourage your children to entertain themselves without spending a lot of money. If you remember days of making muddies when you were younger and painting the sidewalk with water and a brush then you have a feel for just how engaging the simplest of activities can be.
And while there are many schools, teachers, and parents who are for making plans for everything from detailed Spanish curriculums for elementary children to increasingly difficult math skills, there are still many parents who realize the importance of unstructured time. Playing in the dirt without worrying about how messy it gets is the true definition of grit; finding a way to pour water on plants and not the sidewalk requires persistence. Everyone knows that the lessons learned in traditional classrooms are essential, but many people have forgotten the value of allowing children to practice playing alone with the simplest of things like sticks and rocks, water and dirt, and buckets of many sizes.
This Summer’s Games Are Looking a Little Different
This is a summer that is like few others. In fact, as parents and their children navigate these challenging days it should come as no surprise that there have been many disappointments. From the abrupt ending to in person classes to the number of games and practices of athletic teams that have been cancelled, it is important to note that there are many disappointments. Finding the right solution to these difficult times will not be easy, but it is important to make sure that parents are playing their roles in helping the with the necessary transitions. And while many of the summer games that we have become so accustomed to are being cancelled, it is important to make sure that children still stay as active as possible. Moving outside continues to be one of the safest ways that children can get the exercise that they need without jeopardizing their health. And while team sporting contests cannot always go on as expected, there are still many ways that families can stay active.
From the latest in high definition golf simulators inside to the wide open spaces outdoors, golf is one of those activities that can provide the necessary amount of social distancing while at the same time offering a chance to spend two to four hours of uninterrupted time together. Time away from personal technology devices and gaming systems may be something that is more and more difficult to find. When your family commits to an afternoon at a venue that offers a variety of golf simulators or on a local course, however, the need for phones becomes less apparent.
And given that fewer than 5% of adults participate in 30 minutes of physical activity each day, getting your entire family in the habit of taking a long walk on a golf course is a noble goal indeed. If you are not among the only one in three adults receive the recommended amount of physical activity each week, games with your kids may be the answer. And whether you select a game of Bocce in the backyard, an couple of hours at one of the area golf simulators, or an entire afternoon at the golf course, you are setting an example for your children that movement is the key to getting fit and staying healthy.
If your family is ready to graduate from the muddies and water buckets in the backyard, it is important to try to land on an activity that the entire family can enjoy. In addition to feeling good about the kind of physical activity that you are promoting, the game of golf has another kind of feel good component. In fact, the latest research indicates that golf, as a whole, generates more than $3.9 billion in charitable giving annually. Just another reason whey time with golf simulators can literally drive your family to a worthwhile activity.
