There have been many debates regarding what children should do during the summer holiday. Should the entire experience be fun or should it be more educational? Which side do you endorse?
Although this question has gone unanswered for years, there has been an unspoken rule that kids should spend their summers studying and preparing for the upcoming school year. It has become the norm in countries like Nigeria, where academic achievement is highly regarded.
Thus, that something is considered the norm, doesn’t mean it is the best. To get practical insights on what children should do during the summer holiday, read this article to the end.
Learning or fun? Which should it be?
The misconception many Nigerian parents have is that something fun can’t also be educational. This is completely incorrect, and theories have repeatedly demonstrated that children require just as much leisure as they do study.
As a result, it would be dishonest to suppose that a child’s desire to play a video game, visit an arcade, or go to the beach will make the child not brilliant. This is not true because children can learn a lot even while still doing things that have little to do with their academic pursuits.
Consider a child who spends the entire summer volunteering at a game reserve, where they can learn about various creatures and their categorisation. This is educative, and it would have an impact on their performance in school.
Therefore, one could argue that striking a balance is always the wisest option. The summer holidays can be used for both academic and recreational activities. A child does not have to suffer or be limited to a single activity; they can do whatever they love while catching up on their academics. As a parent, it is your job, to make sure that these children have a consistent routine that allows them to maintain order and balance.
READ: Is Homeschooling a Viable Option in Africa?
Learning activities not limited to only school work include;
- Volunteer work at shelter homes, churches, schools, and more.
- Taking up vocational skills like cooking, baking, sewing, and many more.
- Join a language class and develop bilingual skills.
- Acquire new 21st-century in-demand skills like coding, animation, graphic design, AI, and more.
- Joining a book club and reading amazing novels.
Fun activities that can be integrated into leisure time include;
- Traveling and taking day trips for sightseeing and window shopping.
- Pursue a hobby like dancing, learning an instrument, or playing sports.
- Have movie nights and trips to the arcade.
READ: 4 Activities to Keep Your Children Occupied This Summer Holiday
Conclusion
As a parent, you must understand the need to maintain a balance in your child’s academic and recreational pursuits. These are the tenets that you must learn and put into practice as their parent and guardian. Developing and sustaining this equilibrium enables an all-encompassing childhood experience and transition into adolescence.