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As kids enjoy their summer break, it’s important that they also maintain and grow their skills so that they’re prepared for the new school year ahead. You can help them set routines and participate in activities that will not only keep them learning but also make it fun so it doesn’t feel like a boring chore! We have tips to encourage your children to grow their physical, mental, and emotional skills.

 

Physical activity is essential for children as it strengthens their body and helps keep them at a healthy weight. It also teaches your kids valuable skills. For example, when kids play sports, they learn teamwork, coordination, and problem-solving. It is recommended that children get at least 60 minutes of physical activity per day, so try to engage your kids in activities and games that they like, i.e. roller blading, bike riding, soccer, baseball, etc. Swimming, in particular, is a great sport for kids to learn because they also develop water survival skills that can protect them from drowning.

 

In addition to physical activity, it’s also good for kids to spend time outdoors and in nature. Consider taking walks with them and point things out to spark their curiosity. A walk in nature can enhance children’s understanding of their environment and develop language skills as they learn how to describe their observations. You can also play fun games with young children like having them count the number of animals or trees they see to maintain mathematical skills.

 

Indoor activities during the summer are beneficial too. Encourage your children’s creativity by having them draw or paint pictures, using clay or Play-Doh to make art, learning how to play an instrument, or participating in games like charades and dance challenges. Creativity can strengthen academic skills and improve your child’s learning abilities for when they start or go back to school. It is also recommended that kids spend time reading books. Reading teaches kids new vocabulary, grammar, and writing, introduces them to world and life concepts, and grows their language and cognitive abilities. It’s an important skill to maintain during summer vacation so that they are ready for a more advanced level of reading when they begin the next new grade in school.

 

Another fun way to enrich your children’s learning is to take them to a museum. Going to the museum is a great opportunity for education while also being an interactive and engaging experience for kids to learn new topics or retain knowledge of things they learned in school. There are also a variety of summer camps and classes for kids to spend time out of the house, interact with their peers, and build relationships. Try to find workshops and camps that suit your kids’ interests, i.e. art, music, STEM (Science, Technology, Math, and Engineering), etc. 

 

We also recommend doing things at home together as a family like cooking meals and baking. Cooking engages your children’s senses as they get to explore different tastes, smells, and food textures. It’s an opportunity to teach kids about nutrition and healthy habits as well. Make sure to talk about the different food groups and ways to balance them as you create recipes together. 

 

Remember, learning can be fun and done through enriching activities that inspire your kids to continue building their skills so that they are prepared and ready to start the new school year!

Do you have concerns that your child is not meeting the developmental milestones expected at their age? Tracking and monitoring your child’s development is important for detecting possible delays to ensure an early intervention for the chance of achieving the best outcomes. We advise all our families to stay up-to-date with the AAP’s recommended checkups so that we can monitor if your baby’s development is on track and intervene if needed. Here’s what families need to know about developmental delays.

 

Developmental milestones include behavioral and physical skills and capabilities expected during certain stages of a child’s life, such as motor, sensory, communication, and feeding skills. Motor milestones can be your baby using their hands to support themselves, being able to sit up, crawling, standing, and walking. Sensory milestones involve the senses, such as noticing and tracking objects, making sounds to express feelings, and observing different shapes, textures, and sizes of objects. Communication milestones include language and social skills such as recognizing words, using gestures like nodding or shaking the head, and developing speech. Feeding milestones include latching onto the nipple/bottle for breastfeeding/feeding and beginning finger foods and solids.

 

The most common type of developmental delays found in children is communication and language. However, speech delays can be temporary and will typically resolve on their own. If your child has a speech delay, we recommend interacting and playing with them often, reading books to them, and sharing different gestures and sounds that they can make to communicate and express themselves. When these do not resolve a language delay on their own, your child may need additional support from a speech therapist. 

 

There is no single cause of developmental delays, but complications at birth, your child’s environment, or medical conditions can be contributing risk factors. Some delays like speech might indicate a sign of hearing loss or autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, it’s important to note that there’s a difference between developmental delays and developmental disabilities. While developmental delays can eventually be outgrown, developmental disabilities are lifelong. If you’re unsure if your child has a developmental delay or a disability, call our office so that we can screen and evaluate them to determine if they have either one. 

 

You can find a helpful resource to use for a list of milestones that are expected in each age group during the infant and toddler years on the Pathways website here.  If your child was born prematurely, you will need to adjust their age when tracking their milestones. To do this, take your baby’s actual age in weeks and subtract it from the number of weeks they were preterm. For example, if your baby was born 10 weeks ago but 2 weeks earlier than their due date, the corrected age is 8 weeks. In this case, you would assess your child’s development based on what’s expected at 8 weeks.  

 

If you have any concerns about possible developmental delays, schedule a visit with us. We can advise you on the best course of action to take and the type of therapy your child might need to help with their delay with the goal being to give them the supports they need to help them thrive and succeed!

Sun safety is important for all months of the year, even in winter, but it’s especially important during the summer season when the days are longer and children spend more time outdoors in warmer weather. While getting some sunlight is beneficial and provides the body with Vitamin D, boosts mood, and regulates sleep, too much exposure can cause sunburn and skin cancer and damage the hair and eyes. Read on for our guidelines to protect your children from the sun’s harmful UV rays.

 

It’s important for babies under 6 months to avoid direct sunlight as their skin is more sensitive. When they are outside, keep them under the shade, i.e. an umbrella or the canopy of their stroller. For older children, have them use a liberal amount of sunscreen on all areas where the skin is exposed. Sunscreen should be applied even on cloudy days as up to 80% of the sun’s UV rays can still get through. Make sure your children apply sunscreen 15 to 30 minutes before going outside as it takes time for it to absorb. Sunscreen should also be reapplied every 2 hours and after swimming or sweating, even if the sunscreen is labeled as water-proof. 

 

When it comes to choosing the best sunscreen, it is recommended to use one with a “broad-spectrum” label, which means that the sunscreen protects the skin from both UVB and UVA rays. You should also choose sunscreen that has a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30. It’s best to avoid sunscreen that contains the ingredient oxybenzone as there are concerns of mild hormonal properties.  

 

Even with sunscreen, children should not spend long periods under the sun as sunscreen does not provide 100% protection. Try to limit sun exposure during the peak hours which is usually between 10am and 4pm. You can also dress them in clothing that covers most of the skin, though it’s best to keep clothes loose and lightweight so your child isn’t overheated or uncomfortable. Hats are particularly useful to wear to prevent hair damage from the sun. It’s also important that your child wears sunglasses with 99% UV protection to keep their eyes safe. 

 

If your child ever does get a sunburn, it’s important to treat it immediately. A sunburn can appear 6 to 12 hours after exposure. If you see one, apply a cool compress or ice pack to the affected area. Keep your child out of the sun until the sunburn is fully healed. Most sunburns will heal after a few days with basic treatment. However, if the sunburn is more severe, it can take a few weeks to heal. In the meantime, you’ll want to make sure that your child stays hydrated to replace lost fluids. If your child experiences pain or extreme discomfort, you can give them acetaminophen (or ibuprofen for children older than 6 months) to help them feel better. 

 

If the sunburn becomes infected or causes blisters, fever, chills, light-headedness, or headaches, call our pediatrician right away.  For any other questions or concerns about summer safety, you can also contact our office.