We recently took a look at some ways to help your kid keep learning through the summer and why it’s so important. Today, we have some of the best activities you can do with your kids to keep them engaged and teach them new things so they can avoid the summer slide. As kids grow, physical activity is just as important to their brain function as reading and writing. When you want to give your kids a fun and safe place to be active, bring them to Rebounderz Trampoline Park in Edison.

-Plant a Garden

When you want to teach your child about science and the ecosystem, there’s nothing better than planting a garden together. Whether you start with seeds or small plants, this is a great opportunity to teach your child how things grow, along with the responsibility required to keep it growing. Talk to them about what plants need to thrive: air, sun, water, and nutrients. Get a good mix of flowers and vegetables to show them the differences between them. Plus, this could foster a lifelong love of gardening and veggies when they get invested in their development.

-Make a Scrapbook

No matter if it’s about a family vacation or just some fun adventures, a scrapbook is a creative activity that engages many different aspects of your child’s learning. Let them take pictures, write short stories, color, draw, and decorate the scrapbook however they like to really see what they can do. If you go on a vacation, collect some things to go in the scrapbook, such as postcards, menus from restaurants you visited, and anything else you think would fit in well. You can make this an activity you do together or let them have free reign — either way it gets them away from the TV screen and working on something creative and productive.

-Cook Together

Teaching kids how to cook early on is invaluable, as it will ensure they’re prepared when they get older to eat healthy and avoid eating fast food every day. Grab a cookbook and browse through it together until your little one finds something they want to try. Take a trip to the grocery store so they can practice getting all of the ingredients they’ll need. Then, when you start cooking, teach them about how to find different measurements, techniques that will change the food, safety practices, and any other questions they may have about the process. Starting off with something small like cookies is an easy sell to kids and doesn’t get too complicated.

-Build Something

Hobby shops and toy stores have a lot of kits for building things, with everything from birdhouses to model airplanes ready to be put together in one handy box. Learning how to build something teaches kids how to follow instructions, helps them hone their motor skills, and gives them the pride and confidence of having something they’re building take shape. Depending on how old your child is, there will be a good kit for them. See what interests them and make sure its age appropriate. You can even find models of the solar system if your little one wants to learn more about the universe around us.

-Museum Trips

Museums are a font of knowledge and history just waiting to be uncovered. A natural history museum will teach your kids about a wide range of subjects, showing the incredible ways that science affects everything we do and everything around us. An art museum can foster a love of the arts and inspire your little one’s own creative endeavors. After taking a trip to the museum, talk to your child about what they liked, what they were interested in, what they want to learn more about, and what they were bored by. On the way home, make a stop at the library and pick up some books about the subjects they’re interested in to keep the learning going.

-Explore Nature

Summer presents a fantastic opportunity to explore the great outdoors and learn all about the local flora and fauna. Take a family hike, ride bikes on a bike trail, go camping — it all gives plenty of opportunities for learning about the environment around us. Print out some information about animals and plants that are native to the area and see how many your child can spot when you’re out and about. Not only will this teach them more about the world around them and their community, it will also help them avoid being sedentary during the summer.

There are so many different and exciting ways that you can help your child keep learning all summer long. Try to mix up the types of activities you do to keep them interested, but pay attention to what they are enjoying and what they aren’t grasping. Lean into the things they’re interested in to maximize their engagement in the activities and get the most out of these learning opportunities. Frame it as a fun activity instead of “educational,” because for many kids, that word and summer vacation just don’t go together. It’s not supposed to be homework; it’s a change of pace from the grind of the classroom. This is an opportunity to explore areas of interest that aren’t necessarily covered in general education, so let them lead the way with what they want to learn while providing them ample options to learn something new.

Staying physically active is a huge part of keeping kids healthy, happy, and learning. When you are looking for a place to beat the heat while your kids get some exercise, bring them to Rebounderz Trampoline Park in Edison. We know they’ll have a blast!