Summer Vacation Preschool Care
Summer vacation can be rather dull for your kids if they aren’t staying active and engaging in numerous fun activities. Preschool children in particular need to be kept busy with activities that help them develop all sorts of skills – from fine and gross motor skills to social skills. For this reason it may be a good idea to start considering whether or not your child is ready for a summer preschool care program.
Summer camps
Generally kids are ready for day camps as soon as they can make friends, interact co-operatively with peers, and follow instructions from adults. However, your child should be a little older before he or she can be spending nights away from home as it requires children to be able to handle changes in their daily routines.
You can find summer camps for almost any type of interest: such as dancing, soccer, math, or even Lego. There are also summer camps that focus on religion. Local organizations such as the YMCA, city parks and recreation departments often offer summer camps where kids can just play around or where kids are tak-en to locations such as the zoo or play gyms. Just be sure that the summer camp is accredited (you can check on American Camp Association), especially where it is an overnight camp.
Summer camps for preschoolers are typically half-day and should offer a good balance of both high-energy and low-energy activities as well as sufficient rest time.
Summer School
Summer school is another great option to keep your child busy and his or her brain stimulated throughout the summer months. In fact, educational experts have praised the benefits of sending children to school year-round, particularly if they are struggling. Although you may be worried that your child needs a break from school, when it comes to preschool, your child is mostly learning through fun and playful activities anyway. It is also a great opportunity for them to spend more time interacting with other kids their age.
VPK Free Summer School
The Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) program is a free education opportunity available to all four-year-old children in the State of Florida. It prepares your child to succeed in preschool and later on in their school career. VPK includes a summer program which consists of 300 instructional hours with class sizes not exceeding 12 children. Furthermore the instructors must hold a Bachelor’s degree.
Fun at Home
The above options are very much convenient for working parents whose children would have spent the day at home alone watching tv or playing games on their iPads anyway. However, if you are able to stay at home and spend all day with your child, then by all means you should take advantage of the time with your little one. Outings to the beach, the zoo, or the park are great ways of teaching your children about the outside world. You could even spend afternoons making crafts or baking – getting them involved in fun activities that double up as great learning experiences and quality time spent bonding.
Whatever you consider most appropriate for your child, be sure that you plan it well in advance and make the most out of the summer vacation. Call us for more information about our summer camp, summer school, and summer VPK programs.