Summer Care for Your School-Age Children

In a few short weeks, school will be out for the summer. What will your school-age children be doing? The time to think about summer care is now, before programs fill up. But finding the right activities for children over the age of five can be challenging.

Many programs will group children from 5 years to 12 years together in their "school-age" program. Children within this group are at many levels of development. One of your challenges will be to find a program that meets the vastly different needs of each age within this range. Just look at the different types of activities enjoyed at different ages.

If your child is 5 or 6 years old, you may have noticed that she is still a preschoolers in many ways. While she may act like her older classmates at times, when she is tired or under stress she may revert to younger behaviors such as thumb-sucking and wanting to cuddle with an adult. At this transition age she is still learning primarily through play and will enjoy activities such as dramatic play. She still needs structure and guidance from adults.

As your child enters the 7, 8 and 9 years old range, you will begin to see an increasing need for independence. Children now like activities that require skill. Projects that result in an end product such as jewelry making or model building are particularly rewarding to this group.

If you have a child who is a pre or early adolescent (10-12 years old) you face an additional challenge. Because children mature at different rates, you will see an even wider range of development within this group than in the younger groups. Their behavior may swing between acting like a teenager to acting like a young child in a matter of moments. Physically they are growing rapidly and may feel awkward and lack the coordination of their younger peers. They are very self-aware and acceptance from their peers is of utmost importance. They need time for self-reflection and discussion. They are interested in developing skills. Activities such as forming clubs around a shared interest, creating an elaborate theater production or creating and publishing a newspaper will hold their interest.

As you plan for the summer, look for a program that understands the range of development that exists among school-age children. Are they set up to meet a variety of needs? And can they meet the individual needs of your child? One advantage of looking for care for your older children is that they can offer you valuable input about how they would like to spend their time. Take what you know about your child, what you know about children of that age in general, and what your child is telling you about himself and look for a program that fits.

Go To Page: 1

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic