Summer Fun With the Brain in Mind
Summer brain-based games for parents to play with their kids to activate the joys of learning, decision making, and questioning.
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Summer months are typically designated as times for less structure, more pleasure, enjoying the outdoors, and free time. Sometimes, however, our brains feel discombobulated without the structure or schedules that guide us through the other 10 months of the year. But whether we鈥檙e in school, at home, at the pool, at the playground, or on vacation, we鈥檙e always using our brains. The brain-compatible activities below are intended for parents to implement with children or adolescents to activate the joys of learning, decision making, questioning, and playing with ideas during summer break and beyond.
These activities and strategies include storytelling, novelty, and questioning鈥攕trategies reflecting the natural ways that the brain learns, makes meaning from real-life experiences, and engages the prefrontal cortex in times of negative emotion or conflict. The prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain that processes emotion and thought, and when activated聽it can reduce聽the stress-filled fight-flight-freeze response.
1. The Story Lady or Story Man
There is nothing more exciting than dressing up, donning an accent, and bringing a bag of books or homemade stories while ringing your own front doorbell. When my three children were little (and not always so young, as we kept this tradition for years), I dressed up as Mrs. Kit Kat, a funny little lady with an interesting foreign accent. She surprised my children with stories and facts鈥攁bout them! They could not believe how much I knew about their lives and interests. We shared much laughter, asked questions, and kept the mystery alive a couple of times a week with her witty, unexpected visits.
2. Meal-Time Scavenger Hunt
Our children have favorite movies, colors, habits, interests, books, etc. One evening a week, with each dinner course served, fold up and tuck away a clue on a Post-it relating to or hinting it a topic you chose about your child. This is very motivating and engaging because, as humans are pattern and novelty seekers, our brains love figuring out information based on clues or parts of a subject. We still do this today with our teenagers, and they love to guess while we are eating and laughing over some of the clues given. Regan鈥檚 topic was her favorite author, Sarah鈥檚 was her beloved stuffed animal Carrots,聽and Andrew was always given clues about his favorite sports teams.
3. Letter of Advice for Parents
Conflicts over curfews, friends, boundaries, and activities (among other subjects) always appear and sometimes magnify in the heat of summer. If a disagreement or conflict looms between parents and adolescents, and neither seems able to find a solution, go to your teen! There鈥檚 nothing more satisfying than being sought after for advice. Directly and indirectly, you enlist the help of your adolescent鈥檚 higher-level thought processes when you ask, 鈥淲hat can I do to resolve this?鈥� or 鈥淗elp me find a better plan that we all agree upon.鈥� He or she begins to feel valued and appreciated, moving from the brain鈥檚 fight response into a 鈥渞esponder鈥� response. If a conflict occurs, maybe parents and children can agree to write a story sharing each perspective, and then compare, ask questions, and talk after the heat of the moment has cooled.
4. It鈥檚 All About Me Day
Nothing is more critical to our well-being than feeling valued, capable, loved, felt, and heard. As a family, designate a day for one another, choosing and planning your child鈥檚 or adolescent鈥檚 favorite things! This is great modeling for children, as they too can show their appreciation for all you do and are. It doesn鈥檛 have to cost money. The summer is full of opportunities to plan a meal or a field trip to a favorite location, to write a poem or story, or even to post signs in the yard or neighborhood about the genius of this designated family member. Creating a picture folder, inviting a surprise visitor, or planning an outing that serves another is always an uplifting experience.
5. Upside Down and Backwards Day
We all become stuck in our ruts, structures, and lifestyles. They feel comfortable but not always enjoyable. On this day, everything changes: meals, locations, timing, and setting. Have a snow cone and a vitamin for breakfast. Pack up your lunch and take it to a secluded or unusual area. Pull up or decorate different chairs for dinner, create invitations, design a sundae bar, dress up, decorate the dining room or kitchen, and eat late. Wear your clothes backwards. Make up your own language and talk this way all day long鈥攅ven in public. (Maybe begin every word with an S and end it with a T or P?) See what happens!
6. Creation Day
This activity is my favorite because聽for parents or educators聽it鈥檚 a great way to warm up the brain for thinking outside the box. When our children awaken or there鈥檚 a break in the day, bring out large paper bags with each child鈥檚 name printed on the outside. Inside, they鈥檒l find random objects from junk drawers or closets at home, or nature objects from outdoors. Maybe a couple of bags are filled with some rocks, tree limbs, leaves, twigs, and flower petals. In a specific and agreed-upon amount of time, each person begins constructing his or her creation. Music can be playing, but talking is kept to a minimum during this creative time. The projects can be set aside and shared later that evening. Children might choose to write a story or poem about their construction, or they can just verbally share.
These brain-compatible activities are also great for any classroom as well as summer fun at home.