Top 10 Tips To Keep Kids Active During The Long Vacation

Eugenia Tachie–Menson, The Author

The long vacation is often viewed as not only a break from school but also a break from learning and a time for children to be carefree - when basically 'kids can be kids'. But did you know that this vacation is also a period where the rate of academic development declines amongst children, especially if they are not engaged in educational and recreational activities? Children are learning all the time, even when school is out, and so the founder of The Spelling Bee Ghana and the Vlisco Ambassador 2014 has developed 10 top tips to keep your children active during the long vacation:

1. Read to Achieve!
'A child who reads will be an adult who thinks' - George Carlin, American writer and actor. As parents, we need to foster a love of reading during the long vacation and keep up your child's literacy skills (i.e. spelling, pronunciation, etc) all year long. Children who read over the vacationoften gain rather than lose important skills; especially if you read with or to them. Reading is a skill for life and as with any skill, practice makes perfect.

2. Write, write and write some more!
Encourage your child to keep a journal to record their experiencesover the long vacation.You could even ask them to write that very popular essay we all wrote when we were in school, 'how I spent my long vacation'!This will help sharpen your child's writingskills,engage their imaginationand you never know, their journal could make a best-selling novel one day!

3. Learn online
We live in a technological age and most children have access to the internet.Children can easily become addicted to spending countless hours playing video games, chatting with friends and watching their favourite television programmes online; as such we need to manage what they are exposed to online. During this longvac, include learning in their online activities. There are many websites where your child can read, practice their math skills; learn about science and much more. Find out what some of these websites are, save them in your online favourites and encourage your childto visit these sites whenever you give them permission to go online.

4. Track news stories
There is so much going on around us, locally and all over the world, and no child should be left out of the information age!Buy newspapers and clip outnew stories and compare them; discuss the current events and why it's of importance to them too. This will keep your child aware of their surroundings and well informed about the world.

5. Get active!
The long vacation is a time when the whole family can be active together. Find a fun charity run/walk to do together on weekends, or sign them up for an outdoor activity.There are several vacation camps that offer swimming, football and other fun physical activities.Remember, it is important for your child to have at least 1 hour of physical activity each day as it keeps them happy, healthy and alert!

6. Board Games!
Playing board games is a great way to keep your child's mind flexible and active. Depending on the game, your child may have to develop some kind of mental strategy to win. Also, most board games actually require your child to put their math skills to use,such as counting how many pebbles they have accumulated after playing Oware; playing Scrabble also helps improves their vocabulary whilst scoring points. Did I mention how much fun it can be for the whole family to play board games?

7. Sightseeing
Ghanahas a rich history and a beautiful landscape. There are many castles, mountains, waterfalls and much more. Take a field trip and go and see what Ghana has to offer. You will be surprised what you can also learn about our rich culture!

8. Respect the Earth
Every living thing has a purpose. Teach your child about the importance of nature and how to preserve it. Let your child help with the gardening, cleaning or washing in the house. Remind them of the importance of respecting the Earth and its habitat.The Earth is the only planet that supports human life, plants and animals; if it dies our source of life dies.

9. Volunteerism
Volunteering with your child gives them an opportunity to remember what they are thankful for; it also has long - term payoff. For instance, is your child a brilliant pianist? Or a good reader? They can offer to teach other children in their church or within the community; that is the spirit of volunteerism. Again, there are many worthy causes in Ghana that would be thankful for any form of volunteering; identify one together with your child and support it.Volunteerism creates a lasting influence on your child and teachesthem important life skills.

10. Vacation Classes
This is meant to help your child get a head start for the next school year. There are many schools that provide enrichment programmes and activities. If your child has an academic weakness, thelong vacation is the perfect time to help strengthen it.

About Eugenia Tachie-Menson:
Eugenia Tachie-Menson is the current Vlisco Ambassador for Ghana and a social entrepreneur whose love for children and education led her to bring USA's Scripps Spelling Bee to Ghana. Her charity, the Young Educators Foundation, runs this and other educational programmes for children aged 8 to 18. She is a Research Associate of Imani Ghana's Forum for Education Reform, a Rotarian and an alumnus of IVLP 2010.

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EUGENIA TACHIE€“MENSON, THE AUTHOR