by C. M.
Writing an article on summer
activities this year seemed daunting. Flipping through last year’s article on a
similar topic, I realized, yet again, how drastically the world has changed. And
yes, for many parents, the COVID lockdown has been challenging, even
overwhelming, but as I spoke to mothers, kids, and companies, I was amazed to
hear all of them describe what they’ve been doing the past few months – and
their plans for the summer – with enthusiasm, laughter, and acceptance. The
creativity kept flowing; I heard their ideas of keeping children engaged,
entertained, and stimulated, and I couldn’t help but smile. During these times,
we’re all tapping into our creativity, trying to transform the difficulties
into something inspiring, something life-changing – in a good way. There’s no
way to live through this pandemic and not tilt our perspectives in a totally
different direction. So enjoy these ideas, and when the going gets rough,
remember that, if there’s one thing we learned from
Getting Outdoors…on a Trail
With school out, and tentative
structure of Zoom and phone conferences gone, months of unstructured time loom ahead.
While a few camps may open, many children will be at home. How to entertain
them?
With the sunshine-filled days of summer
upon us, kids’ usual delight in the outdoors has been considerably amplified.
Biking! Scootering! Hiking! Bracha Dinovitz, whose kids range from
three-and-a-half to 13 years old, clues us into her family’s favorite trails:
The BWI Trail is a paved path located right near the
airport, providing excitement overhead and perfect biking conditions below.
“Usually planes are flying right over the field,” says Bracha, “Lately time
there weren’t so many because fewer people are flying.” There’s also a
playground there, but the path alone satisfied my energetic kids’ needs.”
Cross Country/Greenspring Trail: A new wooden bridge at the corner
of Cross Country and Greenspring marks the beginning of a hiking/biking trail.
“We enjoyed that trail, which goes all the way down to
…In Your Backyard
Because their plans are in flux,
the Blooms*, a lively family with children ranging from four to 19, are
planning some fun activities in case the kids end up staying home. Mrs. Bloom
has been buying various water-play items for the backyard, such as water balloons,
a sprinkler, and a kiddy pool because water is so refreshing and fun and can
keep the kids busy for hours. Mrs. Bloom notes that water balloons can be
really messy, but she found a way to make “water bombs” out of sponges, to
create the same effect without the mess.
Akiva and Bayla Berkowitz recently
invested in a chicken coop. “We have three chickens and a bunch of chicks,”
their son, 12-year-old Dovid, informs me. These fuzzy friends prove friendly
and fun, and they’ll even lay eggs very soon. Dovid admits that his younger
brother takes care of them, and “when they make a mess, they’re not so fun.”
Though not for everyone, pets keep kids entertained for hours with their quirky
habits and are even proven to be therapeutic.
...At a Campground
Want to get away from it all? Not
comfortable going to a hotel? Camping is the perfect alternative! The Berkowitzes
embarked on a camping adventure last week at
Arts ’n Crafts
Rainy day? Even if it’s not
raining, youthful exuberance breeds creativity, and there’s always time for
that perfect art project. “We ordered Shrinky Dink plastic from Amazon, and we
had a lot of fun with that!” says Mrs. Dinovitz. “The kids traced photos onto
the clear plastic with permanent markers. Then we baked it in the oven. It
hardened and shrank, which smoothed out the imperfections, creating a cool
piece of art.” The Shrinky Dink can be made into a keychain, a necklace, or
just a colorful decoration!
Want to brighten
up the outside of your house? Order some waterproof pool noodles, twist them
into shapes, and hang them up as decorations, Mrs. Dinovitz suggests. Or get plastic
“Pesach countertops,” which are also waterproof, and place tape diagonally
across them, coloring between the tape to create a mosaic effect. The
Dinovitzes made a “We love you Bubby and Zaidy” sign. What a great way to keep
the kids entertained and give Bubby and Zaidy some nachas!
Duct tape is
another craft supply that offers countless opportunities and is just plain fun,
whether you use it to stick your lunch sign to the passenger window of your car
or make a sculpture. Duct tape is available in a rainbow of colors. What about
sculpting some roses on the tail end of a pen? Building a miniature city? Or, as
Mrs. Dinovitz advises, give the kids a generous amount of tape and let them use
that staggering pile of Amazon cardboard boxes to build their very own
clubhouse!
Mrs. Dinovitz and
her children also created a newsletter out of the many cute sayings and
snapshots about
Are you planning on doing
“I don’t want to
do so much screen time,” adds Mrs. Bloom. It’s a topic many of us are
struggling with when so many activities are internet bases and typical trips
have been cancelled. “But I would incorporate it in an educational way,” she
continues. Mrs. Bloom has also been stocking up on art supplies and saving
recyclables. “I want my kids to have a contest using a bunch of egg cartons,
tissue boxes, and paper towel rolls. The challenge is to build a town out of
those materials and see what they come up with.” What better time than now to
give the kids a chance to shine and to channel their creativity in a fun,
positive, relationship-building project?
All camps include
trips, right? “Fruit picking at Baugher’s and Larryland Farm is open,” notes
Mrs. Bloom, “though instead of tractor rides, customers have to use their own
cars, and each family gets its own row of bushes/trees to pick.” Call Baugher’s
hotline at 410-857-0111 for more information.
Mrs. Singer*, a
Mrs. Singer’s
kids run the gamut of ages, boys and girls ranging from 13 to just shy of a
year. How to keep all the kids engaged in the same activity? The Singers go to
a park. While the little kids are happy just seeing a shiny pebble, the older
children need more sophisticated entertainment. “Combine it with a game,”
advises Mrs. Singer. “Have the kids bring a pen and paper, and they then have
to find something that starts with every letter of the alphabet.”
Mrs. Singer also
recommends baking, involving the kids whenever possible. “Let the kids
deliberate over the shiny sprinkles, how the sprinkles will match the fondant.”
Buy fondant and, together with the kids, decide how you are going to decorate
the cupcake. This takes time, and it is ideal for a wide range of ages and
personalities. “Some kids will smush the fondant, and others will spend a while
sculpting fancy and intricate designs.” At the end of the day, they will all
have a yummy cupcake they made all by themselves!
How about packing
food and having a picnic in the park? “Do things outdoors and add a little
twist to make them more exciting,” advises Mrs. Singer. Echoing Mrs. Bloom’s
tip, Mrs. Singer suggests having a theme and telling the kids to make up a
cheer to go along with it. A huge chunk of the fun and excitement is intertwined
with the hype and the cheers that go with it. An experience is so much more
what you make of it than the objective circumstance. “There’s ‘make your own
fun’ and ‘natural fun,’” explains Mrs. Singer. “And natural fun – something
like going to an amusement park – isn’t necessarily more fun and can pale in
comparison to ‘make your own fun’ activities, such as parks, when the kids get involved
and excited.” There are countless ways to inject excitement in the most mundane
circumstance; as they say, it’s all about the attitude.
The biggest
difference this year, according to Mrs. Singer is that “the kids don’t have
expectations.” Mrs. Singer compares this Chol Hamoed Pesach to last. “Because
the kids understood that the usual trips were impossible, they weren’t
disappointed. After being forced to stay home for months, people can have fun
on a walk around the block.”
So You Need a Vacation
Are people even going on vacation this year? Actually,
The Stein* family,
by contrast, is planning a moving vacation: “We needed to do something!” says
Mrs. Stein. After weeks spent huddled at home, many of us can relate to this
cabin fever sentiment. “My husband usually travels for work, and he hasn’t been
anywhere in a very long time. As things started opening up, he said we have to
go somewhere.” But where? wondered the
Whatever plans
you have up your sleeve for this summer, twists and turns, schedule tweaks, and
last-minute changes are bound to happen. So revel in the sunshine and capture
the memories of this unique year – because this summer, we’re making history!
Online: Still On!
No social contact does not mean no
fun! Here are some exciting activities to engage and teach children despite, or
perhaps because of, the current reality.
Public Libraries
The libraries remain closed, but they have
started a curbside pickup service for books and other library materials.
(Digital materials are available, as usual.) Enoch Pratt library will even mail
books to you! Pratt has the Read to Reef program for children fifth grade and
younger, in which they can earn a free trip to the National Aquarium by reading
five aquatic books. Similarly, the Summer Reading Challenge at Baltimore County
Library will be conducted online this year. Registration is required, and
prizes will be awarded. There are also virtual events for all ages at the
County library, which are posted on the website. Contact: www.bcpl.info. or www.prattlibrary.org.
Incredible Science Online Camp
We’ve come to terms with virtual school; why not
virtual camp? The Incredible Science Online Camp is geared to kids ages 7 to
13. It runs every day from
Bakebox
Your kids like to
bake, but it entails so much preparation and mess. Bakebox offers several “baking
subscriptions” for kids age four-plus. When kids receive a Bakebox, addressed
to them, all they have to do is open it, take out pre-measured, neatly-packed
ingredients, and get to work! It’s fun, delicious, and easy – with hardly any
clean-up. Contact: orders@kosherbakeboxes.com; www.bakeboxforkids.com
Let’s Art It!
Pessy of Let’s Art It! offers classes for kids,
teens, and adults. Students receive a box filled with art supplies and access
to recorded classes. Pessy also offers personal support. Skills or past
experience are not required, and have no bearing on students’ success. In
Pessy’s words, “Everyone can be an artist!” Pessy considers art to be a stress
reliever and a way to gain self-confidence and a healthy self-esteem during
this time. “Don’t look for perfection,” she says. “Focus on the process and the
enjoyment within.” Contact: pessy@letsartit.com; www.letsartit.com
The
Sew Pro
Tzirel Leah Feinroth of the Sew
Pro offers online sewing classes for teens and adults. Trained at the Fashion
Institute of Technology and Parsons School of Design in
