Summer means warmer weather and more daylight – it also means more free time, opportunity to break routine, and take advantage of all this time of year has to offer. With the inspiration of our community partners, we are sharing five ways to have an action-packed summer filled with exciting and new experiences for kids and families.
Try a new hobby
Sign up for golf lessons. Ride a horse.
Did you know trying new things is good for kids? Research shows that experiencing something new helps elevate mood, creates a rush of delight, and creates a sense of pride. This is especially important for kids who are learning, evolving, and discovering their identities and talents. New opportunities help kids learn more about themselves and their world, step outside their comfort zone, and grow; they’ll discover what they like, don’t like, what they are good, at and what needs work.
Our partners like Midnight Golf, First Tee – Greater Detroit, and Detroit Horse Power, engage kids in sports like golf and horseback riding while simultaneously providing youth development opportunities through mentorship.
Take advantage of fresh fruits and veggies!
Plant a mini garden. Visit the local farmer’s market. Try a new summertime recipe.
From vibrant colors to juicy textures and delicious taste, summer is the season for some of the best fresh produce. By engaging kids in gardening and fruits and vegetables, it encourages them to eat healthier, teaches them about STEM principles, and improves focus and mental well-being among other positive effects. Whether the garden is in pots on an apartment balcony or you take the family to browse freshly picked produce at the community farmer’s market, planting roots, now, for a nutritious lifestyle harvests benefits for a happier and healthier future.
Through partnerships with Fit Kids 360, Kids on the Go, Big Green, and The Farm at St. John’s, we are helping to influence healthy eating habits starting at a young age and increase access to nutritious foods for families.
Ride bikes
Grab friends and lap the neighborhood.
As a kid, there is nothing like feeling the wind in your hair and freedom at your fingertips as you race off with neighborhood friends. Biking is a special summer pastime for kids of all ages. Whether riding with neighborhood friends or with the family in a local park, it’s an opportunity to bond, stay active, and participate in a healthy hobby that is good for the mind and body.
Throughout the past few years, we’ve helped Free Bikes 4 Kidz distribute more than 5,000 free bikes to underserved youth who we hope are having the best summer with their new ride.
Enjoy the arts.
Draw. Attend a local concert. Visit a museum.
Art is inspirational, and it can be found at every corner if you are drawing with sidewalk chalk. From music to museums, students exposed and involved in the arts have increased academic performance; it inspires kids to excel both inside and outside of the classroom. Studies have also found the arts to increase brain development, motivation, improves attitude, and encourages kids to stay in school.
We are helping our partners like Voices for Children Advocacy Center, DEYA, and Sloan Museum engage kids in the arts which helps heal, inspire, and stay motivated.
Staycation!
Plan a theme day. Tell campfire stories. Gaze the Michigan sky.
Mark your calendar for a weekend at home and fill your days with water balloon fights, a bonfire, and pitching a tent in the backyard. For kids, it’s the simplest of things that make the most special of memories. Eliminating travel from the equation takes the pressure off while still creating fun, bonding opportunities, and excitement for the family.
Many of our partners provide creative ideas for kids and families to fill their days and nights with fun and excitement, including Camp Catch A Rainbow, The Friendship Circle, and Longway Planetarium.
