With summer in full swing, PLASP Child Care Services offers full-day licensed summer programs for school age and kindergarten children filled with fun and engaging activities that keep children busy and active.

Kindergarten age children enjoy activities such as outdoor play, arts and crafts, and painting. School age children partake in sports, such as soccer and basketball, chalk art, and everyone’s favourite – water play!

“Children are busy in PLASP summer programs from the time they arrive, where they are provided with a nutritious breakfast to start the day, until their caregiver picks them up. Children spend their time participating in activities and projects planned daily by staff, like planting veggies, making LEGO structures, problem-solving and team building exercises, and collaborating on and planning a special event, like a carnival day for the whole family to enjoy,” says Margaret O’Kieffe, Summer Program Director. “It’s an opportunity for children and staff to gather together and enjoy the summer months while making memories that will last well after our time together ends.”

PLASP’s summer programs provide children with an opportunity to spend a day interacting with peers in their age group, while engaging in activities that promote the four foundations of learning: belonging, well-being, engagement, and expression, all while under the care of PLASP’s highly trained childcare professionals.

Here are a few favourite activities you can try at home with your child(ren):

1. Water play. Grab the hose, a few buckets, set up a sprinkler and your kids will be able to tackle those hot summer days with glee. Water play is also a great way to develop hand-eye coordination, enhances concentration and focus, and builds social and communication skills. Just make sure they’re wearing water shoes and playing on a safe surface – then let the games begin! Try this water challenge, with recycled materials or with items around your home, build a path for the water to push a ping pong through. Can you get the ping pong to hit the finish line?
2. Learning letters. The alphabet is the building block of literacy. A good start in teaching the alphabet is just to simply introduce the letters by pointing them out in books, print and in our surroundings. A quiet and interactive way to help children learn their letters is to spell their name using cut out letters and pasting them on a shape or a piece of paper. In the classroom learning environment, we use children’s name tags and labels to identify their cubby or locker. This is a great strategy for your own home too! You can create a name tag for use in the home so as to allow your child to become familiar with his/her name and the letters in in. For example, a door card for their bedroom is of practical use and/or one for a hook where he/she can hang his/her backpack at home.
3. Chalk art. Because of its thickness, sidewalk chalk is a good tool for little ones as it is easy for them to hold and handle. Also, making markings with chalk requires a good amount of pressure from children which will help with their developing muscles. Chalk activities to try include tracing each other’s body outline, foot and hand outline on the pavement; writing with chalk on a blackboard, black paper, or canvas; and wetting the chalk for a different effect.

If you’re looking for more ways to encourage your children to fill their days with fun, PLASP invites you to celebrate summer by trying these fun activities.

What’s your favourite summer activity? Let us know in the comments section below!