Summer is the time of year to spend each new day exploring, learning, and enjoying the beautiful weather, but after awhile it can get tough to find interesting ways to fill your little one’s time. Thankfully, the child care experts at Great Beginnings of St. Charles and Cottleville, MO, are always ready to lend a hand. Here are some awesome activities they recommend for memorable, safe summer fun. 

A Guide to Fun & Safe Summer Break Activities

1. Make Art

There’s a reason kids tend to come home from day care and preschool with colorful fingers: An important part of child development is self-expression through creativity! This summer, grab some sidewalk chalk or finger paints and make something beautiful. If you’re out of ideas, try recreating classic paintings from printed examples. To extend the artistic play even further, bring bathtub crayons into the mix during clean-up.

2. Visit a Garden

If you want to experience the beauty of nature without taking a family road trip to Yosemite, visit a local botanical garden. Bring a disposable camera to document your favorite flora and fauna along the way, like scientists in the field. If your little ones don’t mind a few bugs, stop by a butterfly garden or help with a butterfly migration tagging program at a nature preserve.

3. Have a Safari

The animal kingdom is alive and thriving during the summer, which means that your child care plans can take a walk on the wild side. Go on an impromptu safari at the local zoo and bring a pair of binoculars so that the kids can see the animals up close. If you’re feeling scientific, observe pets and record their behaviors, or spend some time each morning bird-watching in the backyard. Consult a bird-watcher’s guide to learn about different species.

4. Pack a Picnic

The best summer memories often include food, from cool watermelon slices to fresh corn on the cob. Turn your kitchen into a picnic-packing station and take a quick trip to the park to enjoy lunch al fresco. If you like, you can even pick your own food at a local farm or orchard.

5. Sign Up for a Summer Camp

If you’ll be spending your summer at the office or are craving some time to yourself, sign your little ones up for a summer day camp with a trusted child care provider in the area. They’ll come home with all kinds of exciting new experiences to tell you about and you’ll have peace of mind knowing that they’re safe and sound.

In the St. Charles and Cottleville areas, there’s no better place for your kids to spend a summer’s day than at Great Beginnings. Their licensed child care professionals are dedicated to your little one’s development and discovery of the world around them, always providing individualized care along the way. For enrollment opportunities or details on their curriculum and philosophy, call (636) 724-5048 for St. Charles and (636) 447-4212 for Cottleville or visit their website today.