For my two boys and me, summer break begins in two days. When you’re a kid, there are few things more exciting than the prospect of eight weeks of un-graded, unabashed playtime. When you’re a parent, there are few things more daunting than eight weeks of unstructured time — during which you’re required to entertain your troops.
The key to surviving the summer is simple. Open-ended, I-don’t-care-how-silly-I-look play (for you, and your kids). It not only lowers stress levels and promotes all-around happiness, but it significantly increases creativity, problem-solving skills, memory function (where are my keys?), and agility.
So I encourage you, super parents of the world, to shut down your inner adult and rediscover your inner 8-year-old. Create a PLAY-list (encourage your kids to do the same) describing the top 10 ways you’ll get your play on this summer. Post them somewhere visible, so you can’t avoid being reminded. Mine is below!
