Summer brings warmer weather, fun outdoor activities, vacations, and time to rest and relax. But, if you have a school-aged child or Preschool student, you may notice that rather than winding down, the anticipation of summer winds them up and causes anxiety and regression in their learning and social behaviors.
You’ve probably guessed by now, but children thrive on routines. As much as they don’t like us telling them what to do, it is more comfortable for them to have a set routine that they can plan and depend on each day. In the summer, that all changes! If your child’s school closes during the summer and you have to place them in a summer camp or a different childcare center, you may be a little nervous about how your Preschool student will react.
We want your child’s transition to summer camp or a summer childcare center to be a smooth transition, so we’ve compiled three tips for easing the transition to summer, leaving everyone happy and ready for a summer filled with wonderful memories!
Three Tips for Transitioning to Summer Childcare
Any transition for a Preschool student can be a hard transition, so that’s why we, as parents and caregivers, must approach the transition to summer camp or a summer childcare center with positivity. Let’s take a look at how you can make this transition to summer as smooth as possible for your little one.
- Maintain your schedule or routine as best you can
- Encourage and plan play dates with school friends
- Think about your child’s interests when booking a summer camp
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Maintain Your Schedule or Routine as Best You Can
We said it earlier, and we’ll say it again. Children, especially young children like toddlers and Preschool-aged children, thrive on routines. In the summer, those routines often go right out the window, but that also ushers in acting out, defiance, and anxiety for most children. Our suggestion is to try to keep your child’s routine similar in the summer as it is during the school year. Yes, that means refraining from extending bedtime and skipping naps to go to the park or a pool party. Moderation is key in preventing over-stimulated and cranky kids.
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Encourage and Plan Play Dates with School Friends
Often, the thought of summer can upset a child because they realize they might not get to see their school friends every day. To combat that, we suggest making an effort to stay in contact with these friends throughout the summer, planning special play dates with them every few weeks.
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Think About Your Child’s Interests When Booking A Summer Camp
This likely seems like a no-brainer, but we feel it’s worth a mention. Your child will automatically have more fun at a new place if you choose one that does a lot of field trips or activities that your child loves. If your child loves swimming, you might want a summer camp that takes a lot of trips to the community pool. Or, if you’ve got a LEGO architect on your hands, you might look into childcare centers that have a strong STEAM component so that your child can happily tinker about all day long.
Finding the right childcare solution for your Preschool child in the summer is just as important as it is for the rest of the year. We hope that with these three tips, we’ve given you the confidence to find the right place for both you and your child this summer. If you have any questions or if we can help to ease this transition further, contact us today!