Summer—with its promise of long, lazy days spent basking in the sun—brings challenges that are considerably less relaxing for parents of young children. With kids home from school, and away from the structure of classrooms, keeping little minds and hands properly engaged and active is likely to be a summer-long quest for any parent.
Which is why it’s not too early to start preparing for the warm days ahead by investing in games and products that encourage kids to put their devices away and turn the TV off. Make summer a fun and memorable time for toddlers and tweens alike with innovative ideas—like those we’ve featured, below—for keeping growing bodies moving, and developing minds thinking.
For both kids and parents, summer provides a welcome respite from the rigors of the school year, presenting the ideal backdrop for a simpler, less harried family life. Enjoying every moment of the summer break, though, shouldn’t be license for kids to wile away the hours in front of a video monitor or TV.
Spending time outdoors, socializing with friends, and remaining physically and mentally energized are the particular joys of summer living. Helping kids tap into that joyful energy—with one or more of the products we’ve featured, above—is an investment that both little ones and grown-ups will appreciate.