Advice to help you live your healthiest life, covering fitness, nutrition, mental health, self-care and much more.
Jul 15, 2016
It may not always seem like it, weather-wise, but summer is here. Now it’s time to find fun activities to get the kids moving (indoors and out!) so you can make the most of the summer while it lasts.
(This isn’t the first time we’ve offered summer activity ideas – check out the last batch of ideas, then read on for more.)
The great thing about books is you can take them anywhere to read, even sitting in the sun. The Halifax Public Library has a slew of Summer Reading Programs and other activities for children (including Lego building and even yoga classes) – and if you’re not in Halifax, chances are your local library has its own activities lined up.
Summer time is the perfect time to get kids into the kitchen and show them how to make some fun – and healthy! – treats. Try watermelon ice pops and fruit kebabs for quick, cool snacks, and maybe by the time September rolls around they’ll be ready to pack their own lunches.
If your kids are already familiar with the Kids’ Run Club through their school (or even if they aren’t) taking them out for a regular run around the neighbourhood is a great way to burn off some extra energy – and get a head start on next year’s run club. Need a goal? Consider training for the Terry Fox Run, held each September.
Get out into the country for a little adventure. There are a number of options for kids to enjoy the sunny days in parks, playgrounds, on horses, and at the zoo. Tourism Nova Scotia offers a selection of suggestions for road trip experiences around the province, making for days spent together that you and your children won’t soon forget.
Nova Scotia has a unique confluence of historic influences, from the Mi’kmaq to the Scottish settlers to the Acadians to the Loyalists, as well as the province’s British and Canadian military history, evident in fortresses such as Louisbourg and the Halifax Citadel. Looking back with children will stimulate their imagination.
With the ocean all around us, some of the most beautiful walks in Nova Scotia can be found near the water, whether strolling along cliffs in Cape Breton or watching the world’s highest tides come in on the Fundy coast at Tiverton. Here are six possibilities for family hikes in the region. And be sure to pack hats, extra water, sunscreen, and proper footwear.
Maybe not for the littlest ones, but fishing can be a wonderfully rewarding, patience-teaching activity that can help connect a child with where their food comes from. And anyone under 16 doesn’t need a licence. (For more details, browse this forum.)
Your turn: Share your ideas for summer fun with kids in the comment section below.
