Woohoo! It’s summertime! The grass is green, the water is warm, and the kids are all home.
Wait, what?! The kids are home?
That’s right! All-day…every day…
If you’re like most parents, school vacation time is amazing and, at the same time, a little daunting.
While it’s exciting to have the kiddos home and more flexibility in schedules, chances are the question “What are some things to do with my kids?” weighs pretty heavily on you.
Luckily, we have a solution!
The Little Hero’s Journal is your new favorite summer activity!
Here are 5 reasons to have your child use the Little Hero’s Journal this summer to beat the boredom and keep them learning.
1. Structure & Routine
Children thrive with structure and routine!
During the summer vacation months, a typical schedule often falls by the wayside, but with the Little Hero’s Journal, your child can maintain a “summer routine” that works for everyone!
One way to do this is to sit down every Sunday evening and have your child determine their habits for the week. Then, you can check in together every night before bed and fill in the habits chart.
• Are they reading for 20 minutes every night and filling out their summer reading log?
• Are they keeping screen time to a minimum?
• Are they learning a new skill?
Empower your children to decide their habits for themselves, but help them stay on track by building in time to set intentions and track their progress every day.
Be sure to have your child fill out their Little Hero’s Roadmap every week too!
Another great opportunity is to build in family journaling time. Perhaps an hour after lunch, when everyone needs a little quiet rest time, have your child complete one of their daily pages. Remember to model good habits by taking time to rest and recharge with your child - let them see you journaling too!
With the Little Hero’s Journal, each daily spread offers your child space to reflect on how their day is going, how they’re feeling, what they’re grateful for, and acts of kindness. There is also a unique challenge so your child will never get bored.
2. The Summer Slide
Have you heard about the summer slide?
Slides are a lot of fun, but not this one…
Studies have shown that during the summer months some students notoriously “slide back” with the skills they acquired throughout the school year and enter their next grade level at a deficit.
This is why your child was probably sent home with summer work. But the challenge is…who wants to do schoolwork over the summer?
The good news is you can “beat” the summer slide without traditional school tasks. This is because many skills your child learns in school are transferable to the real world, so if they’re using their brains and thinking while using their skills, they’re probably going to be ok.
This is why the Little Hero’s Journal is perfect for beating the summer slide!
With the Little Hero’s Journal, your child is practicing their skills in ways that don’t seem like “work,” and if you check in and ask them to talk about what they’re writing about, they will be practicing all reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills, which are integral to the core learning standards!
The best kind of learning happens in the real world, so crack open the Little Hero’s Journal and let those kiddos get reading, writing, and sharing!
3. Self-Awareness
Cultivating self-awareness in children is like the Holy Grail of parenting wins.
When our kids are able to reflect and process their feelings and then safely share them with the people they love, their confidence will shine through!
The Little Hero’s Journal provides 13 weeks of opportunity for your child to dig deep and get to know themselves better!
By cultivating a growth mindset and a can-do attitude, you might just see how your child’s newfound self-awareness helps them blossom in other areas of their daily adventures!
4. Connect
Not only will the Little Hero’s journal help kids connect with themselves, but it also allows them to connect with others!
When your child works on their Little Hero’s Journal, give them the space to share and talk about their journaling if they want to.
Connecting with others on a deeper level helps build trust and confidence in children, especially when their thoughts and feelings are affirmed by those they love most.
Here are some other ways you can connect:
If you are looking for other ways to connect and for things to talk about, the Little Talk Deck is perfect for having bigger conversations with your kiddos, whether you’re laying on a beach blanket or spending endless hours on a road trip!
5. Empowerment
Kids want to feel seen and heard.
From a toddler’s tantrum to a tween’s angst, our children are looking for safe spaces to test out and feel accepted for who they are becoming.
The Little Hero’s Journal has a different daily prompt to help your child dig deep and figure out what matters most to them.
The process of reflecting for 91 days will help empower your child to find their voice and continue a path of mindfulness for the rest of their school year!
Summertime is a Gift!
Summer vacation is a gift of time for your child to step aside from the hustle and bustle of long days, after-school commitments, and homework to rest, relax, and recharge!
The Little Hero’s Journal is a perfect dose of structured fun that doesn’t feel like learning!
[Get The Little Hero's Journal]
Article by: Katie Fisette
Katie is a former classroom teacher, K-12 English Language Arts curriculum specialist, and professional development provider. She worked on researching and revolutionizing her school district’s summer learning program.
