Make the last few weeks before school lets out a fun, fantastic time for you and your child with these five smile-inducing ideas.
- Countdown Calendar: Make a big calendar to hang on the wall for the last month of school. Have your child write down things she wants to do when school is over and then add some of those very things into the calendar and show her that school days and fun days don't have to be separate.
- Now and Then: Spend time noticing changes and accomplishments with your child. Is he taller? Stronger? What and who does he know now that he didn't when school began? What does he predict for next year? Write down his answers and make it an annual tradition.
- Summer School Supplies: Why not replace and freshen up arts and crafts and other school supplies at the end of the year? A fresh box of crayons or brand-new fancy notebook will do wonders to keep your little one reading and writing all summer. Plus it's a great reward for a year of hard work.
- Best in Show: Have a party before school ends and have the children create unusual ribbons and rewards for each other (and even themselves!) like "Best smelling knees," "Most improved jump-roper," "King of Cartwheels," or "#1 Kazooist." Take the focus off grades and celebrate individuality.
- Going Places: Take your child on a fun trip to celebrate how far she's come. You can try something unusual like going out for high tea, something with a take-away souvenir like a paint-your-own-pottery place, or just go for pure fun with a day at an amusement park.
