Page 158 - South Mississippi Living - June, 2026

HOME
School’s
Out for
SuMmeR!
Each year summer vacation seems to shrink. Between a family getaway—if we are lucky— summer camps, and ballgames, it can be hard to have time for uncomplicated home grown fun. Here are a few old fashioned ideas for those precious days when the children are home.
Get Creative
Keep a stockpile of paper, crayons, and coloring books and make art! For the younger ones, give them a subject or a focus item each day. Show them a flower, a picture of a dog, or something as simple as a shoe. Tell them to draw the object and make up a story about it. Create a temporary display wall and update it daily with new art.
Inspire older children to explore their feelings and passions through design. Allow them to rearrange their bedroom or make simple changes that spark their imaginations. A new layout, fresh color, or a couple of new accessories can ignite a new attitude! If there is not a cozy place to read or write in their space, encourage them to fashion one. And if they do not have a library card yet, that is priority number one!
Lend a Helping Hand
Inspiring your children to help others is a great idea year- round, but during the summer they have much more time to think about how they can engage the family, a neighbor, or someone in need. Let kids plan summer meals, make grocery lists, and do some of the shopping and cooking themselves. Cooking for the family may lead to baking cookies for a neighbor or a meal for someone who needs the support.
Food banks often run on empty during the summer, experiencing the “summer hunger gap” when school is out, and many children go without hot, healthy meals every day. Help your child organize a neighborhood food drive. Non-profit pet organizations always need food too.
Breathe Some Fresh Air
Shoo the kids outside when the weather permits. Suggest they build a fort, drag out the garden hose and a piece of plastic for a slip-and-slide, or just take a blanket outside to read or play card games under a tree. Build a bird house or a new doghouse. Buy inexpensive wildflower seeds and let your children plant their own garden. A simple container or a small plot in the
158 | June 2026
www.smliving.net | SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living
story by Holly Harrison and Shannon Stage