Sometimes over the summer and without the mental stimulation of school, our children lose the progress they have made during the school year. One way to counteract this phenomenon is to provide opportunities for your child to have positive experiences and be exposed to something other than video games and TV. Here are some suggestions from the Talent Search advisors to keep your child both entertained and mentally engaged: READ – Some good books to read might be: Harry Potter, The Hunger Games (3 books), and The Giver (this last is my personal favorite book). If your child likes mystery, Mary Higgins Clark is a very good mystery writer, especially for high school age students. The Abilene Public Library (main branch) is downtown at 202 Cedar, and is always free. (Bring a current bill with your address and an ID to get a library card.) TRAVEL – When going to see “grandma,” you might be traveling through a town that has a college or university. Stop and get out at the university! You can almost always eat lunch there, usually for a minimal fee. If your child is a junior or senior and you can call ahead, all of you might even get your lunch for free! While you are there, take a tour of the campus. When traveling, interact with the locals; eat new food, visit monuments, museums, and any attraction you can find in that area. Don’t forget to talk, talk, talk about whatever you experience; those interactions with you are the most valuable experiences of all. SAT/ACT practice – There are many ways to practice for the ACT/SAT; you can get a booklet from the high school guidance counselor or stop by our office and we will give you an ACT practice booklet (we are all out of SAT booklets). You can go to the SAT website at collegeboard.org and sign up for the question of the day. Even students in the 6th grade can start working on their vocabulary; it is never too early. (The higher the score, the more potential for academic scholarships, which means FREE money for college!) EXERCISE – To have a healthy mind, your child must have a healthy body. A few of my personal favorite exercises include riding bikes, swimming, playing softball, and doing yoga. What can get your child moving? CRAFTS – Your child could take up some sort of hobby or craft, which is not only relaxing, but very fulfilling. Do an art project, something that allows a person to exercise both motor skills and CREATE. Maybe you can talk your child into organizing all your photos; digital scrapbooking is quite fun! VOLUNTEER – Your child could choose a local organization that she/he is passionate about and set a time to always be there. If your child doesn’t have transportation, choose an organization within walking distance from the house and combine volunteering with exercise. Don’t forget that volunteer hours look great on college scholarship applications. PUZZLES –Have your child solve some puzzles, Rubik’s cubes, or Sudoku and crossword puzzles; any mentally stimulating activity counts. Do one every day, and their mind is sure to be active. WRITE – Have your child write something. It doesn’t have to be a novel! They might keep a journal and write a few sentences every day. Whenever they see or do something, encourage them to write it down. You both could keep a blog of your activities with pictures at blogspot; this blogging site is completely free.
Posted on: Wed, 31 Jul 2013 17:12:23 +0000
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