NCM Offers Tips to Spark Kids' Creativity All Summer

The National Children’s Museum (NCM) is providing families with projects that ignite the imagination throughout the dog days of summer—from start to finish.

Summer marks a time for kids to take a break from homework and school stress to enjoy unscheduled play. NCM recommends fun summer projects to occupy family time, even when the air conditioning tempts you to stay indoors. 

Linda Coulombe, Manager of Science Programs at the National Children’s Museum, supports the concept of summer-long projects for kids. “While the summer is often busy with day trips, vacations, and sports activities, it can be challenging for a parent to find daily activities that keep kids busy, learning, and having fun. Rather than trying to constantly think of new ideas, why not consider having your children do a few long-term summer projects that require more of an investment in time and interest?”

Long-term goals give children more of an opportunity to fully express their creativity and to be “in charge” of their own project. Here are a few suggestions for projects to stimulate creativity that can span most of the summer:

1. Nature Journals: Journals positively encourage kids to record and sketch what they observe and, more importantly, to sit still for a few moments in nature and really focus. It’s a time to record personal thoughts and nature discoveries. Journals can be as simple as a personalized, decorated spiral notebook.
2. Children’s Gardens: Kids love to spend time in the garden and watch plants grow. Even very young children will have fun watering, weeding, and just playing in dirt. When starting a children’s garden, a good rule is to keep it small and manageable. Be sure to mark off a specific plot and encourage kids to be responsible for the watering, weeding, and harvesting.
3. Children’s Cookbook: Kids can cook and learn at an early age how to prepare meals for themselves and the family. Creating a cookbook can be as simple as copying recipes that kids have tried onto 3 X 5” colored index cards. Be sure to include fun comments like, “These cookies are delicious with chocolate milk!” or any special instructions like, “I added extra raisins and it was really good.” Also consider printing recipes from the computer and putting them into a personalized three-ring binder.
4. Children’s Citizen Science Projects: Citizen science can be a great way to interest young children in science and to introduce a few basic skills. Join the Firefly Watch Project, through the Museum of Science Boston at www.mos.org/fireflywatch, to collect firefly data and help save the American firefly population. Kids can also visit the NCM powered website, www.ReadySetGlow.org, to play firefly games and learn about fireflies. These projects aim to engage kids in inquiry-based learning and stewardship of the environment, and above all, to have fun!
5. Nature Photography for Children: Photography is an exciting way to connect kids to nature through the lens of a camera. With a camera in their hands, kids want to stop, look, and concentrate on the wonders of the environment. With a little supervision, children as young as 5 years old can learn to take good photographs.