Help kids beat the summer slump

Summer is great time for most children, but sometimes in the middle of summer those children experience what many call a “slump.”

This most likely happened when the newness of summer has won off and many children not attending a camp—so, they tend to get bored.

Many older children find summer especially difficult when their friends are unavailable due to family vacations or work. This can lead to them sitting inside most of the day, getting upset more easily, and a bad habit of eating. These children will also complain that there is ‘nothing’ to do and as parents put on the spot—sometimes we can’t come up with solutions.

All children should have at least 20 minutes of sunlight a day, 30 minutes of exercise (including a walk), and should be interacting with others as much as possible to help them be happier. However, what resources do we have for activities they may find engaging?

One of the best places to look in Campbell County is the Campbell County Chamber of Commerce website, www.gillettechamber.com. There, you can find events, activities, or find a different page you can learn even more information. There are free activities and others that cost a fee.

Another suggestion would be to take a jar at home and fill it with scrap paper that has an activity on it. If your child gets ‘bored’, have them pick an activity out of the jar. Some ideas for that are the following:

• take a bike ride
• walk around Bicentennial Park (or your favorite park of choice)
• play a board game while sitting outside
• play a card game with a sibling
• hold water balloon fight or run through the sprinkler

You can find a ton of other ideas by searching online.

At the end of the day, summer should still be enjoyable and children should be happy, even if they need a push to do something they like.

The Campbell County Medical Group Kid Clinic is a school-based pediatric clinic offering medical care and counseling services for Campbell County students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade and their siblings ages 2 weeks and up. It is located at 800 Butler Spaeth Rd., across from St. Matthew’s Catholic Church. The Kid Clinic is open Monday-Friday from 8 am-5 pm. For more information, call 307-688-8700 or visit www.cchwyo.org/kidclinic. The Kid Clinic is a collaborative effort between Campbell County Health and Campbell County School District.

This blog was written by Brianne Wooldridge, LPC, Kid Clinic Counselor