Do you notice an uptick in your energy use during the summer when your kids are out of school? Do you also notice that your kids spend more time indoors watching TV, playing video games and staring at screens in general in the summer?
If so, you are one of the many households suffering from a summer energy slump. This is when too much time inside can lead to higher than normal electricity usage.
What are families to do? Should you delegate some of the summer vacation budget to paying higher energy bills? That’s one option, or you can get your kids outdoors. Try one or all of the ideas below to get your kids running off energy instead of using energy this summer.
Encourage Kids to Pick an Energy-Free Summer Hobby
At the start of the summer have your kids choose one energy-free summer hobby that they’ll work on over the coming months. It doesn’t matter if it’s birdwatching, jump roping or training the family dog to fetch, the only thing that matters is kids are burning energy instead of using it.
Enroll in Summer Camps
Is there a summer camp that fits your kid’s new hobby? For generations, kids have been spending their summers at camps. It’s almost like a rite of passage for kids and a definite reprieve for parents. In many cities you’ll have a selection of summer camps that cater to every kind of kid interest. Depending on where you live there may be:
- Day camps
- Overnight camps
- Daily camps
- Weekly camps
- Seasonal camps
- Sports camps
One thing to keep in mind with summer camps is the budget. They can range from free to thousands of dollars. Some places that typically offer free or low-cost summer camps are local schools, churches, libraries and the YMCA.
Join a Family Gym
Speaking of the YMCA, membership at a family gym with a daycare is another great way for the whole family to run energy off instead of using it at home. Joining a family gym is a wonderful opportunity for kids to do screen-free activities, socialize and stay physically active. At the same time, parents can workout and set a healthy example for their kids. It can also increase your kids’ interest in staying more active at home.
Another perk of joining a family gym is discounts on summer camps and classes for kids. Depending on the number of kids you have and how much time you need to fill, the discounts could pay for the monthly membership during the summer.
Summer Sports League
Summer is the perfect time for young athletes to improve their skills and just have fun playing their favorite sport. Summer sports leagues keep your kids in the game and can be a chance to test a sport out before the longer regular season in the fall or spring. Signing up for a summer sports league is also a great way to keep kids interacting in-person over the summer.
Become Park Explorers
This is one that you can make a weekly family affair. By exploring parks, we mean really exploring them. Bring along a magnifying glass, binoculars and local plant guide to see what types of plants, insects and animals you can discover. Even small towns have a few parks to explore with kids. And if you live near a major metro, chances are there are dozens of green spaces within an easy drive. Some parks are so big you can spend a few hours just exploring one section.
Create Outdoor Adventure in the Yard
If you have a yard at home the adventure can continue there. It’s all about setting the yard up so that kids are interested in venturing outdoors when they could be inside. Here are a few ideas you can try:
- Build a ninja warrior obstacle course.
- Pitch a tent for a backyard campout.
- Plant a garden with your kids favorite flowers and veggies.
- Make a splash zone with a kiddie pool, water squirters, sprinklers, etc.
One important thing to add no matter what you do is a hydration zone. Make sure your kids have ready access to water and understand the importance of staying hydrated during the summer heat. Of course, making sure there’s also a shady spot to sit in is also important.
Give Kids a Piece of the Yard to Make Their Own
Do you want to get your kids excited about getting outside? Then give them a little corner of the yard to make their own. Let their imaginations run wild as they figure out what they want to do with the space. They may just end up spending the whole summer on fixing up the space.
Only Allow Screen Time Outdoors
There are a few good reasons to switch things up in the summer and allow screen time if it’s outside. The top reason being that the outdoor light can negate some of the negative effects of artificial screen lights like sleep disruptions. They’ll also be out in the fresh air that tends to be less polluted than the indoor air. Even if you clean your AC air filters regularly the outdoor air quality is still usually better.
The other reason to consider adopting this screen time rule is that kids may just put down the device for a few minutes and appreciate the great outdoors. It’s at least a step towards balancing out the screen time.
Need to establish energy services this summer? Whether you’re making a move or simply switching energy providers, Spark Energy has reliable fixed rate energy plans for every type of household. See which plans are available in your area with just your zip code!
