Experts state that summer vacation is a valuable period for children to rest, have fun, and continue their development by recovering from the fatigue of the intense school period, adding that going out into nature supports children's cognitive and sensory development.
Child Development Specialist Lecturer Elif İpek Tutuş, also noting that summer schools do not only include academic subjects, said, "Summer schools support children's motor and cognitive development, while also contributing to their social development by enabling them to be together with their peers.”
Lecturer Elif İpek Tutuş from Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Health Sciences, Child Development Department, offered various suggestions to parents for their children to spend their summer vacation productively.
Children can both have fun and learn during the holiday period
Lecturer Elif İpek Tutuş stated that parents want their children to both have fun and learn during the holiday period, saying, “The process of acquiring knowledge and development is not limited to the school period and within four walls. The process of development and knowledge acquisition continues as part of life at all times and in all areas. For this reason, it is certainly possible to both rest and shake off school fatigue, have fun, and ensure learning and development.”
Nature walks support motor development
Lecturer Elif İpek Tutuş, stating that going out into nature supports children's cognitive and sensory development, offered the following suggestions to families:
“By going out into nature and touching soil, stones, leaves, and sand, you can support their cognitive development through exploration and also ensure their sensory development. Additionally, you can enhance your child's motor development through nature walks. Museums and historical sites are also very important areas for development. By visiting these places, you can both enable your child to acquire knowledge and contribute to their social development. Parks are also very important areas for peer communication and social development.”
They can attend courses such as painting and music
Tutuş pointed out that it is possible to spend the summer vacation productively not only outdoors but also indoors, saying, “Family reading times, Lego games, symbolic games, or board games that vary according to age and development are beneficial for the child and necessary activities for the family's social development and integrity. Furthermore, summer vacations are an excellent time to focus on interests that children didn't have the opportunity to pursue during the school period. You can send your child to courses in areas such as instruments, painting, music, sports, and chess, according to their interests and wishes. For this, you should listen to your child's wishes and observe their interests very closely.”
Not only academic skills should be tried to be developed
Regarding whether children should be sent to summer schools, Lecturer Elif İpek Tutuş said, “It is very important for the family to identify their children's shortcomings well here. It should not be forgotten that the child also has the right to rest and have fun during the summer vacation; they should not be made unhappy during this time by only trying to develop academic skills. By paying attention to all these, preparation for incomplete and future topics can be focused on.”
Summer schools help children both have fun and learn
Tutuş also noted that summer schools do not only include academic subjects, and continued as follows:
“Nature trips, intelligence games like chess, and various art workshops are included. These support the child's developmental areas such as motor and cognitive skills, while also contributing to their social development by enabling them to be together with their peers. They allow the child to both have fun and learn without getting bored. In addition, they develop a sense of responsibility in the child and ensure they stay away from technology. For all these reasons, summer schools are certainly beneficial. When sending to a summer school, the quality of the chosen school, the teaching staff, and the program content should be carefully examined, and the child's opinion should be taken into account. This way, both the child and the parent become ready for the new term and have an enjoyable and productive summer vacation.”