Doctor and mom share 3 tips for do-it-yourself summer camps
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A Houston mom has three practical tips for do-it-yourself summer camps for the kids as there's a few weeks left of summer before school starts back up.
With three elementary age boys, Dr. Amy Chen's house is pretty busy, but she said her mini at-home summer camp has kept an educational and fun atmosphere all while keeping a little stress off mom and dad.
Dr. Chen said structure is key because a structured day can cut down on meltdowns.
"We put our kids on a structured schedule so they know what to expect everyday Monday through Friday," said Dr. Chen.
That schedule includes a list of how the day will go from start to finish. The list can include times for lessons, lunch and breaks for fun.
Dr. Chen said the next step is big if you have multiple kids in different age groups. She suggests separating them in stations.
"Usually one child is working with me and we're doing some kind of math or reading," said Dr. Chen. "Another child is on an iPad doing some type of educational program, and the third child is usually doing arts and crafts."
She said keep it simple and don't overthink it.
Those stations can be as easy as having one child with a coloring book, another with play dough and another child reading a book
Her last tip is to factor in fun. It can be very simple.
"We just go to the backyard, turn on the sprinkler and they run around the grass and they have fun," Dr. Chen said.
