Summer starts here!
For kids, summer is a time for endless days of fun at the beach and lazy afternoons with friends. Meanwhile, parents' thoughts should turn to keeping their children active during the extended summer break. Belinda Mottershead soaks up some facts and...
For kids, summer is a time for endless days of fun at the beach and lazy afternoons with friends. Meanwhile, parents' thoughts should turn to keeping their children active during the extended summer break. Belinda Mottershead soaks up some facts and gives some tips to prevent summer brain drain.
We have to admit it's a bit of a love-hate relationship. Have you noticed it too? First there is that increasing wave of visible irritation that is sweeping the nation as the temperatures begin to soar. There are those dear ladies who simply pass you on the street huffing and puffing as they struggle with their bags. Then there are the sweaty supermarket shoppers who insist on barging you out of the aisle if you dare take more than a minute to choose which brand of baked beans is the most economical. If only they took the same time for consideration in the deodorant aisle! Watch out for those harassed mothers who shoot you a death glare if you even glance at them while they happen to be scolding their tetchy kids and oh yes, worst of all, irate motorists who seem to be lurking on every scorching corner of road ready to run you down at the slightest invitation.
These are just a few of the unpleasant side effects of extreme heat. Summer in Malta comes knocking at the doors of one and all at what seems like a month too early and slowly, in the space of just a few short weeks, converts the sane into raving lunatics. It doesn't matter how much we complained about miserable, dreary days in winter and the cold and the damp, as soon as the heat arrives we find ourselves moaning and groaning and complaining as the tension levels reach boiling point and beyond.
So where is the light at the end of the tunnel? That "love" part of the human/sun relationship. The romance blooms with the bright early morning sun and cheery looking days, long days, lasting right through to those late cool evenings. (Even if we do have to write off the sticky afternoons). The refreshing sparkle of the sea holds its utmost appeal to passers by as everyone feels like a dip at any given opportunity. There is also that wealthier, healthier glow that tends to engulf most of us during the summer months. So it begins. The children can't wait for the last school bell on the final day of term to be released from their pressure-cooker-ike existence of schoolwork, studying and exams. Parents share in the sense of relief too and likely look forward to spending some quality time with them.
Then after a couple of weeks it happens. It's going to be a long hot summer after all, and the boredom can very easily set in. Every parent knows it's only a matter of time before the children get itchy feet and instead of a swift sail through the summer months the time can drag and before you know it we all start begging for winter. What can be done to help? How can you make summer, whatever your circumstance, seem a little more breezy and cheerful and less like a hike through the Sahara?
Living in a country like Malta there are plenty of great summer activities that can transform that nightmare scenario of blazing sun and heat into a pleasant experience for you and your family or friends. Your summer can have a real boost if you involve two key ingredients - prior planning and enthusiasm! Making a long list of ideas with your family and friends at the start of the summer will give you a good basis to work on.
The most popular summer activities have to involve some way of getting cold since overheating makes us all far too irate to really enjoy ourselves. So more than likely the number-one activity on your list is going to be swimming (didn't take a rocket scientist for that one). But how can it be made more interesting? One way is to instil a little variety. Instead of simply scurrying down to the same bit of beach just for convenience's sake, why not go to some different beaches? A change of scenery makes life more exciting for the children.
True, it is too hot to travel but sometimes it has to be done so we don't get stuck in a rut. Each beach has its own distinct character . Some have lots of water sports activities going on, which are really enjoyable to watch while relaxing. Others may boast fantastic cliff views.
Varying the times you go for a swim can also make it more interesting. I remember waking my children up at about 6 a.m. once and dragging them out of bed, bleary eyed, for a family swim. It was dead quiet at the beach and we absolutely loved it. The water was calm and as clear as crystal. I think it was the most satisfying swim I have ever had and we all had such a good time laughing and chatting together. We felt like we owned the sea!
Of course the sea has more to offer than just swimming. There are numerous sports to partake of, from scuba diving to jet skiing or paragliding, fishing trips and all sorts of ways to have fun. These things can be a bit costly but maybe the kids can save their pocket money and chip in towards a special day of water sports fun. Along with that most hotels with a swimming pool offer either day or season memberships for those who prefer to relax under a shaded umbrella while the kids jump in and out of the pool. Days out like that can make a refreshing break for families and single people too, can also enjoy time out with friends making use of the best hotel facilities. The Splash and Fun Park also offers superb rides and water-based entertainment that for families and friends (regardless of age). There is a new ride there this year called "The Black Hole", I can't wait to go!
Summer spells out barbecue season to most of us. We all love them and enjoy the variety of outdoor places where we can get one going. When it comes to barbecues the men often love to cook (hunter man of the wild syndrome) and this gives the women a chance to have a much needed break from the stove, which is a real pleasure in the hot sticky weather.
There are some great recipe books and online recipes available if your ideas for what to cook on a barbecue run a little stale from time to time. It's another way to spice up your summer a bit, making adventurous food outdoors. Having some music going will also bring a little extra life to a barbecue night apart from making you feel good having a little song and dance. Summer evenings are great in Malta, they are a chance to get out in the cool night air and unwind after a hectic day in the heat.
Whatever you may have been doing during the day, it has all required effort and the cool evenings are the perfect cure for your fatigue. We need those evenings, we crave for those evenings and they are a big focal point of summer. Whether our choice of company is family or friends the evenings are a great time for social interaction, something that is sadly lacking in this day and age of computer/TV entertainment domination.
Those evenings are a key element to keeping in touch with real life and we should appreciate that opportunity.
As a sports coach I have plenty of experience at keeping kids entertained during the hot summer months. One vital thing needed, whatever you choose to do, is enthusiasm. Children like that sense of adventure, not dreary routine. When you plan activities with them try and think of ways to make it different. Preparing a lunch of ham and cheese sandwiches is easy but with a little more effort and forethought a picnic hamper full of unusual goodies can make a trip to the beach or the park so much more appealing. There are some beautiful parks in Malta which can be really enjoyed in the cool evenings, Buskett Gardens, San Anton Gardens, Garden of Serenity, to name just a few. If the children take a camera or a sketch pad with them they might find they enjoy it much more when you go to places like these. It worked well for my children the last few times we went. This can be followed up at home by making a print-out of pictures and making frames for them, then letting the children decorate a room with them. This will turn the day you spent together into a visual memory and therefore seem more worthwhile.
Kids love to be creative but sometimes they need a little push and some ideas to get them kick-started.
It needn't be expensive, a variety of coloured paper/cards and shiny accessories to glue on them or beads and coloured string can keep children entertained during their indoor time. They can make cards for relatives or friends who are not well to encourage them to show consideration for others. They soon learn how satisfying it can be to make things for other people and will likely want to do more. If you are stuck for ideas have a look on the internet under "arts and crafts" and you will find an abundance of suggestions to make those long hot afternoons spent inside more fulfilling.
Getting some extra books in could be good too for those times when your energy for anything physical has lapsed completely (you can get a bulk order!). Even if your children go to a summer school it is still nice for them to do plenty of activities at home as it is a good chance for parents to become involved in their child's imagination and keep us in tune with their characters.
We all want a good relationship with our kids that will last and doing creative things with them is an excellent tool for building that relationship. They will also doubtlessly enjoy the increased opportunity for parties and sleepovers with friends and cousins that they maybe don't get to see so regularly during the rest of the year.
Malta has a hive of karaokes and nightclubs with various themes that are thriving with partygoers who are into that sort of scene. For the rest of us who are more into family-based entertainment there are plenty of wonderful places to dine out, covering worldwide cuisine. Trying new places and new foods is fun for everyone and helps us to experience different cultures albeit in a small way.
However you choose to spend your summer take it all in your stride. Enjoy the long days and cool nights. Enjoy the chance to dress brightly and lightly to lift your spirits and try to keep smiling as it is contagious to those around you. Beat the heat. Find refreshing things to do that you enjoy with friends or family and get out there to truly make the most of it.
We have to admit it's a bit of a love-hate relationship. Have you noticed it too? First there is that increasing wave of visible irritation that is sweeping the nation as the temperatures begin to soar. There are those dear ladies who simply pass you on the street huffing and puffing as they struggle with their bags. Then there are the sweaty supermarket shoppers who insist on barging you out of the aisle if you dare take more than a minute to choose which brand of baked beans is the most economical. If only they took the same time for consideration in the deodorant aisle! Watch out for those harassed mothers who shoot you a death glare if you even glance at them while they happen to be scolding their tetchy kids and oh yes, worst of all, irate motorists who seem to be lurking on every scorching corner of road ready to run you down at the slightest invitation.
These are just a few of the unpleasant side effects of extreme heat. Summer in Malta comes knocking at the doors of one and all at what seems like a month too early and slowly, in the space of just a few short weeks, converts the sane into raving lunatics. It doesn't matter how much we complained about miserable, dreary days in winter and the cold and the damp, as soon as the heat arrives we find ourselves moaning and groaning and complaining as the tension levels reach boiling point and beyond.
So where is the light at the end of the tunnel? That "love" part of the human/sun relationship. The romance blooms with the bright early morning sun and cheery looking days, long days, lasting right through to those late cool evenings. (Even if we do have to write off the sticky afternoons). The refreshing sparkle of the sea holds its utmost appeal to passers by as everyone feels like a dip at any given opportunity. There is also that wealthier, healthier glow that tends to engulf most of us during the summer months. So it begins. The children can't wait for the last school bell on the final day of term to be released from their pressure-cooker-ike existence of schoolwork, studying and exams. Parents share in the sense of relief too and likely look forward to spending some quality time with them.
Then after a couple of weeks it happens. It's going to be a long hot summer after all, and the boredom can very easily set in. Every parent knows it's only a matter of time before the children get itchy feet and instead of a swift sail through the summer months the time can drag and before you know it we all start begging for winter. What can be done to help? How can you make summer, whatever your circumstance, seem a little more breezy and cheerful and less like a hike through the Sahara?
Living in a country like Malta there are plenty of great summer activities that can transform that nightmare scenario of blazing sun and heat into a pleasant experience for you and your family or friends. Your summer can have a real boost if you involve two key ingredients - prior planning and enthusiasm! Making a long list of ideas with your family and friends at the start of the summer will give you a good basis to work on.
The most popular summer activities have to involve some way of getting cold since overheating makes us all far too irate to really enjoy ourselves. So more than likely the number-one activity on your list is going to be swimming (didn't take a rocket scientist for that one). But how can it be made more interesting? One way is to instil a little variety. Instead of simply scurrying down to the same bit of beach just for convenience's sake, why not go to some different beaches? A change of scenery makes life more exciting for the children.
True, it is too hot to travel but sometimes it has to be done so we don't get stuck in a rut. Each beach has its own distinct character . Some have lots of water sports activities going on, which are really enjoyable to watch while relaxing. Others may boast fantastic cliff views.
Varying the times you go for a swim can also make it more interesting. I remember waking my children up at about 6 a.m. once and dragging them out of bed, bleary eyed, for a family swim. It was dead quiet at the beach and we absolutely loved it. The water was calm and as clear as crystal. I think it was the most satisfying swim I have ever had and we all had such a good time laughing and chatting together. We felt like we owned the sea!
Of course the sea has more to offer than just swimming. There are numerous sports to partake of, from scuba diving to jet skiing or paragliding, fishing trips and all sorts of ways to have fun. These things can be a bit costly but maybe the kids can save their pocket money and chip in towards a special day of water sports fun. Along with that most hotels with a swimming pool offer either day or season memberships for those who prefer to relax under a shaded umbrella while the kids jump in and out of the pool. Days out like that can make a refreshing break for families and single people too, can also enjoy time out with friends making use of the best hotel facilities. The Splash and Fun Park also offers superb rides and water-based entertainment that for families and friends (regardless of age). There is a new ride there this year called "The Black Hole", I can't wait to go!
Summer spells out barbecue season to most of us. We all love them and enjoy the variety of outdoor places where we can get one going. When it comes to barbecues the men often love to cook (hunter man of the wild syndrome) and this gives the women a chance to have a much needed break from the stove, which is a real pleasure in the hot sticky weather.
There are some great recipe books and online recipes available if your ideas for what to cook on a barbecue run a little stale from time to time. It's another way to spice up your summer a bit, making adventurous food outdoors. Having some music going will also bring a little extra life to a barbecue night apart from making you feel good having a little song and dance. Summer evenings are great in Malta, they are a chance to get out in the cool night air and unwind after a hectic day in the heat.
Whatever you may have been doing during the day, it has all required effort and the cool evenings are the perfect cure for your fatigue. We need those evenings, we crave for those evenings and they are a big focal point of summer. Whether our choice of company is family or friends the evenings are a great time for social interaction, something that is sadly lacking in this day and age of computer/TV entertainment domination.
Those evenings are a key element to keeping in touch with real life and we should appreciate that opportunity.
As a sports coach I have plenty of experience at keeping kids entertained during the hot summer months. One vital thing needed, whatever you choose to do, is enthusiasm. Children like that sense of adventure, not dreary routine. When you plan activities with them try and think of ways to make it different. Preparing a lunch of ham and cheese sandwiches is easy but with a little more effort and forethought a picnic hamper full of unusual goodies can make a trip to the beach or the park so much more appealing. There are some beautiful parks in Malta which can be really enjoyed in the cool evenings, Buskett Gardens, San Anton Gardens, Garden of Serenity, to name just a few. If the children take a camera or a sketch pad with them they might find they enjoy it much more when you go to places like these. It worked well for my children the last few times we went. This can be followed up at home by making a print-out of pictures and making frames for them, then letting the children decorate a room with them. This will turn the day you spent together into a visual memory and therefore seem more worthwhile.
Kids love to be creative but sometimes they need a little push and some ideas to get them kick-started.
It needn't be expensive, a variety of coloured paper/cards and shiny accessories to glue on them or beads and coloured string can keep children entertained during their indoor time. They can make cards for relatives or friends who are not well to encourage them to show consideration for others. They soon learn how satisfying it can be to make things for other people and will likely want to do more. If you are stuck for ideas have a look on the internet under "arts and crafts" and you will find an abundance of suggestions to make those long hot afternoons spent inside more fulfilling.
Getting some extra books in could be good too for those times when your energy for anything physical has lapsed completely (you can get a bulk order!). Even if your children go to a summer school it is still nice for them to do plenty of activities at home as it is a good chance for parents to become involved in their child's imagination and keep us in tune with their characters.
We all want a good relationship with our kids that will last and doing creative things with them is an excellent tool for building that relationship. They will also doubtlessly enjoy the increased opportunity for parties and sleepovers with friends and cousins that they maybe don't get to see so regularly during the rest of the year.
Malta has a hive of karaokes and nightclubs with various themes that are thriving with partygoers who are into that sort of scene. For the rest of us who are more into family-based entertainment there are plenty of wonderful places to dine out, covering worldwide cuisine. Trying new places and new foods is fun for everyone and helps us to experience different cultures albeit in a small way.
However you choose to spend your summer take it all in your stride. Enjoy the long days and cool nights. Enjoy the chance to dress brightly and lightly to lift your spirits and try to keep smiling as it is contagious to those around you. Beat the heat. Find refreshing things to do that you enjoy with friends or family and get out there to truly make the most of it.