SUMMER is synonymous with fun, probably because we have our long summer vacation — almost three months — and without school! But summer being summer, which is very hot, we need to know how to have the right kind of fun so that what we do is a pleasure. And as this break between academic sessions is not just about taking a total break from all activities that are fruitful and make us knowledgeable, we must not waste it in sleeping and playing computer games.

Doing nothing for long can become boring so this is the right time to plan how you should be spending this vacation so that you do have some fun and also use the free time to indulge in things that you couldn’t get to do the rest of the year. The best action plan should have a balanced mix of fun and interesting activities with some learning and skill development routines. Your aim should be to become better and more skilled at something by the time you go back to school in August.

But be warned, with so many summer activities being advertised these days, don’t cram so much into the vacation that you end up getting more tired than on regular school days and your parents get spent, both physically and financially, in taking you all over the town to the various summer camps and classes you have joined.

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A great vacation need not cost a lot, you can still have a good time if you let yourself have a good time and not get bored very quickly, as many children are prone to these days.

Let’s look at some things you can do this summer to rightly utilise your vacation while enjoying yourself too. Please note, this list is not exhaustive so you can make your own different plans which your parents approve. The point is to utilise your time in the best way.

Snooze

THE first few days after exams are for sleeping and being lazy. You deserve it after all the hard work. So just chill....

Clean up the mess

ONCE you are able to lift your head from your pillow, look around your room and see how messy it is, unless your dotting mum and maid kept it clean for you.

The first thing you need to do is clear your books – if you are going to start a new academic session, sort all the books and notebooks you will not be using. Either give them away to someone junior who may reuse them or sell them to a bookshop that keeps second-hand course books so that others may benefit from it.

If you have started your new academic session or have the new books for your new class, keep a few of the textbooks within reach so that you can study them a bit during the holidays to be better prepared when school restarts after vacation.

Summer camps

YOU can join a summer camp —be it for sports, skills, crafts, music, or a learning-based one. But do keep in mind that this is not a must for everyone. Talk to your parents, check out the activities taking place near you home and then decide if it is worth spending your time and money on.

Invite friends over

YOU can invite your friends and cousins to your place for an evening or day. After getting permission from your parents for this, plan a simple menu that is easy for your mum to prepare. You and your pals can play games, which can be indoor ones as well as outdoor games if there is space for it. You can also watch a movie or something else on TV. And do remember to help your mum in cleaning up once everyone leaves.

A lot of people like going out with friends, which is pretty fun, but with the law and order situation a bit worrisome these days, arranging to meet your friends at your or someone else’s place is much better than an outing at some restaurant. And this is something your parents will agree to more easily than letting your go out with friends.

A day trip

PLAN a day trip with family. There are many parks and recreational places in all cities and rural areas offer a lot of places that can be great picnic spots. Prepare a picnic basket with yummy goodies, take along your bat and balls, umbrella, a mat or sheet to spread and sit on, extra water for washing hands and enjoy a lazy time with the family.

If you are going for some sightseeing, click photos and enquire about the history of the place. And even if all you see is old buildings or just trees and nature, don’t be bored.

Connect with nature

GROWING up in the era of gadgets, theme parks, rides and fast food outlets, many children today don’t enjoy a jaunt in natural surroundings, which is really sad because we are distancing ourselves from nature and choosing technology and made-made things over what God made. This is unhealthy for our instincts, reflexes and senses.

Take this time to connect with nature and you will find it very rewarding and refreshing. Visit a place where there is silence except for the sounds in nature, of birds singing, leaves blowing in the wind and rustling beneath your feet. Look at the night sky without any electric light making the darkness dull, you will notice the twinkling of stars to be more fascinating than any firework display.

Learn a new language

TO learn a new language, or polish the one you already know like Urdu and English, you can get enrolled in a language class or just turn to internet and learn it for free! Internet has many useful sites and resources that can help you learn the basics of most languages, and the audio will help you get the pronunciation right. You don’t have to become an expert overnight, just pick up some useful phrases that are used every day and impress your friends with your newfound skill.

Fun with family

WITH everyone so busy these days, we don’t get to spend as much time with family as we would want, especially those who don’t live with us, like our grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. Visit them to catch up with all you missed and get pampered.

Remember to shower your grandparents with lots of attention and listen to their stories even if you have heard it a hundred times before. They will love the attention and their prayers for you are priceless.

Learn a skill

LEARN a skill which you don’t know, or polish the one you already have, such as computer graphics, painting, playing a musical instrument, a game, math, writing, cooking, crochet, making loom bands, woodwork — absolutely anything suitable for your age and which you like.

Last, but not the least, help your parents out around the house, don’t fight with your siblings or bug your parents with unnecessary demands.

Let it be a time to relax, unwind and enjoy for everyone. And enjoyment doesn’t need action all the time. Just stay cool and safe. Happy holidays!