Blogging the Summer Days Away

Last Updated on August 1, 2023

Summer is in full swing-- kids are enjoying their newfound freedom while parents have started counting down the days until fall. Typically, children spend the first week of summer excitedly rushing from camp to the beach to sleepovers. After the honeymoon phase, however, they will inevitably slump on the couch and proclaim: I’m bored!

Instead of turning to Fortnight or another mindless movie, there are so many good reasons why kids should spend their free time blogging. A blog, for those who are unfamiliar, functions as a public or private online journal operated by a small group or individual. Most blogs have a niche or specialty, like gardening or cooking. They are usually conversational, but can be more formal depending on the purpose.

Blogging serves several purposes for young people and it is the perfect task to keep their minds buzzing in the leisure of summertime. Teachers can assign blogs as a creative summer task or parents can encourage them. Here are some reasons to encourage the young ones in your life to keep a summer blog:

Blogging encourages a passion or hobby

Since most blogs have a theme, the young people creating them will have the challenge of choosing a specific interest. Maybe she couldn’t get enough of that robotics club she joined last year. Or he loves painting and design. Whatever the topic, blogs encourage children to dive deeper into a particular passion and learn more about it. If your child is just starting out, there hundreds of practice sets of questions and games about web design, blogging, graphic design available here to help develop an interest before jumping in.

It develops Language Arts skills

Regular reading and writing during summer ensures that students are practicing or enhancing what they learned the previous year. Since blogs focus on the individual’s interests, it will not seem like a chore and they will love writing about their chosen topic. Keep them challenged and growing in the summer.  

Blogs build self-esteem

Young people do not have the opportunity to be experts very often. Blogs allow them to take the wheel and share what they know about a topic, no matter how small. Explaining or teaching a concept to others reaffirms their understanding and also fosters pride and accomplishment. Encourage them to share their posts and expand on them.

It can turn into a lifelong venture
Often, exploring a passion at a young age ignites a career choice down the road. Getting a jumpstart on an interest could prove very beneficial. Even if blogging does not turn into a career venture, it is something children will have to look back on for years. Since all work is digital, it’s less likely to get lost in the chaos of everyday life.

If you are on board, here are some popular (and free) blog sites to explore:

• Blogger.com
• Kidzworld.com
• Wordpress.com

If you do allow your child or student’s blog to be public, be sure to have a serious conversation about their digital footprint. Once the child hits the submit button, the information is always out there in some way or another. Explain boundaries like withholding all personal information. Stay involved so you know and see what they are writing.

If you are a parent who does not have access to technology at home, don’t worry. Students can still write down and sketch their ideas on paper. They could make a mini-magazine or take the pages to the computer lab once school starts up again. The important part is that they are exercising creativity, language skills, and getting some positive reinforcement along the way.

Happy blogging!