Summer Vacations - How Do They Impact Kids' Health?

Summer vacations are a holiday period for students because of high environmental temperature, especially, in the months of May and June. Most of the kids go to their native village or hill stations to enjoy vacations.

The purpose of the summer holidays is also to give a break to students and parents from the regular school routine. It encourages students to indulge in extracurricular activities. But summer vacations are about taking a break from your academic routine, not from a healthy lifestyle. So, one should ensure that these vacations do not have a negative impact on kids’ health.

Impact On Kids’ Health:

Although summer vacations protect children from the scorching heat of the Sun, there are some negative impacts on their health too. Sometimes, it can have adverse effects on:

• Physical Health: Nowadays, students spend most of their holidays watching television, playing video games or doing other indoor stuff. This, in turn, is making them lethargic which can lead to various chronic health issues such as obesity, diabetes, etc. Moreover, using mobile phones for a prolonged period of time also lead to eyesight problems, migraine, etc.

• Mental Health: Spending most of the time sitting in the bedroom and using electronic gadgets can result in gadget addiction in your child. This affects a child’s social life and leads to psychological problems such as depression, anxiety and stress.

Ways to keep your child fit and fine during summer break:

1. Indulge In Outdoor Activities: Due to a high level of physical activity, children are at lower risk of obesity. It is advised to play outdoor games in early morning or evening to protect yourself from sunburn. Fluid intake should also be increased during summers. Moreover, exposure to sunlight increases the production of Vitamin D in the body which is very important for muscle and bone development.

2. Do Regular Exercise: By making your child do regular exercise, you can keep him/her fit and fine. It also increases immunity, thus, keeping your child away from various diseases and infections.

3. Indulge In Veggie Gardening Projects: When children watch vegetables grow, they become more curious about them. This makes them understand the nutritional value as health benefits of various vegetables. Thus, it incorporates healthy food habits in children.

4. Learn Some Creative Skills: Summer vacations give you ample time to invest in creative skills such as singing, dancing, swimming, etc. This improves a child’s imagination and makes the child think creatively.

5. Eat Healthy: Eating fruits and leafy vegetables is very good for a child’s wellbeing. Fruits rich in fibres are crucial for a child’s physical health. Furthermore, seasonal food such as lassi, aegle marmelos (bel) juice and fruits such as mango, watermelon, muskmelon, etc protect the child from dehydration during the summers.

6. Explore Nature: Nature gives you peace of mind and is very good for emotional and mental health. It helps children better cope with stress and anxiety.

With the help of the ways mentioned above, you can make summer vacations, healthy vacations for your kid.