2026 Summer Fun

SUMMER FUN TAB

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2 • Summer Fun

Summer 2026

Summer 2026

Summer Fun • 3

Color Me!

4 • Summer Fun

Summer 2026

MAXIMIZE YOUR SUMMER

VACATION S ummer can fly by. Because summer can sometimes seem to come and go in a flash, it’s important for everyone to make the most of this relaxing time of year.

Vacations from work and school are great ways to make summer memories, and the following are some ways to get even more out of these relaxing breaks from the norm.

• Disconnect for a few days.

Truly disconnect from electronic devices for a period of time to give yourself a mental break.

Stop answering work emails, avoid social media and turn off reminders of things that do not need your attention while you are on vacation or taking a break.

• Book a trip. It’s not the destination but the opportunity to step away from the norm that can help make a person feel like he or she has truly gotten a break.

Get away from your surroundings, if only for a weekend. Nearby resorts and water parks are great

for short jaunts with the kids.

• Take a week off just to relax.

Sometimes a person needs to recharge after going on vacation, as planning a trip and then the trip itself can require a lot of work. Staycations or devoting another week to just lounging around or catching up on tasks around the house can ease pressure. Then it’s possible to go back to work or school feeling even more recharged.

• Get out of the house or office.

What’s the good of sunny skies and hot temperatures if you do not get to enjoy them? Make it a point to spend time outdoors every day.

Smart planning means all members of the family can walk away from vacations with fond memories.

Go for a midday walk, sit in the park after work lets out or throw the ball around with the kids in the backyard. Sunlight can be great for the mind and body.

Doctors with the Heliotherapy, Light, and Skin Research Center at Boston University Medical Center say sunlight triggers the release of serotonin and other hormones associated with a good mood.

Increased exposure to sunlight also can regulate circadian rhythms for better sleep.

Sunlight can trigger the release of nitric oxide into blood vessels, helping to lower blood pressure.

• Explore summer programs.

Adults and children can try new skills and explore different talents this summer. Sign up for a camp or a class that runs several weeks.

This will help stimulate the mind.

• Visit friends and family. Now that schedules have loosened up, take the opportunity to increase time spent with friends or family members, whether they live close by or far away. Make it a point to reconnect with someone who has been out of touch.

Summer is a great time of year to take vacations and reconnect with nature and loved ones.

Summer 2026 Summer Fun • 5

SUMMER FUN! Adventure Awaits This Summer at MOSTHistory!

Mark your calendars for the Museum of South Texas History Summer Camp on August 4th from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Families and children can look forward to an afternoon of hands-on activities, creativity, exploration, and museum fun.

VISIT MOSTHistory.org TO LEARN MORE

*We’re still putting the finishing touches on the day’s activities, but exciting things are in the works. Stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks.

10 6 • •Summer SummerFun Fun

Summer 2026

Color Me!

How to spend a great day at the zoo Z oos, aquariums and wildlife centers offer visitors the opportunity to view exotic animals without having to venture too far from home. Zoos are great places to enjoy a full day of seeing wildlife and enjoying an extraordinary environment.

Children certainly marvel at the sights at zoos, but animals can be equally thrilling for adults.

is rarely seen elsewhere in the world, if at all.

• Buy tickets in advance. Instead of wasting precious time waiting in line for tickets, buy them in advance and then sail through the entryway.

You may even get a discount for buying early.

Some zoos also offer memberships so allow to visit many times at a lower price than standard entry.

Planning a zoo visit in advance can ensure visitors make the most of their trip, and these strategies • Pack healthy snacks and drinks (if allowed). Zoo visits tend to be day-long affairs, so you’ll want to can help elevate any zoo visit. stay hydrated and well fed. Lines can be long at • Choose the right day. Zoos are less likely to be zoo restaurants or snack carts, so having a few crowded on weekdays. If possible, take a day off things on hand can make all the difference. Keep from work or school to visit the zoo early in the in mind some facilities do not allow outside food week. Things may get busier as the weekend or beverages, so check policies prior to arriving. nears.

• Utilize the lockers. If the zoo has lockers, stash • Time it right. On warm days, a zoo can be extra items inside so you’re not bogged down with uncomfortable during the peak heat of the stuff. This is especially helpful when traveling with afternoon. Arrive very early or later in the afternoon young children. when the sun is not beating down; otherwise, think of going on an overcast or slightly misty day when • Plan the visit around the best attraction. Visit the attendance figures to be low and temperatures exhibit you really want to see first. This way if time gets away from you or if everyone tires, you will may be more manageable. not have missed it.

• Research nearby zoos. Conduct some online research to find a zoo featuring animals everyone Zoo are entertaining places to spend a day. Some wants to see. Some may specialize in certain pre-visit planning can make such days even habitats. For example, many people flock to Zoo better.

Atlanta to see the Panamanian Golden Frog, which

Summer 2026 Summer Fun • 7

HOW TO HELP KIDS IN YOUR

COMMUNITY People give back to their communities in various ways.

Some support local charities by volunteering or making financial donations, while others may deliver meals to convalescents who cannot leave their homes.

Helping kids is a popular way to give back to your community.

And helping kids is not just for parents, as young adults and older adults with no children of their own or those whose children are fully grown can give back to kids in their communities in various ways.

Coaching

Youth sports leagues rely on volunteers to run smoothly. Youth sports league coaches are not paid, so each coach is a volunteer.

Inquire with your local government office about how to become a youth sports coach in your community.

In many instances, no coaching

experience is necessary to coach youth sports. However, prospective coaches will likely have to undergo training before they can patrol the sidelines. Such training may include everything from coaching pointers to emergency medical training and more.

Teaching

Teaching school is a full-time job, but not all teaching gigs are paid.

Adults with knowledge to pass along to the next generation may want to explore volunteer teaching

opportunities. Successful professionals can share their professional expertise with high school or college students through community-sponsored programs. Amateur or professional musicians can offer lessons to youngsters interested in learning an instrument, while writers can teach kids about writing. Volunteer teaching opportunities may be easiest to find by speaking to local boys and girls clubs or schools that offer weekend or after school programs.

Fitness

Kids who are not involved in organized athletics may still enjoy exercise, which provides even

more opportunities for adults to give back to the youth in their communities. For example, cycling enthusiasts can work with local youth organizations to sponsor cycling groups for kids. If hiking or kayaking is your passion, look into organizing trips to nearby state parks where kids can hike and/or kayak and learn to love the great outdoors.

Mentoring

Many young people benefit from the guidance of mentors.

Mentoring can be done through an organization such as Big Brothers Big Sisters (www.bbbs.org) or through local school systems that connect professionals from certain fields with students interested in pursuing careers in those fields. Mentoring.org is a great resource for adults interested in mentoring who may not know how to get involved with helping kids in their communities.

Adults who want to give back to the youth in their communities can do so in various ways.

8 • Summer Fun

Summer 2026

FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING A

SUMMER CAMP C

ost also is likely to look for summer camps, Adults often look factor into families’ courtesy of the ACA. back fondly on their decisions, as the childhood experiences American Camp Association Kids’ interests at summer camp. notes that cost can vary The ACA urges parents Camps can provide the greatly depending on which to consider the child’s camp families choose. For interests and personality opportunity to form example, the ACA notes that before choosing a summer lifelong friendships average daily fee at a camp. Parents might want and discover rewarding the resident camp is $85, while their children to attend the hobbies that can enrich the same fee at a day camp same summer camp they campers’ lives for is $43. visited as youngsters, but When looking for a each child is different. Just decades to come. summer camp for kids, because mom and dad liked Choosing a summer families should make the a particular camp does not camp is no small decision together. Kids mean their children will. task, as the options at should be involved in the The ACA notes that summer families’ disposal range selection process, as they’re camps should align with from overnight camps more likely to have an children’s interests and to weekday afternoon enjoyable camp experience maturity level. if they had a say in where camps to camps that they will be spending their Locale specialize in certain summers. The following Locale may only be a programs, such as are some factors families consideration for families music or dance. should consider as they considering overnight

camps. Kids will likely be familiar with the locations of local day camps, but overnight camps might be set in mountain ranges, near the ocean or environments less familiar to youngsters. Kids who love the ocean might benefit from oceanfront camps that focus on marine biology, boating or other activities involving the water. In the same vein, youngsters who like camping and hiking might be more likely to embrace camps located in mountainous regions.

Session length

Camps may last as little as one week or up to a couple of months. Session length should be considered by families looking at

both local day camps and overnight resident camps.

Parents who want their children to enjoy a largely schedule-free summer might not want to commit their children to lengthy camp sessions, even if those sessions are close to home. If parents think their children can benefit from the same structure they’re accustomed to during the school year, then an overnight camp that stretches for several weeks might be what they’re looking for.

Summer camps give kids a chance to make memories that will last a lifetime.

Choosing the right camp is an important decision that parents and kids should make together.

Summer 2026 Summer Fun • 9

Help a child grow as a person Parents want their children to be successful, healthy and happy. That often means providing the best education they can, encouraging quality friendships and being supportive when a child may need some extra guidance. Although there is no magic formula to guide children toward becoming the best versions of themselves, here are steps that parents and other caregivers can take to promote youngsters’ personal growth.

grow and mature, parents have to find a balance between being supportive and watching every move and preventing any obstacle. Adversity can help kids grow.

• Share your own stories. Children may be embarrassed by struggles or failures and want to give up. One of the best ways parents can be supportive is by sharing stories of one’s own struggles and how they overcame them. Perhaps a parent can help a kid who is finding material in school challenging by telling a story about a poor test grade and how he or she needed tutoring but was able to improve performance later on.

• Respond to children’s sounds and gestures. Early childhood development specialists say parents should stimulate baby talk and treat it as real conversation. Individuals should respond to baby’s gurgling and actions and engage throughout the day. As the child grows, responding to their words, • Talk about mistakes that ultimately proved questions and thoughts can help expand a child’s learning opportunities. Children may believe they vocabulary and boost reading levels later in life. have to be perfect at everything, and that can set them up for failure when they don’t accomplish • Help kids find their lanes. Parents may only know every goal. Adults can offer an example of a what they experienced and the paths they took. It mistake they made that helped them grow, such is reasonable for mothers and fathers to want their as getting stuck in foul weather on a hike because children to follow in their footsteps, and sometimes they didn’t check the weather, and having to travel parents push their kids into paths that do not fit. miles in wet shoes. That learning experience may Helping kids find their niche requires trial and error, have helped the adults be more mindful of being patience, and even creativity. Eventually children prepared for outdoor events. will discover their passions, particularly when encouraged by their parents.

• Make time for fun. Success doesn’t always come just from hard work. It also involves knowing when • Provide love and support, not criticism. Parents it is time to let loose and unwind with enjoyable can be their kids’ biggest fans, but not at the cost of activities. Then again, learning opportunities don’t doing everything for them or shielding children from always need to be chores. Learning through play disappointment. They also should not be harsh and exploration also is possible. critics. To help shape strong children who can

Enjoy your Summer!!!

Dr. Riaz Shareef

2025

2024

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Favorite Pediatrician & Favorite Pediatric Clinic

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HOW TO INSTILL A LOVE OF

READING IN YOUNGSTERS R

eading is a rewarding activity that can benefit people throughout their lives. A great way to pass time on a summer day at the beach, reading also can provide a host health benefits, some of which may surprise even the most avid reader.

According to a review from the Cochrane Library, a scientific review board in the United Kingdom, mentally challenging tasks may be beneficial for people with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. Mental stimulation improved scores on memory and thinking tests for people with dementia.

But the benefits of reading are perhaps even more profound for children. The University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital notes that reading and writing skills can help children perform better in the classroom and even benefit them down the road in their professional lives. When children read, they develop skills such as phonemic awareness, which is the ability to hear, identify and play with individual sounds in spoken words. Reading also can help kids develop their vocabulary and reading comprehension skills.

As much as parents promote reading to their

youngsters, getting kids to embrace reading can be difficult.

That may be especially true today, when children have distractions like tablets, phones and social media competing for their attention.

Parents who want to make reading part of their family lifestyle can try these tips, courtesy of the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital.

• Turn off your devices.

The AAP says children youngster than 18 months should be discouraged from using screen media other than video chatting.

Children between 18 and 24 months of age should only use digital devices together with their parents. For children older than two years of age, screen use should be limited to no more than one

A great way to pass time on a summer day at the beach, reading also can provide a host health benefits, some of which may surprise even the most avid reader.

hour per day. Turning off these devices and promoting reading limits kids’ exposure to digital media while providing a perfect opportunity to read.

• Set an example. Children mimic their parents’ behavior.

Kids who see their parents reading books, magazines and newspapers may be more likely to embrace reading than youngsters who do not see their parents reading.

• Read as a family. The C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital notes that reading together with children is a wonderful way for parents to foster a language-rich environment in their families.

Reading can open lines of communication between parents and children, providing a chance for them to discuss books and their themes.

• Visit the library. A trip to the library can help children discover books that align with their interests. Such books may serve as a catalyst for a love of reading in youngsters.

A love of reading can benefit youngsters in numerous ways. Parents can try various strategies to instill a love of reading in their children.