Last summer holiday, my son took a cooking class and since then he has never stopped boasting about his cooking skills. To be honest, my kitchen is under siege by this young chef, but on the other hand, it saves me from so much cooking stress, because he helps me out most times and during weekends he offers to make breakfast for the family. “One day I would start my cooking show and teach other young kids how to cook”, he always says. I hope that one day is very soon.

The summer holiday is the longest holiday break where kids are out of school for about a month and a half, and I am sure doing nothing all through is not an option for your kids. Why not enrol them in learning various skills that would be beneficial to their personal growth and development. Learning a skill during the summer holiday also helps to keep your child’s brain active. 

We have put together a list of various skills your child can learn during this summer break for you to take a pick. .

Swimming 

Swimming is a life-saving skill. Does your child know how to swim? If you answered in the negative, why don’t you register your child in a swimming class this summer holiday? Do not wait any longer, the earlier the better. Swimming helps to burn calories, it helps to improve sleep quality, boosts mood, helps manage stress, and so on. So what are you waiting for? This summer is the time to get in the water. *Winks*

Learn a New Language

Did you know that kids can learn additional languages faster than adults? According to recent research, the ability to learn a new language, at least grammatically, is strongest until the age of 18 after which there is a significant decline. Learning new languages boosts brain power and improves your memory. Learning a new language also has a lot of advantages especially for taking up jobs in the future. So, if you plan to send your child out to learn a new language this summer break, you are in order.

Cooking/ Baking  

Cooking is one of the basic survival skills, and it is not a gender-based skill, Lol, against popular misconception.  Both boys and girls should be taught how to make simple dishes like how to boil and fry an egg, boil rice and even prepare other simple meals. Apart from being able to lend a helping hand in the kitchen, kids need to have this vital skill when they live on their own in the future. Most kids like cakes and pastries, and will be glad to learn how to make them. So you have this summer holiday to make it happen.

Sewing

Sewing is a money-saving skill to learn and also a money-making skill. Apart from knowing how to sew a button and mend parts of clothes, learning to make and design simple garments can fetch kids a lot of money. Today there are lots of kid entrepreneurs doing amazing things with their know-how, making money, and expanding their businesses. A good example is Maya Penn, a  fashion designer that started her fashion company at the age of 8. If your child is interested in fashion then this summer holiday is just a time to give it a try.  

First aid treatment and fire safety

What could be a more useful skill than one that helps preserve life itself? Oh did you remember how a footballer slumped on the pitch recently and was resuscitated by his fellow teammate through knowledge of CPR? It’s a skill that everyone should have today. Your child needs to know simple first-aid treatment, such as treating a wound or learning to give CPR(Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) and this summer holiday is just a time to consider getting some training on that.

Coding 

Coding is how we communicate with computers, and what we use to build and run websites, apps, games, and more. Enrolling your kids into a tech school or for a tech boot camp this summer holiday is an excellent way of encouraging their interest in coding and programming. Your child might just be the next Mark Zuckerberg.

Others skills to consider include ;

• Graphics and Digital Design
• Photography and Videography 
• Public Speaking 
• Proper table manners.
• New Sports – Basketball, Lawn Tennis, Golf, etc.
• New Musical Instrument? 

Just before the summer holiday comes examinations and yes, it’s around the corner. See 10 tested study tips to help your child excel