News & Events

Some planned activities and events to look forward to this coming month are as described.

Special Activities:

Watch Out For ChildrenSurviving Summer Boredom with your Kids. Sometimes, especially with younger children, cries of boredom are really calls for companionship and attention – their friends may be away on vacation and without the structure of school they may find it difficult to keep occupied during long summer days. Prolonged intervals where the kids have nothing to do can be stressful for parents. When bored, children often become demanding.

Here are five easy tips to help parents' combat summer boredom and help kids develop the internal resources that are important for developing creative, resource and time management skills:

Weekly CalendarWeekly Calendar. Put a weekly calendar together so as not to overwhelm yourself with planning entertainment for an entire summer, just take it one week at a time – day trips, arts and craft activities, play-dates, reading time, nature hikes, picnics, bike rides, a trip to the movie theatre etc. This way kids will have something to look forward to during down time. A calendar also helps with getting kids prepared for what comes next.

Creative ThoughtCreative Thought. Ask, "If you could do anything, what would you like to do?" Try and encourage your children to generate their own ideas for activities – they are more apt to have fun when they thought it up on their own! Reinforcing that children use their imaginations will also help them develop a sense of resourcefulness and get them in the habit of making their own choices about how they will spend their time.

Art SuppliesBasic Supplies. Keep an "art box" handy full of supplies: scissors, fabric, felt, glue, paints and brushes, stickers, paper, markers, canvas, needle and thread, beads, yarn, picture magazines etc. Rummaging through a box of art supplies can ignite the imagination and occupy children for long periods of time. They could even begin an entrepreneurial enterprise and sell their wares at the end of the summer.

SplashWater Play. Inspire them to play with water. Water is very calming and soothing for children and they can play for many hours by keeping cool. Get them to wash the car, hose off the deck, or run through a sprinkler. Take them to a community splash pad or pool, make musical instruments by filling different shaped glasses with varying amounts of water; fill a kiddies pool and bathe the dog, even wash the dishes and blow bubbles with the detergent!

VolunteerVolunteer Time. For children too young to get a summer job and too old to be entertained by a craft box or a water slip-n-slide, invite them to volunteer at the local hospital or animal shelter or start their own business by cutting the neighbor’s lawn or washing windows. These types of endeavors help fight summer boredom and also instill qualities like compassion, kindness and a sense of work ethic in children.

SUMMER SAFETY TIPS:

Safe Summer TipsHave a Safe Summer. Keep your family safe this summer by following these tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

Heat Stress in Exercising Children. Before prolonged physical activity, stay well-hydrated with frequent water/hydration breaks. Clothing should be light-colored, lightweight and limited to one layer of absorbent material to facilitate evaporation of sweat. Sweat-saturated shirts should be replaced by dry clothing.

Pool Safety. Never swim alone. Keep rescue equipment and a portable telephone near the pool. Children age four and older should be taught to swim.

Bug Safety. Don't use scented soaps, perfumes or hair sprays. Combination sunscreen/insect repellent products should be avoided because sunscreen needs to be reapplied every two hours, but the insect repellent should not be reapplied. Use insect repellents containing (10-30%) DEET when needed to prevent insect related diseases.

Playground Safety. The playground should have safety-tested mats or protective surface at least six feet in all directions from the equipment. Do not play barefoot or unsupervised on the playground.

Bicycle Safety. Ride a bike that is the right size – oversized bikes are dangerous. Wear a helmet which meets the CPSC safety standard on every bike ride.

Skateboard, Scooter, In-Line Skating & Heelys Safety. All skateboarders and scooter-riders should wear a helmet and other protective gear; such as wrist guards. While in-line skating or wearing Heelys, be sure to wear appropriate protective equipment and only skate on designated paths or rinks and not on the street.

Lawn Mower Safety. Wear shoes (not sandals or sneakers) with hearing and eye protection while mowing. Prevent injuries from flying objects, such as stones or toys, by picking up objects from the lawn before mowing begins. Always turn off the mower and wait for the blades to stop completely before removing the grass catcher, unclogging the discharge chute, or crossing gravel paths, roads, or other areas.

SUGGESTED ACTIVITY:

One World, Many StoriesWhen You Read, You Score! The Boston Bruins will be continuing their summer reading program, "When You Read, You Score!" in conjunction with the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. Last summer over 90,000 children throughout the state participated in the program. The theme for this year's program is "One World, Many Stories," with reading lists and materials focused on the environment. To register, click here.

Throughout the summer, the Bruins will be hosting a variety of visits at local libraries throughout Massachusetts. A special Bruins reading list will let kids and teens know what books the players are reading themselves, with their families or remember from their own childhood. Each child who completes the program will receive a special Boston Bruins bookmark.

Age appropriate categories range from Children Ages 5-7, Children Ages 7-11 and Children/Teens Ages 12 & older. Children will have the opportunity to win a variety of Bruins prizes, depending on their age level. Prizes within each category range from:

  • 5 winners will receive a Milan Lucic Puck
  • 3 winners will receive a Tyler Seguin Jersey
  • 1 Grand Prize winner will receive a unique Special Opportunity with the Bruins (to greet members of the Boston Bruins as they get ready to take the ice during a Boston Bruins Home Game; to sit on the bench during pre-game warm-ups of a Boston Bruins Home Game; or to ride on the zamboni during the intermission of a Boston Bruins Home Game)