Family-Friendly Summer Activities

HAPPY SUMMER!
Family-Friendly Summer Activities

suggested by our friends at Informed Families

Summer is finally here! We're all ready for a much needed break from homeschooling and looking forward to some fun. However, a less structured day and minimal supervision can spell trouble for some kids and teens.

Spending time together as a family is a great time to build healthy relationships. When you're enjoying activities with your kids, use it as an opportunity to talk and really listen to one another. The earlier you start connecting with your kids, the better. If your kids aren't used to talking to you about what's going on in their lives when they are 8 or 10 years old, it's harder to get them talking when they are 12-14 years old.

Check out the list of family-friendly summer activities below that are not only fun but also healthy and safe!

MIND

• Do a puzzle – create a cozy puzzle corner so you can complete complex puzzles over time
• Watch a documentary – Netflix and Disney+ has some great ones
• Write a story or play – get those creative juices flowing
• Listen to a podcast – check out NPR’s Wow in the World
• Build with Legos or blocks – an all-time favorite for younger kids

BODY

• Take a walk – hit the beach or a nature trail
• Do yoga – Cosmic Kids Yoga combines yoga, mindfulness and storytelling
• Have a dance party - take turns being the DJ!
• Bike riding – have your kids map out the route beforehand
• Play charades – everyone can join in the fun

SPIRIT

• Pray – pray through words, art or song
• Listen to music or sing – share some of your favorites with your children, and listen to some of theirs
• Write in a journal – a great activity for reflection & goal setting
• Meditate – everyone benefits from taking time out each day to "unplugged", relax, and focus.
• Create a gratitude or vision board – hang the completed masterpiece up where it can be seen everyday

ENVIRONMENT

• Wash the family car – kids love to help out
• Draw murals outside with colored chalk – the driveway or sidewalk is your canvas
• Garden – start an herb or vegetable planter
• Go through toys, clothes and books – decide what you can donate
• Volunteer – help your kids develop empathy & compassion for others

FAMILY

• Play board games – so many great ones to choose from
• Cook dinner together – the Food Network has tons of kid-friendly recipes
• Watch a movie – perfect for a family night in
• Have a picnic – this can be as easy as spreading a blanket down in your backyard
• Tell stories about old memories – a great way to create new memories too

Happy 4th of July - Have a Safe Summer!

Red Ribbon 2020 - A Hopeful Look Ahead!

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused InnerAct Alliance’s board of directors and staff to doubt the wisdom of holding our usual Fall programs and events that are attended annually by large groups of people, including children and their families. Safety is our main priority. While no one knows for certain what the months ahead will bring, we are beginning to plan some special activities and events that may take on a different look for 2020 as we attempt to follow safe social distancing practices.

Here’s a preview of what’s ahead:

With the uncertainty surrounding the Coronavirus and the challenges associated with hosting a large community event within social distancing guidelines, the InnerAct Alliance board of directors and staff have made a difficult decision that the Red Ribbon Run cannot be planned in its traditional format this year.

Exciting plans are underway to create a new Red Ribbon Virtual Race and Challenge which will begin on September 28, 2020 with Family Day - A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children and continue through the month of October. The Red Ribbon Race and Challenge will present "prevention challenges" for students and adults to achieve milestones in an Olympic-themed virtual race offering bronze, silver, and gold levels for participants to earn medals and prizes! Completed challenges will be represented as milestones along a virtual path. 

Details for registration and weekly themed prevention challenges will be announced soon. Challenge themes may include: Nutrition, Healthy Body-Healthy Mind, Kindness, Anti-Bullying and Tolerance, Push-ups/Sit-ups, Run/Bike/Hike a Mile activities, etc. 

We hope you will join us for a new, different, and fun Red Ribbon event!

2020: A Year Like No Other!

We can probably all agree that it’s been one heck of a crazy year! 2020 began in the usual way - going to work, learning at school, playing sports, attending events, enjoying restaurants and movies, and hanging out with friends. Then suddenly in mid-March, along came the COVID-19 pandemic and our everyday lives came to a screeching halt as we were forced to adjust to a “new normal” to keep safe. Suddenly, we were staying home, social distancing, wearing a face mask, washing our hands more often, and experiencing life virtually rather than in person!

This has not been an easy time for anyone. No one wants to be apart from friends and family members and we miss interacting with each other. And, with school closings and many other closures and cancellations, we have missed out on celebrating special events such as prom, graduation, sports seasons, weddings, parties, vacation trips, etc.

As Summer begins, we are beginning to see hopeful signs that spread of the Coronavirus has lessened with fewer people becoming seriously ill. Hopefully, we can start to enjoy a return to normal with workplaces, restaurants, beaches, and theme parks reopening with safety precautions in place. Scientists are still studying COVID-19, so it’s important that we continue to keep safety in mind and social distance because there is no vaccine yet to help us become immune to this quick-spreading virus.

We want to stay connected while social distancing so we can continue to give and receive support from one another. InnerAct Alliance is committed to staying in touch with our amazing students, supportive business and prevention partners, families, and community. We are planning our Fall activities and events within safe social distancing guidelines and we look forward to celebrating the Annual Red Ribbon Campaign during October, teaching prevention education classes to students, and providing a great learning experience for our UthMpact Leadership Class X teen leaders – albeit in an alternate way. Be safe and stay well!

10 Ways To Take Care of Your Mental Health

SAMHSA's National Prevention Week May 10-16, 2020

NATIONAL PREVENTION WEEK – MAY 10-16, 2020

InnerAct Alliance is honored to partner with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to celebrate National Prevention Week (NPW) from May 10-16, 2020, an annual health observance to increase public awareness and action for substance abuse prevention and promote positive mental health. NPW is organized around some of the following theme days with resources and activities to focus attention on substances that threaten the health of our communities:

Monday: Preventing Prescription Drug & Opioid Misuse

Talk. They Hear You: Talking With Your Child About Opioids

Opioid Facts For Teens

Keeping Prescriptions Safe: The Facts About Prescription Drugs Kahoot! Game

Secure Your Meds

Opioid Prevention Toolkit

Tuesday: Preventing Underage Drinking & Alcohol Misuse

Talk. They Hear You: What You Can Do To Prevent Your Child From Drinking

Alcohol & Drug Addiction Happens In The Best Of Families

AlcoholFX Mobile App

Drugs & Alcohol: Can You Tell Fact From Fiction Kahoot! Game

 Wednesday: Preventing Illicit Drug Use & Youth Marijuana Use

Tips For Teens: The Truth About Marijuana

Marijuana: Facts Parents Need To Know

Drug Fact Sheets

Marijuana Myths: Can You Tell Fact From Fiction? Kahoot! Game

Thursday: Preventing Youth Tobacco Use (E-cigarettes & Vaping)

E-cigarettes & Youth: What Parents Need To Know

Three Surprising Risks Of Vaping Video

Tips For Teens: The Truth About E-Cigarettes

E-cigs, Vapes, & Mods: What Do You Know About Vaping? Kahoot! Game



 Friday: Preventing Suicide

#BeThe1To Campaign

Help Prevent Suicide

Resources For Suicide Prevention

With families spending more time at home to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus, this is an opportune time for parents to engage in meaningful discussion with their children to share fact-based information about alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. Knowledge can help youngsters to make informed decisions and help families stay healthy and substance-free.   For more great information and resources, please visit the Drug Free America Foundation website at www.dfaf.org or SAMHSA at www.samhsa.gov

Risks of Smoking & How It Relates to COVID-19

Thanks to our friends at Tobacco Free Florida and the Florida Health Department for sharing this important and very timely information....another great reason to quit smoking now or better yet, NEVER START!

Tips to Stay Sane While Self Quarantined During COVID-19