Spring Break PACES
Whether you’re traveling or just hanging out at home, Spring Break is an ideal time to build your kid up with PACES (Positive Childhood Experiences). We’ve put together five days of PACES activities that you can try this break. These activities work for kids of all ages.
What are PACES?
You may have heard of ACES (Adverse Childhood Experiences). These are deeply traumatic experiences (like abuse and neglect) that can impact kids into adulthood. Thankfully, there’s an “antidote” to ACES. It’s called PACES (Positive Childhood Experiences). PACES can help kids become more resilient after trauma and help protect all kids against abuse. By supporting positive childhood experiences, you help a child create connection, strengthen their sense of self, and find purpose.
Five activities to try:
1. Plan a fun family dinner.
Choose a theme—like everyone has to wear a hat, or every type of food served must start with same letter or be the same color, or maybe it's "Crazy Dinner" and every member of the family gets to pick their favorite kind of food (the crazier the mix, the better).
How routines help kids.
It's about more than the meal. Healthy routines, such as eating family meals together, reduce stress and help kids stay grounded. To keep routines from becoming boring, mix things up and make it fun. Laughter helps a family bond.
2. Plan a play date or be the chauffer.
Plan some friend time. Organize a play date for a younger child, or help an older kid meet up with friends by offering to drive kids back and forth.
Why friend time is good for kids.
Kids need friendships that are built around someone they can trust and have fun with. A close friendship creates a protective relationship against bullying and rejection and also helps kids learn how to deal with conflict.
3. Try out a new hobby.
Introduce your child to a new activity—such as gardening, sewing, woodworking, bird watching, cooking, star gazing, or acting. When you child does show strong interest in a particular hobby, support their exploration.
How hobbies help kids.
Hobbies offer kids a chance to build their self-identity and have something that is uniquely theirs. Any kind of recreational activity helps kids with self-discipline and self-regulation. All of these can help a child build confidence and self-esteem.
4. Get moving.
Help your child do something active—whether its sports or active play such as bouncing on a trampoline, going to a skateboard park, or walking the dog.
How physical activity helps kids.
Stress can come in many forms. Stress creates a physiological response in the body. Physical activity can help a child handle the physical effects of stress in a healthy manner, as opposed to bottling up emotions or lashing out to relieve the stress they are experiencing.
5. Volunteer.
Look for age-appropriate ways your child can volunteer—such as making or serving food for a shelter or tidying up a neighborhood park.
How volunteering helps kids.
Volunteering demonstrates to children that the needs of others are valid and should be addressed. Volunteering gets kids outside of their world and teaches them that they can accept help when they need it.