Being Summer Ready With Your Kids

I have learned that if you want success in the summertime (assuming you are staying home with your kids OR need some ideas for the afternoon after work and dinner), then you must have an action plan. If want to avoid your kids plopping down in front of the television or electronics, then getting some activities lined up and fun things to see and do are a MUST. It takes a little time to prep on the front end but it makes it soooo worth it in the long run. Some parents dread summer time because it is a time when their kids are out of routine and they have to “think outside of the box” a bit. Well you are in luck! I have supplied my summer schedule. I hope these activities are easy to implement into your summer routine and you find them helpful in keeping your kids busy and having fun this summer.

A good idea is to have a weekly calendar (and you could even do a weekly theme if you are feeling extra motivated). Here is an example that you could use to load up the entire summer with fun things (I have also attached a blank calendar that you can print out and fill in):

Mondays = Crafts, Play-doh and Science Experiments (I love to do parent/teacher led directed-drawing and I get many of my ideas from Pinterest, I also go to Pinterest for science experiments.

Tuesdays = Library, journaling and forts at home (Spend an hour or two at the library-storytime or just sitting and looking at books, playing with their toys, or jumping on the computer for some educational games. Journal at home giving your kids certain topics or free-write…you choose. These will be wonderful momentos for your kids when they are older looking back at their summers. We LOVE building forts at home and it keeps the kids entertained for hours! Pull out different supplies each week to go in the forts…such as cardboard boxes, baby dolls, play food and they can have a restaurant, etc.)

Wednesdays = Water Play (could be sprinkler, water table, squirt guns, a public pool, etc.)

Thursdays = Park and biking or festivals in the area (switch up the parks you go to, go on nature hikes, go bird watching, take a park tour with a ranger, go biking on trails, go biking around the neighborhood, go biking with friends, put glow sticks on your bike and do a nighttime bike tour, etc.)

Fridays = Zoo (if you have a membership, go and spend the day in just one section of the zoo instead of trying to cover all areas. This will make the time you spend there each week a bit different and fresh. If you don’t have a membership, the zoo is free for Lucas County residents every Monday).

Saturdays = Finish anything throughout the week that didn’t get done OR repeat anything throughout the week that they enjoyed. Or…Cook something together such as cookies or dinner.

Sundays =  Family Fun Day (Do a scavenger hunt, try playing a game of soccer or organized sport together, sidewalk chalk, a game of freeze tag or kick the can, Go to another town and hang out, play board games if it is a rainy day, etc.)

Having the summer planned gives you direction and fun things planned that your kids will remember forever and mimic one day with their own kids. Take each of the ideas I have planned for each day of the week and start filling out your calendar now. Watch the fun begin with your littles this summer. You’ll be planning summer out every year…it is just that AWESOME!