With the summer months quickly approaching, and the last days of school within eyesight for kids – you’ll need a gameplan to ensure you are able to survive the summer and make sure that you have lots of activities to keep the kids busy.
Create a calendar for the summer months with your kids! Use large sheets of poster board, and create the boxes for the days big enough for your kids to fill with activities and stickers or drawings or whatever else they would like to use to decorate. Once the calendar is decorated you can work with your kids to fill the days with activities that everyone can enjoy but also making sure there is space for chores to be done!
While having a summer full of activities seems like a great idea to make sure the kids are kept busy and out of your hair, make sure you also make time to book down time with your kids. This will give you a chance to connect with your kids over a book, a movie (if it’s raining) or another quiet activity. But it can also give parents a chance to add in a fun surprise activity for the kids!
To mix things up – make each week of the summertime have a theme. Base some of your meals, crafts and activities around that theme! You can even add an element of education into your themes by using the week to teach your kids some fun facts!
Reach out to relatives, or your kids friends parents throughout the summer. See if anyone is willing to organize a sleepover for a couple of nights and then do the opposite with their children. At that point each parent will be able to have an evening to themselves in order to recharge to get some of their own chores done.
Make sure to have lots of activities and supplies accessible to them that will encourage outdoor playtime. Their imaginations will entertain them for hours as long as they are prepared with a few tools to guide them in that direction.
Try to give your kids some of the control when choosing the activities to do, guide them to make good decisions that will not lead them in harms way but also let them plan a movie night, or decide which park to go to, or what activity to fill a rainy day with.
And finally, remember to stay engaged with your kid when you are able. They would love to be able to make some memories with you instead of being left alone all summer.
FAQs
Why is it important to create a summer calendar with your kids?
Creating a summer calendar helps organize activities, making the summer enjoyable while also allowing space for chores.
What materials can you use to create the summer calendar?
Use large sheets of poster board to create a visually appealing calendar that kids can decorate with stickers and drawings.
How can downtime benefit both kids and parents during the summer?
Downtime allows parents to connect with their kids over quiet activities and can also provide an opportunity for fun surprise activities.
What is a fun way to structure summer activities?
Assign a theme for each week, incorporating themed meals, crafts, and educational fun facts related to the theme.
How can you involve relatives or friends in summer plans?
Reach out to relatives or friends’ parents to organize sleepovers, allowing parents to have time for themselves while kids enjoy their friends.
