Summer is coming and school is already out for some of you! So beginning today, we’re going to be talking about how to set up your summer for success.
I’ll be challenging you with practical tips and encouragement to clear your calendar clutter, develop a routine that works, get your family on board, bust the boredom, and stock your freezer. There will be projects, printables, and lots of ideas that have worked well for our family.
Stay tuned for the first post later today!
{And if you have an amazing tip or suggestion that has helped your family have a successful summer, submit it here and I might share it this week or next. I’d also love to have some of you submit a guest post on the topic of how to stay organized and manage your time well during the summer months or on a creative idea for frugal family fun. You can submit your guest post here.}
dawn says
One of the first things I do for summer is check my local coupon books that come in the mail! There’s usually always adds/coupons for bowling, free or $1 kids movies etc. We have 9 kids movies playing this summer (one a week) m-f for a $1 per ticket. I have coupons for $1.99 per game of under watering bowling. My plan is usually to spread the things that cost money out a little. We have lots of squirt guns and wet balls etc for playing in the yard (free, and one of my kids most favorite activities) we hit up the local parks with picnics and go down the the fountains at the river when possible. I usually just keep a loose plan, BC while the kids might be off, mom still works 6 days a week!
AM says
We are going to try the ‘Do It Yourself Summer Camp’ this year. There is a whole article on Power of Moms (http://powerofmoms.com/2012/05/do-it-yourself-summer-camp/)
It has a plan for ‘Must Do’s’ like reading, chores, etc . and then goals like Make-it Monday, Take a trip Tuesday, Wet Wednesday, etc. I hope it will give us a good amount of structure, but also help us feel like we are enjoying summer, too!
Laurie says
This summer I feel is our first summer where things are very planned out. I quit my nursing job after being with the company for 24 years a week ago. My stress is gone and while I am looking for a job to better fit our family needs I am in no hurry thanks to my emergency fund.
My kids are 5&9 this summer. For the next 4 weeks they will be involved in am morning camps. We then come home to have lunch and my oldest will read for an hour and little one will have quiet time. It is also after that the kids help with household things. We then hit the pool from 4-7 and have dinner with barytone after that. I follow our school schedule all summer long. I feel my kids do really well. With this.
Some free things we love to do is go to the art museum,free skate daze,free bowling. Every sat Lakeshore learning center has a nice craft kids can do for free. We also found a place that shows outdoor movies every sat night for the summer. The have the fire pits. You bring the food and fix ins and the movie starts at dusk. How cool. Our community has so much to do. Happy summer.
Carol@simple_catholic says
This sounds like a fun challenge! One of the things we do that prevents boredom during the summer is to home-school year round. We do an abbreviated program that includes more hands-on projects that we just can’t get to during the “regular” school year.
In three weeks we will be moving into an apartment complex that has a pool, so that will help with the boredom, too. 🙂
Jessica says
Boredom? That word is not in my vocabulary! I am never at a loss for things to do or that need to be done!
Erin @ My Mommy World says
This is such a great idea! I feel like the summer has just snuck up on me this year and I don’t have much planned.
I always love your ideas, thanks so much for this series 🙂
Jillian Kay says
I’ve got nothing — my kids are still young so summer is kind of like every other day.
I did want to say I love your graphic though.
Anne says
When my children hovered around the ages of 7-10, my weekly schedule structure needed a tune up. These ideas worked well for our family and my daughters still talk about the good old days.
What student can’t resist a field trip? Friday became our ‘field trip’ day. Some of our favorite outings included : Bring a sketch pad to the art museum (free admission), choose a work of art to sketch; visit a metro area park that we had never gone to before. Pack up the bikes, scooters, rollerblades into the car with a picnic lunch; Find a stream and make Curious George paper boats…have a boat race; Hunt for fossils near a robust river. Cut out a wide strip of sticky clear contact paper and make a bracelet – sticky side out – take a nature walk and pick up leaves etc and stick to the bracelet. Talk about God’s creations.
Chanda says
I think the biggest tip is like any normal day, do as much prep/planning the night before. Be ready for the day, don’t just let the day happen to you.
JenMarie says
Great timing! So glad you picked this as a series as my kids are out of school in less that 2 weeks and I don’t feel geared up for summer yet. I don’t want to let things “just happen” but instead be purposeful in our time together. Looking forward to some great ideas 🙂
Mary E. says
We do 15 minute Power Pick-ups to help keep up with clutter. When we are all home, usually before dinner, we set the timer and everyone moves quickly and the house suddenly looks like we spent all day working on it. Feels great too!