Preparing For Summer Break
Summer break is just around the corner. The school days are coming to an end, and we might just getting a bit overwhelmed at the thought of entertaining our kids all summer long. What are we supposed to do with our children home all day long to keep them from getting bored? The task can be especially daunting after a full school year of not having them around all day.
Though summer break can be overwhelming, maybe you can take a few tips from here and have a great summer with your kids at home. Grab a pen and paper and jot down some ideas from my quick guide on creating fun summer memories with low stress and lots of fun.
Generalized Wake Up Times
I have talked about this before, schedules may not be fun or easy to make, but they are definitely incredible with helping keep things less chaotic. When kiddos know what, where, and when they have to do something they won’t complain as much when being reminded.
This comes with wake up times. Some kids are gonna naturally wake up before the sun comes up. Other kids will sleep in all day if we allow them. I am more speaking about the kids who sleep in all day after staying up all night. Every time I have let my children do this in the past, I have severely regretted it once the school year started back up. Their bodies take forever to get back into the routine.
Pick a wake up time that works best for you and your kids. There are two choices you can make from here, wake them up yourself or choose to give them an alarm clock and they can get out of bed themselves. This is a great option for older kids who are becoming more independent.
A scheduled wake up time also includes scheduled bed times. This allows kids to get much needed rest every night between all the fun daily activities, but also gives mom and dad much needed solo time.
Open And Closed Screen Times
I have figured out over years of parenting that if screen time doesn’t have a specified limit, they will not let me take their devices away. Tantrums will be had and I will inevitably give in. If I lay out a plan of how much or when they are able to have screen time, they typically don’t fight me near as much.
Our schedule everyday over summer break will be time on iPads, time off, time on, time off. This gives them multiple breaks from looking at their screen throughout the day. It also allows them to take a little bit of a breather in between activities that take a lot of energy out of them. Whatever you choose, pick an amount of time that works best for you and your kids.
Plan Activities For Closed Screen Time
I can’t guarantee there won’t be some sort of argument that will come from putting iPads up for a time, but what I can say is that when we prepare activities or events to take place while iPads are off, those arguments will be a lot more manageable.
I love planning activities certain activities based on the city (or nearby cities) I am in. Most cities often plan the coolest events during summer break. Some of these are free, some are free but have the ability to purchase food or trinkets, and others are pay to enter. The best way to find out what the city you live in has, is to google it. Write those events down, write the pricing out if any, and the times and dates they are open. At the beginning of your week, map out which ones you want to go to according to the weather and your budget.
Other activities may be sprinklers in the backyard followed by some popsicles to cool off. It could be a certain craft using supplies you have around the house. It’s best to keep a box of some type of craft supplies on hand. If you don’t have a craft in mind, they are kids and they will often create something on their own.
Board and card games are also a lot of fun. These teach kids how to play by the rules, how to strategize, and how to lose gracefully, which can be a tricky thing as a child. You can find a nearby pool, which is especially great for hot days. You can even let your kids invite friends over. Honestly, whenever my kids have friends over to play, they often forget about iPads anyways. They are too busy riding bikes or chasing each other around the house. I have five girls, so when there are extra friends there are plenty of kids to run around with.
Plan Quiet Or Solo Time
If you are a mom of multiples, you know that when siblings are together for too long they begin to fight, both physically and verbally. Kids need time with others, but they also need time to themselves to recoup. Some kids are going to need more of this than others, some kids are going to need this if a situation arises, but all kids need dedicated time to be alone.
Even if you only have one child, it’s great for them to have quiet time. Being alone helps kids work through feelings, get calm or stay calm, and breathe before being around people again.
I have found over lots of self reflecting that all people need solo time, not just adults, but kids as well. When we as humans get time to ourselves, we are more often kinder to others around us. We are better parents, better siblings, and better friends.
Make Summer Break Fun
Add all of the fun activities you wanna do together in your summer schedule. Go to the pool and splash each other. Read stories with silly voices. Go for a bike ride or race each other down the street. Make jokes and laugh a lot.
You only have 18 summers before your kids are off on their own, so make these moments count.
