SUMMER PLANNING WITH KIDS + FREEBIE FRIDAY PRINTABLE
As the school year winds down as a stay at home mom I am busy preparing and planning what my family (mainly kids) will be kept busy with each day. My kids and I are sometimes at odds with what we will do during our summer days. My version goes something like this. My ideal summer you would find me chilling on my backyard deck sitting on my lounger sipping my iced coffee while reading a novel while my lovely well behaved kids would play endless outside keeping themselves busy until lunch with a variety of activities. There would be kids laughing, birds chirping, music, maybe some splashing in the kiddy pool. I would be refreshed and renewed and not want summer to end.
Reality, after two days home with mom the kids are bored, the only want to stay inside and play iPad, Wii or watch TV and the 3 siblings can’t agree on anything or share. And me, well, I’m ready for September. Let’s go back to school shopping. As much as I dislike planning out my summer with young kids it is inevitable and I would say a bit necessary. Just have to strike the right balance for me and the kids.
The first thing I will do is set out the dates of summer camps. I allot 1 camp a summer for each kid. They are only 1 week long and here in the city there are so many options. My daughter being the youngest hasn’t yet taken part in full day camps but we might try this summer. My boys have a favourite one that is run through the local University and they have loved it for the past 2 years, so they will be going back there.
Next is marking out any visitors to us. We are expecting a visit this summer by Oma and we usually take a trip to the Rocky Mountains. As I write this not sure yet where that is and then I mark off where we will be going on vacation and when. We usually go to Ottawa in the summer to visit family there again the dates are not planned yet.
After that is all figured out I realize that I’m only left with a few weeks with which to fill with my kids. Ok that seems doable.
Free Summer Planning Fun Printable
To help me with those weeks I have created this SUMMER PLANNING FUN SHEET that I will keep in my Happy Planner. So excited as I’m going to start using it this July. I have already been busy creating new stickers for it as well.
I created 1 box as an action item of things to ‘DO‘ that day. 1 box as basically my meal planner ‘EAT‘ for the day. Necessary for picnic scheduled days, beach days or BBQ parties days. And 1 box ‘RELAX’ this is for creating those quieter times needed to slow down (mainly for me basically). 1 free box for ‘OTHER’ action items such as dentist, doc app, hair app, back to school shopping (watching for deals) and anything else that might crop up.
DO – These are broad categories that can be broken down for individual activities.
- CRAFTS/ART – find activities great for outside on nice days and inside on rainy days.
- WATER ACTIVITIES – Water table, water balloons, bubbles, kiddy pool.
- SANDBOX CREATIONS (could be done at beach or local playground as well)
- SPORTS OBSTACLE COURSE
- GEOCACHING
- PARK DAYS – find parks they have never been to before.
- BIKE RIDE ADVENTURES
- HIKING ADVENTURES
- MUSEUM VISITS (especially for rainy days)
- HELP MOM AROUND THE HOUSE *Don’t forget that one*
- KITE FLYING
- BEACH DAYS
- FRUIT PICKING FARMS – come home and make stuff with the fruit you picked.
- FORT BUILDING
- COLLECT ITEMS FOR GARAGE SALE OR FOR DONATIONS
- LEMONADE STAND
- PUBLIC LIBRARY – check out summer reading programs and activities in your city.
- MUD KITCHENS
- BOARD GAMES rainy days
- FAIRY GARDEN BUILD
- INDOOR POOL DAY
- SCAVENGER HUNTS
RELAX – for both moms and kids
- SUMMER JOURNAL – for memory keeping, doodling, photos etc…
- YOGA
- SILENT READING TIME OR READING WITH KIDS
- ART/CRAFTS – can be calming depending on what you choose.
- MOVIE DAY – instead of movie night on a rainy cold day
- GO FOR A WALK
*I actually had a hard time coming up with more relaxing things to do so if you have any suggestions or ideas on how you relax with your kids during the summer break I would love to hear about it in the comments.*
I have lots of ideas that I have been collecting on my Pinterest Board – ADALINC SUMMER FUN – check it out for more ideas to add to your summer fun list.
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Enjoy your summer and happy planning everyone,
Bonnie Dani
Educator, Writer, Blogger, Mom
Contact Me: [email protected]
