When I was a little girl, my summer memories consisted mostly of reading books from the school’s summer reading list. My days involved watching PBS classics and playing endlessly outside with my sister and brother. We had limited refined activities, arts, and vacations; yet, we enjoyed our modest summers just the same, and we turned out fine.
This could be one reason I don’t feel an overwhelming sense of pressure to create a summer game plan jam-packed full of endless entertainment. For me, creating a summer game plan is about incorporating lessons on time management I have learned with my boys in the past, and understanding my own capabilities and limitations. (I am fully capable of lazing around doing absolutely nothing.) Also, because it is the last summer before both of my boys begin school full time, I desire to be more intentional with our summer planning this year. I want to be sure we maximize our summer days. Also my oldest son is starting first grade, and it would be nice for me to plan a little something for him so he doesn’t forget everything he just learned in kindergarten!
Over time, I have learned a few simple tips to help me get the most out of my summers with the boys. I call them “My Summer Game Plan and Lessons Learned.”
1. Create Routine. I am not the biggest advocate for rigorous schedules, but I do know creating routine in the summer will make for a more focused experience. I found this great blog link that is super helpful with providing tips on creating summer routine. I confess I counted all of the days and weeks before school begins in the fall so I could assess how much time we have for varying activities and shameless lounging. The last few summers, we centered many of our days around our beloved YMCA with swim lessons, summer basketball, and Little Learners camps. It works well for us, as one location for several activities has helped our entire family in fulfilling a basic level of summer productivity.
2. Organize. It’s truly amazing how organizing activities, play, supplies and materials helps with summer sanity. Many summer days in the past slipped hopelessly by me just because I was not organized. For moms who want to incorporate a no screen/less screen-filled summer, organization will be our number one ally. I also love this blank summer schedule. I printed several copies to change out since our weekly activities vary. Filling it out and posting it in a visible spot holds me accountable to following through with my plans or making a conscious decision not to. I also use many dollar store finds to organize school and art supplies for summer projects. Taking time to gather all of my supplies in advance and having everything within reach helps us stay motivated to start and complete our projects and to-dos.
3. Play. This may seem fairly obvious, but there really are times when you can be so busy fulfilling other commitments that you forget to just play. I have also learned making time to spend with friends during the summer is important. People say they are super busy and overwhelmed during the school year, so follow through on the promises to get together with friends during the summer. Coordinating play dates can sometimes feel like a chore, but most of the time getting out with friends is more than worth the time and energy it took to plan. My boys really enjoy spending time with friends and exploring new adventures. Allotting time for them to be around other children throughout the summer builds their social skills and provides interesting learning and development opportunities for them, as well.
As children grow older, it becomes easier for moms to disengage in certain aspects of interaction. The children are more independent and moms are excited with their new-found freedom. I use daily themes (e.g., Movie Monday, Board Game Wednesdays, Field Trip Fridays) as a guide for set-aside activities where I participate in play and learning with them. This great link for daily summer activities can also easily be adapted to meet my boys’ skill levels and interests. I like it because it provides a tangible calendar of attainable goals.
These tips and daily activities, along with summer birthdays, Independence Day, and a family vacation are all a part of my summer game plan for my boys this summer. Realistically, we probably will not execute every plan every day. However, having a plan in place with a whole lotta’ summer lovin’ will provide a playbook for a winning summer!
What is your summer game plan?
