This post is about summer schedule ideas.
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Summer is here, and with it comes the challenge of keeping your kids entertained. If you are a stay-at-home mom or a working mom, you're undoubtedly busy and likely planning to create the best summer schedule for your kids. These 13 Simple Summer Schedule Ideas for Busy Moms have you covered. They are about structure and routine and creating opportunities for fun, relaxation, and quality time with your kids. Using these guiding summer schedule ideas, you ensure a balanced and enjoyable summer for the entire family. So, let’s get scheduling!
SIMPLE SUMMER SCHEDULE IDEAS
1. Create it Together
Create a summer schedule for kids by involving them in the process. No one likes to be bound to a schedule they have no input in creating. Instead, take a few minutes to talk with each of your kids about their expectations for the summer. Ask young children to share some of their favorite summer activities or observe what activities they gravitate to. Involving kids in the schedule creation process gives them a sense of ownership and responsibility and teaches them valuable skills like time management and decision-making. This will lead to a more cooperative and enjoyable summer for the whole family.
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2. Make it Available
Create a printable summer schedule and post it in a common area. When the schedule is available to everyone, it reduces questions and the need for reminders. Additionally, knowing that the schedule is readily available for everyone to follow can bring relief and control to busy moms and caregivers, making them feel more organized and in charge.
3. Set the Tone
Follow the schedule as much as possible—at least at the start of summer, to set the tone for what can be expected. This creates a sense of order and predictability that kids need. You will find that everyone cooperates more, and the day runs more smoothly as a result. As a busy mom or caregiver, you will feel in control and organized, fostering a positive environment for the rest of the day.
4. Be Flexible, and Steady
Consistency is central, and flexibility is key as you navigate the daily summer schedule. Focus on regularity while incorporating opportunities for choice. For example, early afternoon may be a time for independent play for school-age kids since their young siblings need to nap or rest. Since toddlers need their nap every day, older children must engage in a quiet activity at this time. The older child has the flexibility to choose the activity, but they cannot choose the time.
5. Set Screen Time Rules
During the beautiful summer days, there may be times when screen time is necessary. To manage screen time effectively, set specific time slots for it, like after lunch, for example. As a busy mom or caregiver, promote a healthy balance between digital and offline activities and encourage children to participate in non-digital activities during the day whenever possible. However, recognize that sometimes kids have more screen time than intended, and that’s okay.
6. Anticipate Interruptions
With the start of summer comes a change to routine for kids, resulting in the inevitable ebbs and flows of their perceived boredom. It's common to find that you are being interrupted frequently as they search for ways to occupy their time. To get ahead of this, share with them any information that may curb the number of interruptions. At breakfast, for example, share when lunch, snack, and dinner are served. You can even give them a sneak peek at the menu if it helps. This will reduce the number of snack-related interruptions that you receive.
7. Support Independence
Support independence when interruptions inevitably happen. We can’t always expect kids to wait until lunch to satisfy their bellies, but we can empower them to get their own snacks. Consider moving parent-approved snacks to a lower shelf in the pantry to encourage autonomy. For young children, such as toddlers, enlist the help of an older sibling. This will allow the older child to contribute and save you or a caregiver from participating in every snack break.
8. Give Daily Responsibilities
Adding some age-appropriate responsibilities to the daily summer schedule can help everyone in the family. Kids want to contribute to the household, so giving them responsibilities they can complete daily will give them confidence and improve their self-esteem. For example, asking your school-age kids to help fold the laundry is a great age-appropriate responsibility. Similarly, younger children can be encouraged to dress themselves and pick up their toys after play. Providing some daily, age-appropriate chores and responsibilities will empower them and relieve some burden on you as a busy mom.
9. Incorporate Downtime
While having an active daily summer schedule is essential, summer is long, and it's equally important to schedule downtime to rest and relax. This is especially true for small children who require naps and preschool children who need quiet time to regroup. Don’t feel like each day needs to be jam-packed to make the most of summer. Instead, balance the active, busy summer days with the quiet, lazy days at home and reduce some of the exhaustion that can come with it.
10. Encourage Autonomous Play
As children grow up, an important skill to learn is how to entertain themselves when an adult caregiver or sibling is unavailable. As children learn to play independently, they develop various skills that will serve them in the future. Incorporate independent play into the daily summer schedule to grow these skills, which include persistence, problem-solving, patience, and resilience. Children also learn to be creative and resourceful by engaging in independent play, helping them face challenges and overcome obstacles.
11. Get Outside
While it may seem intuitive to incorporate outdoor time into your family's summer schedule, its benefits are endless, so maximizing outdoor time is important. Being in nature can stimulate a child's imagination, allowing them to explore and create in unexpected ways. Additionally, outdoor play will enable kids to develop critical social skills as they interact with others and navigate different environments. Perhaps most importantly, spending time outside can significantly impact a child's overall well-being. Exposure to natural light and fresh air can help regulate mood, reduce stress, and improve sleep quality.
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12. Play Together
Another summer schedule idea is to play or actively engage with your kids at least once a day. This can be hard for busy moms, and there may be days when this is not feasible, but do your best when you can! The objective is to connect with your child, not to do it for a specific period of time. Even taking five uninterrupted minutes to talk with your child at the end of the day makes a difference. You’ll notice that it helps increase their self-esteem and strengthens your relationship.
13. Confirm Alignment
As a busy mom, you know your children best. Whether you will be implementing their summer schedule or whether a caregiver will do it, it's important that everyone involved is on the same page. Even the most well-organized summer schedule can be disrupted if there is a lack of alignment among the caregivers responsible for implementing it. Therefore, it is necessary to have open communication and collaboration among all parties involved to ensure that the summer schedule is executed effectively.
Summer is here, which means the daunting task of keeping your kids occupied during the long break. But don't worry, we've covered you with these 13 Simple Summer Schedule Ideas for Busy Moms. Incorporating these ideas into your summer schedule will help you create a fun and engaging summer schedule that the whole family will love and appreciate. Do not let boredom or chaos take over your summer – take charge and plan a schedule that promises a memorable summer for your kids.
MINDSET | ACTION:
Using the simple summer schedule ideas shared, create a daily summer schedule that makes the most sense for your family. Engage with your children about their schedule expectations and include any activities they enjoy. Then, discuss with a partner and any summer caregivers. Happy summer scheduling!
This post was about summer schedule ideas.
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