Summer Success Routines

Tag, you’re it! It’s summer time! Children look forward to their summer breaks with great anticipation. They look forward to their days of sleeping in and the time they will have to play with all their toys, or do all the activities that they don’t usually have time to do.

Despite homes being filled with toys, technology and books, some summer days just seem to be quite long. Whether your kids are home with you, with a babysitter, or involved in summer activities, summer days can be even more stressful. Parents can feel like  a broken record when telling their kids what they should and shouldn’t be doing. This is why it is so important to set aside a little time to be intentional about creating a summer routine that is right for your family.  

Children thrive with routine. They are used to having a routine to follow and although they often welcome not having one during the summer, routines do not have to be rigid and are a great tool to battle common issues like too much screen time or boredom.

When creating a summer routine, the first thing you will want to do is take a look at any scheduled activities that your children have. Are they taking part in any camps? Are they involved in any sports? Then take a look at what your community has to offer. Are there any discount days at museums? Are there any specific story time activities at the library that you would like to attend? Once you have this list you are ready to go.

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In addition to a list of things happening in your community, you can choose weekly or daily themes for your family. This approach can serve as a framework and inspire you to come up with fun and exciting activities that will engage your children. Take a look at this sample schedule:

Make Something Monday – Plan a craft or get out the Legos and build something.
Take a Trip Tuesday – A trip to the museum, the library, or on a special excursion.
Water Play Wednesday – Enjoy a water table in the backyard, the beach or community splash pads.
Thinking Thursday – Challenge your kids with brain teasers, riddles and board games.
Family Fun Friday – Plan a popcorn and movie night or maybe a trip out for frozen yogurt.
Science Saturday – Try out a new slime recipe or something else that is guaranteed to gain the interest of your little people.

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​Here is an idea of a more specific schedule. A schedule similar to this can be written out on a white board or posted somewhere that your children can see it. It then becomes everyone in the household working on ‘the list.’ This can be a great tool to help limit screen time and to ensure that a little bit of learning is added in your day to avoid summer learning loss for your children.

​For parents working outside the home, daily themes and schedules may take a little more creativity to fit in and in some cases may not seem as manageable. Allow these to inspire you to come up with activities and routines that work for your family. Each family is unique. What isn’t unique is the success families have  when they are intentional about positive parenting. Take the time to plan a Summer Success Schedule that works for you!

​If you would like some support setting your summer up for success, drop me a line! connect@yolanderobinson.com .

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