Families everywhere are eagerly anticipating the long, lazy days of summer especially if the school year has been hectic and most likely overscheduled. Summer vacation is indeed a special stretch of time when everyone can unwind, and stray a bit from the rigid schedules that are followed throughout the school year.
Now that backpacks and lunchboxes have been neatly tucked away for the next couple of months here are Mighty Mommy’s 6 fun ideas to help your child have his/her best summer ever
Tip #1: Create a Summer “To Do” List
During the last week of school, my family creates our Summer “To Do” List. I design a page on the computer with seashells, beach umbrellas, and anything else that means summer.
Then everyone in the family (including Mom and Dad) list at least two fun things that they’d like to do. Items this year include deep sea fishing, white-water rafting, attending our local country fair, making homemade truffles, and creating a home movie theater in our family room. The object of the list is to make sure each family member gets to do a couple of things that they really want besides the usual going to the beach or pool, seeing movies, etc.
Tip #2: Establish Regular Down Time
For many years I had 8 young kids under the age of 12 home for the 10 weeks of summer vacation. I remember the painstaking hours I would spend planning hours and hours of activities that would keep them entertained and happy while they were out of school. If you think you have to entertain your kids all day long during summer vacation, I hope you’ll pay close attention to this tip—instead of trying to occupy the majority of their free time, instead, establish regular quiet time for every member of the family, every day of the week.
I used to set the kitchen timer when they were younger to cue them in that it was down time. Many afternoons we only took about 30 minutes to sneak off to our bedrooms with a book to read, or to just take a quick powernap. The idea is to teach your kids to settle down and learn to spend some quality time alone. This way, you can all finish out the day a bit more refreshed, and more importantly, the kids will learn to rely on themselves to stay occupied once in a while so you don’t have to be their constant source of entertainment.
Tip #3: Try Something New This Summer
Summer is the perfect time to get creative and try something new. There’s no pressure with school activities or organized sports so with a bit more free time in your schedule encourage your kids to give a new hobby a try. Pottery, snorkeling, kayaking, pastry making, horseback riding or perhaps learning CPR. Trying new activities are a great way to expand your child’s horizons and let them discover some new talents. What a fun way to enjoy summer break and then return to the new school year with some new experiences to share with classmates and teachers.
Tip #4: Set Aside Daily Fun Time
One of my favorite summer memories with my kids was the year we built our own waterpark in our backyard. Between our gigantic blow-up pool, the 10 different sprinklers, the slip and slide plastic runway and the blow-up mattress we placed in the backyard with a makeshift fountain, my kids and I spent hours throughout the week (even on a rainy day!) staying cool and having a blast playing in our own waterpark. Whether it’s collecting fire flies on a hot summer night or going to a drive-in movie theater, do at least one thing a day to connect and have fun.
To this day, my kids who have graduated from college and are living on their own still talk about memories like our waterpark summer or the year we visited nearly every ice cream shop in our state. It doesn’t have to be expensive or extravagant—it’s spending quality time with your kids that make a difference and make them remember these special summer weeks.
Tip #5. Start New Traditions
One way to get kids away from their electronics this summer and engaged is to introduce them to new traditions.
Traditions do not have to be elaborate and fussy. There are many things you do daily that, if done consistently, can become cherished rituals that your kids will lovingly pass onto their own children.
Take bedtime for instance. Bedtime rituals are now in decline because of the stress so many families face at the end of their busy days. Without regular bedtime structure, it’s difficult to establish rituals. Instead, children are staying up late – watching television, exchanging instant messages, playing video games, or doing homework – until they decide they are ready for bed. A lot of young children fall asleep somewhere in the house and are carried to bed by a parent. At that point, a bedtime ritual involving talking about the day, storytelling, or reading is not possible. If this sounds like your family, take steps to slowly re-establish calm bedtime routines.
See also: How Routines Will Simplify Your Life
Sharing dinner together as a family on a regular basis is also becoming more difficult for many households. If dinner isn’t possible, how about breakfast? A bowl of cereal and hot chocolate is a great way to start your day off on a positive note and connect with one another before all going your separate ways. If you have a pet, you can create a ritual around their care as well.
For instance, every day one of our kids takes our two dogs for a walk in the neighborhood before dinner. As my colleague The Dog Trainer would certainly agree, the two dogs have come to expect this ritual every day, and it’s a great way for both the pets and kids to get some exercise.
Tip # 6: Create Summer Surprises
Summer is the perfect time to surprise your kids. After a long year of structured school regimens, pull out all the stops and treat your kids to a summer full of surprises. When my kids were younger we planned weekly mystery rides for them. We picked a location within driving distance and gave them a few clues on the morning of our departure. Occasionally they’d figure out where we were headed, but the majority of the time they were totally surprised.
Maybe there’s a place they’ve been longing to visit during the school year, or a weekend getaway that won’t break the bank but will leave a lasting impression on them. Or perhaps your child worked extra hard this past school year and has earned himself a new iPod. She may have a close friend who has moved away and you can arrange for the two pals to meet up at your house for a week. Getting her ears pierced may be on her “to do” list or your son has been really wanting a new pet chameleon. Even if it’s making sure her favorite ice cream is stocked each week or you leave a fun surprise under his pillow once a week, unexpected surprises will create excitement and lots of wonderful memories for your child this summer.
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