Plan The Best Summer For The Kids! (With free printables.)

PLAN THE BEST SUMMER FOR THE KIDS!

(WITH FREE PRINTABLES)

www.ariannesjoy.blogspot.com

As a stay-at-home mother of three kids, I have planned a lot of Summer vacations!

Some summers I go all out...some summers I go laid back and by the moment.

I have kind of learned over the years that even though it might take some more work...

the planned summers are actually more relaxing. For me anyway...!

When I try to do the fly-by-seat type fun, it can be stressful for the OCD type mom like me. (And my daughter with Autism needs a real schedule as well!) I find summer more enjoyable for the kids and me when I am prepared and organized. Plus, this Summer I want to go all out!! Make it a Summer they will never forget. My oldest is turning thirteen this year and these moments won't last forever.

WHAT I AM SHARING:

*SUMMER ROUTINE CHECK LIST

*FREE SUMMER ROUTINE PRINTABLE (FREE!)

*LEGO CHALLENGE LINK

*PAPER BAG STEM CHALLENGES

*PAPER BAG STEM CHALLENGES PRINTABLES (FREE!)

*THREE MONTHS OF SUMMER FUN CALENDARS

*JUNE, JULY & AUGUST PLANNED CALENDAR PRINTABLES (FREE!)

SUMMER ROUTINE CHECK LIST!

*Our Summer goes so much smoother when everyone knows what's going on and what's next!

(Especially for the mom with OCD and the oldest child with Autism.) I created these cards for the kids to keep track of their day. I laminated them so that the kids can use dry erase markers to check them off. That way they can erase the marks for the next day. I know having 14 things on your check list seems like a lot, but believe me your day will seem a lot longer without them. They go quicker than you think. 

Let me break them down for you as we do them at our house:

1. MORNING CHORES- my kids have a list of 7 easy chores they do everyday. Like feed the cat, make your bed, put your shoes away, etc. They are easy but helpful to everyone!

2. MORNING WALK- I love taking the kids for a morning walk! It gets their energy out, it puts them in a cheerful mood (the birds, the fresh air...you get it) and it's not so hot in the morning.

3. CRAFT -OR- FUN ACTIVITY- After years of summer activities, I find that early morning has the kids attention the best. They are more likely to participate and create at this time of day. (I'll share my ideas for this below.)

4. MORNING SNACK- I love making a 'snack tray' in the summer. I put little bowls of different kinds of snacks like fruit, pretzels, goldfish, etc. and put it on the tray. The kids love the presentation! I store them in little containers for easy access later on.

5. MOVEMENT PLAY -OR- POOL- 'Movement play' is just my fancy word for getting exercise. If we can't go to the pool, we usually go to the playground or play outside. My kids love to play with scooters, bubbles and chalk outside. I keep a bag by the door for outdoor play. It has bug spray, sunblock, mini first aid, jump ropes, bag of chalk, frisbees, balls, bubbles, etc.

6. LUNCH- you know what that's all about...

7. LEGO CHALLENGE -OR- STEM CHALLENGE -OR- PRETEND PLAY-

I planned on doing 2 lego challenges a week...1 stem challenge a week and 2 pretend plays a week. More on this below...

8. MOBY MAX -OR- SUMMER READING- I like to help the kids keep up with their studies during the Summer. It prevents them from forgetting things they learned. Plus it gives them an advantage when heading back to school in the fall. Moby Max is an awesome free online learning program. (Mostly beneficial to my daughter with Autism...helps her sooo much!) You just enter in their information to sign-up and Moby Max will do the rest. You have to check it out!!! 

Click here to check it out: MOBY MAX

 This is about the time when the kids start crashing and feeling a little tired. That's why it's a great time for summer reading. We do the Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge every year. You enter your minutes for possible prizes. Plus it helps their school wins prizes too. 

Visit here for more info: SCHOLASTIC SUMMER READING CHALLENGE!

9. CLEAN-UP & AFTERNOON SNACK- By now the house is a total mess again and I ask the kids to help me out before giving them a snack. (And a piece candy goes a long way too.)

10. FREE PLAY -OR- MOBY MAX- This is the time of day I let the kids play with their electronics: Play-station, Wii, I-Pad,etc. My oldest is usually still doing Moby Max.

11. DINNER & CLEAN-UP- After dinner the kids help me clean up once again, because usually after dinner we have stuff to do like an errand or go to the playground.

12. EVENING WALK -OR- ACTIVITY- Summer days can be long, so we enjoy an evening walk around the neighborhood. Or we go do some errands.

13. DESSERT & SHOWERS- I love summer desserts! They are always so refreshing after a hot day. Some of our favorites...brownie ice cream sundaes, strawberry shortcake & chocolate chip ice cream sandwiches...yum! And everyone needs a nice, cool shower of course!

14. MOVIES, STORIES & BED- In our house, it is a priority to unwind and calm down before bed. (Nothing worse than overtired kids crying before bed...no thank you!) We all crash in the living room with pillows, blankets and dolls. We watch a movie together and then 15 minutes before bed, we read short stories to each other. The stories really help the kids get into dream mood, because their imagination starts wandering. And of course a hug & kiss from mom and dad as we tuck them in!

SUMMER ROUTINE PRINTABLE!

***RIGHT-CLICK, SAVE AS AND PRINT!***

(BY SAVING YOU AGREE TO USE FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY!

VISIT MY DISCLOSURE PAGE FOR MORE DETAILS.)

30 DAYS OF LEGO CHALLENGES!

THIS IS SO FUN!!

My plan is to do these challenges on Mondays & Wednesdays. We have a huge tub of Legos and this will be great for keeping them busy. I LOVE this printable!! Let me give credit where credit is due... found this printable on Pinterest. LINK HERE: 30 DAY LEGO CHALLENGE!

Your welcome to save the printable here, but it belongs to FREE HOMESCHOOL DEALS!

***Right-click, save as and print...or go to the link provided for the pdf file.***

PAPER BAG STEM CHALLENGES!

So first off...you don't need a paper bag for this idea. I just wanted to add the element of surprise to the challenges. Let me explain... So what is a STEM challenge? S.T.E.M. stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics. It helps sparks a child's brain to think creatively and problem solve. You have to use items from around the house. Like paper towel rolls, paper cups, popsicle sticks, clothes pin, etc. Then you give them a problem or a challenge to solve. That's where my printables come in. I created 12 STEM challenges...one per week for the whole summer. My plan is to do these every Friday. My thinking is after four days of activities and crafts they will be at their most creative. (Or so I hope...) These challenges are great, because they are inexpensive, fun and educational! Plus it keeps them busy during these long summer days. The paper bag is just a way of making each challenge a surprise as they pull the card out of the bag. The kids will be so proud of themselves after they complete a challenge!!

12 STEM CHALLENGES PRINTABLES!

***RIGHT-CLICK, SAVE AS AND PRINT!***

(BY SAVING YOU AGREE TO USE FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY!

VISIT MY DISCLOSURE PAGE FOR MORE DETAILS.)

***RIGHT-CLICK, SAVE AS AND PRINT!***

(BY SAVING YOU AGREE TO USE FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY!

VISIT MY DISCLOSURE PAGE FOR MORE DETAILS.)

***RIGHT-CLICK, SAVE AS AND PRINT!***

(BY SAVING YOU AGREE TO USE FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY!

VISIT MY DISCLOSURE PAGE FOR MORE DETAILS.)

***RIGHT-CLICK, SAVE AS AND PRINT!***

(BY SAVING YOU AGREE TO USE FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY!

VISIT MY DISCLOSURE PAGE FOR MORE DETAILS.)

THREE MONTHS OF SUMMER FUN CALENDARS!

So I went on EDUCATION.COM and downloaded their cute calendars for June, July and August.

(GO HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE BLANK CALENDARS: EDUCATION.COM)

Then I picked two days per week for Lego challenges, one day per week for our STEM challenges and two other days per week for pretend play. After that I came up with a craft or fun activity for each day. If you look back at the SUMMER ROUTINE PRINTABLES, you can see that this matches up with the routine. You want to pretend you are going through each thing on their routine and be sure you didn't miss anything. 

*I also added a family outing for every Sunday. Sundays is our day to be a family and do something extra fun! I put library days on Saturdays, because daddy likes to go with us, Plus reading is a great pass time for summer!

THREE MONTHS OF SUMMER FUN CALENDAR PRINTABLES!

JUNE CALENDAR:

***RIGHT-CLICK, SAVE AS AND PRINT!***

(BY SAVING YOU AGREE TO USE FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY!

VISIT MY DISCLOSURE PAGE FOR MORE DETAILS.)

JULY CALENDAR!

***RIGHT-CLICK, SAVE AS AND PRINT!***

(BY SAVING YOU AGREE TO USE FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY!

VISIT MY DISCLOSURE PAGE FOR MORE DETAILS.)

AUGUST CALENDAR!

***RIGHT-CLICK, SAVE AS AND PRINT!***

(BY SAVING YOU AGREE TO USE FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY!

VISIT MY DISCLOSURE PAGE FOR MORE DETAILS.)

Notice I put favs, play school and back-to-school party at the end of August! I wanted to give the kids a chance to do some of their favorite activities again before school starts. And my kiddos love a back-to-school party! We play bingo, charades, scavenger hunt and I give them school theme goodies and treats! Great way to get them excited to go back to school!!

I hope you enjoy all the ideas I shared with you! Even if you don't follow it exactly, at least you got some awesome ideas for summer fun!!

**Be sure to visit my FREE PRINTABLES page for more free printables!

**Don't forget to visit my shop...I made some pretty things for you!***

www.etsy.com/shop/ariannesjoy

HOPE YOU HAVE AN AWESOME SUMMER WITH THE KIDS!
XOXO, Arianne

15 Ideas to Help Keep the Family Organized

I don't know about you, but for us...an organized family is a happy family. We have our weeks when we just can't seem to catch up or get it together, but for the most part we do well.

With a two year old girl, a very active seven year old boy and a ten year old girl with Autism...it's a must for me to stay organized. Daddy works during the day and then as soon as he walks through the door, I am off to school four nights a week. Add in the ballet class, archery class, soccer practice, soccer games, grocery shopping, etc....it's A LOT of stuff!!

I am going to share with you my 15 ideas for keeping the family organized.

-FlyLady's Detailed Cleaning List

-Organized Family Joy

and LINKS!!~*

1. A ROUTINE~*
In our house, a routine is a MUST!! Without it, everyone starts acting confused, crazy and chaotic! With it, everyone feels relaxed and they have a purpose. I have these two chalk signs hanging in our entrance. I bought the signs at Wal-mart for $3. The kids look at it whenever they need to see what's next. A routine is a great way to make sure everything gets done and everyone's on top of things.
AN IMPORTANT NOTE: When you are making your routine, keep everyone in mind. You want to keep it simple, so it doesn't overwhelm them and they don't feel like doing it. Include 'FREE PLAY'...a time for them to do whatever they want. And I also like 'QUIET TIME'...a time for everyone to separate and do something quiet. Our quiet times last for about 30-60 minutes, depending on how bored they get. For my daughter with Autism, she can get very overwhelmed through the day and she feels very stressed if she doesn't get her quiet time. It is also good for the other kids too. Calms them down and refreshes them.

2. A BULLENTIN BOARD~*
A bullentin board is a great place to keep your routines, reminders, bucket lists and art work. I have our bullentin board in the kids room, right when you walk in. I have a paper copy of our routines, our fall fun list, school notices, extracurricular activity notices, up-coming events and inspirational art work!!

3. KIDS CALENDAR
Kids like to know what's going too! This calendar is in the kids room on the wall. It's a dry erase sticker from Home Depot... LINK HERE! I drew the calendar lines myself, but I am pretty sure there are some dry erase calendars out there.

The kids get excited seeing what events are coming up or when it's their night for an activity!

4. MAKE YOUR BEDS~*
It sounds silly...in order to be organized, you have to make your beds?! However, I feel that having a nice clean bed motivates everyone to keep the rest of their room clean. Also, you are teaching your kids to be clean, organized, discipline people.

5. KIDS LAUNDRY BASKET~*
We have a laundry basket just for the kids. They know any time they get changed that their dirty clothes go here...even the two year old. Later on I go through the clothes and separate them. This helps with the mess around the house.

6. A REALLY GOOD LAUNDRY RACK~*
This laundry rack is such a big help and saves a lot of time. We have it in our bathroom. We organize the three baskets as darks, lights and delicates. The baskets have velcro, which allows you to take them off the rack to bring to the wash. The rack also is a great place to put outfits for the following day.

Another great thing about this laundry rack...you can see how full it is. Sometimes its easy to procrastinate or forget to throw in a load when you have a lid. This is visible, so if I see it start filling up I throw it in the washing machine.

Link to laundry racks at Target.

7. HAVE OUTFITS READY~*
This is such a life saver in the morning!! I used to waste time every morning sorting through clothes and arguing with the kids about what to wear. Now the day before we make sure we have the outfits ready to go in the morning.

 
 

8. OUTFIT PHOTOS~*
Use an I-PAD or make a small photo album of outfits!! Create 15-30 outfits (include layers and shoes for the changing weather) and take pictures of them. Then the day before, have your child pick out the outfit they want to wear! Get the outfit all ready to go. The kids love this, especially my daughter. So convenient and fun!~*

9. WEEKLY MENU~*
I use to waste so much time running around the kitchen trying to figure out what to make for dinner. Not only did this stress me out, but it also messed up dinner. Half the time I would be missing an ingredient, so dinner never tasted quite right.

Now I print out my handy-dandy 'This Week's Menu'. I write down what I am going to make for dinner that week. I include a hamburger night or taco night...a home-made pizza night(kids love it!)...and a 'whatever' night. A 'whatever' night means I give everyone a choice of easy dinners like hot dogs, chicken nuggets, mac n' cheese, etc. These really help me on days when we're running around a lot. For example, on Thursday night my son has soccer practice at 6...so it's a good night to do whatever so we won't be late.

I also like to throw in a crock pot dinner and a soup. I like to pick meals I have made before and everyone likes. I leave my experimental cooking on the weekends. Some of our favorites are upside down chicken pot pie in the crock pot and a Bosnian chicken soup...so easy, so delicious!!

10. NOTEPADS~*
I like to use notepads for grocery lists, to-do lists and notes to the kids' teachers. I find that writing down groceries through the week as they disappear saves me money. It is better to keep track than go through the grocery isle trying to remember what you need. This is also a good way to write things that you might forget later on. I love these notepads from Susan Branch. The art work and name of the month is adorable!
LINK FOR SUSAN BRANCH NOTEPADS HERE!
(You can also find Susan Branch products on Barnes n' Noble.com.)

  

11. COZI APP~*
Cozi is a free app and website that helps keep your family organized!
"Manage the chaos of back to school and everyday life with Cozi, the must-have app for families:
Keep track of everyone's new schedules and activities, all in one place
Create and share shopping lists, chores and more in real time
Store all your recipes and quickly add ingredients to your grocery list
Access and update from any mobile device or computer."
-COZI

I love this app, because my husband can access the same account and we can both add to the grocery list or calendar. I also love how it sends me reminders when an event is coming up. Another plus, I have my chore list on it and I can check them off as I go!!
www.cozi.com

12. LABELED TOY SHELVES~*
I have two shelves for each child. My youngest daughter has the two bottom shelves, my middle son has the two middle shelves and the oldest daughter has the two top shelves. I labeled the shelves for them with my label maker. This keeps things clean and organized, but it also helps remind them what toys there are to play with!

13. CONVENIENT ENTRANCE~*
Have a place for backpacks, sweaters, jackets and shoes near the entrance of your home. We use hooks for backpacks and the sweater/jacket that everyone is currently using. We also have a basket for the shoes everyone is currently using. When we make outfits the day before, we also get the shoes and sweater ready by placing them near the entrance. The rest gets put away in their bedroom closets. Or the rest of the jackets and shoes are put in our coat closet. This helps get everyone out the door quicker and helps the kids keep their backpacks from getting stepped on or ruined.

14. CLEANING DAY~*
I know not everyone is lucky enough to be home during the day to clean. However, I really feel that before the weekend(or whatever day you like to relax), you should take the time to clean the day before. For us, we like to spend the weekends relaxing and doing fun activities together. The last thing we feel like doing on the weekends is cleaning. So every Friday, I spend the day going from room to room cleaning, dusting and vacuuming. I use the FlyLady's Detailed Cleaning List. This helps me work quicker and make sure I get everything. Not only does this help everyone feel more relaxed, but the house is easier to clean by the end of the weekend!
CLICK HERE...For FlyLady's Detailed Cleaning List DOWNLOAD~*

15. RELAXING FAMILY DAY~*
Our family really needs that relaxing family day to keep us motivated for the rest of the week. When you spend the whole week running around trying to be super organized, it's nice to have a day to just relax. We usually do a fun activity in the morning like visit a farm or playground. Then in the afternoon, we all go find something relaxing to do for the rest of the day. This really recharges everyone and builds our bond as a family!!~*

ORGANIZED FAMILY JOY...RIGHT CLICK & SAVE 

I hope these helped you find some organized family joy!! I have many other ideas but I don't want to overwhelmed you. Like having a lunch box section on your counter...with ready-to-go snacks and lunch box notes. My kids love getting lunch box notes. Or putting coloring books and crayons near the dining room table for any ready-to-go coloring.

I could go on... Thanks for visiting! Come back soon!~*

My At-Home Preschool!

MY AT-HOME PRESCHOOL!

Let me show you around my at-home preschool!

My youngest is turning 3 this month and I am exciting about teaching her 

preschool for the next few years!

Welcome to my at-home preschool!

Let me show you around...

*Our calendar with fun embellishments!

I put velcro dots on the four top embellishments, so I could easily trade them out!

This calendar was a Wal-mart find. Only $9.99 for 153 pieces!! In the back-to-school section.

*Sesame Street Bullentine Board!

Found these cute bullentine board cut-outs at the Dollar Store!

They have a wonderful section just for teachers.

I created the 'PRESCHOOL PROMISES', 'DAILY ROUTINE' on Canva.com!

(Printables available at the bottom of the post!)

*The weather and days of the week I found at Target in the 'SPOT' section.

Only $3 each! 

I added a storage shelf to the wall.

Top shelf has:

*An Activity Tub!

I love this idea!! I will be using this to put preschool activities that go along with our curriculum.

Check out this pic for an example...(from smartEpartE)

I love this because it's a space saver and it makes it easier to create activities

that go along with the curriculum!

Extra calendar pieces for easy access.

*A Song Box!

An index card box full of index cards that had different songs written on them!

I thought it would be fun to randomly pull out a song instead singing the same songs over and over again!

*This draw will hold all the 'seasonal' craft supplies!

I picked up some supplies at the Dollar Store for her to make a fall wreath!

That will be a fun fall craft that we can hang up and she can see it!

On the bottom:

*A Singing Basket!

I found this idea on Pinterest. Having 'props' to go along with your

songs and nursey rhymes!

For example: The toy Elmo bus can be held while singing 'The Wheels On The Bus'!

*A preschool daily workbook!

This workbook is so cute and helpful.

Find the free download here: ONEBEAUTIFULHOMEBLOG

*An art easel!

I super glued two clothes pins to the top so that I could attach paper 

or a poster for a paint project.

*A folder file crate!

To help me stay organized. I will keep worksheets, printables, books to read

that week and small baggies of activities.

*A sensory table!

I used rice, as water would have been a hazard with the kitchen floor.

Plus I did not want to worry about her getting all wet.

I am planning to add themed toys in here each week.

Maybe some fake apples for apple week?!

*A colorful 'Welcome' banner!

I will probably change this out for other seasonal banners, but for back-to-school

season it seems appropiate!

*My Art Wall!

I picked a wall in the hallway to use screws, clothes line rope and clothes pins to create this.

I love how I can hang 9 papers to display!

*Arts and Crafts Supplies!

This is the island in my kitchen. I organized and labeled all the supplies.

*File Drawer for Curriculum!

This 3-drawer plastic container is perferct for me to file curriculum for this week,

next week and this month.

It will be such a big help to stay organized!

*Dress Up Center!

I made a quick and easy dress up center by adding hooks into the wall.

Then adding the clothes and accessories. Making sure the kids could reach them.

*A Library Center!

Using 9-cube shelves to hold books and dvds to create a library.

*Puppet Play Center!

We had this already, because my son loves being a puppetier!

*A Play Kitchen!

A birthday present for my three year old.

She is the ultimate pretend chef!!

*Babydolls and Toddler Table!

Baskets of babydoll toys are tucked away, but are easy to take out.

*Labeled Toy Shelves!

To help keep it all organized and neat!

*A Cozy Reading Couch!

Well, this used to be my daughter's crib...but she has a big girl bed now.

I converted it into a couch and the kids love it!

AND THERE YOU HAVE IT!!

HAPPY PRESCHOOLING!~*