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!!!
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.
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!
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!
***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!
***RIGHT-CLICK, SAVE AS AND PRINT!***
(BY SAVING YOU AGREE TO USE FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY!
***RIGHT-CLICK, SAVE AS AND PRINT!***
(BY SAVING YOU AGREE TO USE FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY!
***RIGHT-CLICK, SAVE AS AND PRINT!***
(BY SAVING YOU AGREE TO USE FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY!
THREE MONTHS OF SUMMER FUN CALENDARS!
So I went on
EDUCATION.COM and downloaded their cute calendars for June, July and August.
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!
JULY CALENDAR!
***RIGHT-CLICK, SAVE AS AND PRINT!***
(BY SAVING YOU AGREE TO USE FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY!
AUGUST CALENDAR!
***RIGHT-CLICK, SAVE AS AND PRINT!***
(BY SAVING YOU AGREE TO USE FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY!
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!!
**Don't forget to visit my shop...I made some pretty things for you!***
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HOPE YOU HAVE AN AWESOME SUMMER WITH THE KIDS!
XOXO, Arianne |
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