How to Schedule for Summer with Kids ~www.thebettermom.com (NOT a bad link)

Use this easy, free mom hack to create a simple schedule to keep you and your family on track, beat boredom, and give a little structure to your summer with kids!

It's summertime and that means a couple of things - probably for most of you with kids, no school {or a break from homeschool} AND kids that are now BORED! I've been there. I get it. My kids are getting better, but still come to me with the "I'm bored" spewing from their mouths. They also need to realize that in summer, since they aren't as busy as usual, they are going to be expected to do more around the house. It's a great time to clean out the old toys, clothes that are too small, and re-organize areas in their rooms.

But, I LOVE to come up with fun days of the week schedule! Here's what I mean:

Summer Schedule Idea #1: Monday is Runday

This is our weekly day to run errands all over the place. So, over the weekend I sit down and make out my lists - grocery list, Costco list, or drugstore lists -this is also the time I plan my menu for the next two weeks.

Summer Schedule Idea #2: Tuesday is cleaning and laundry day

This is my least favorite day, but nonetheless a necessary day each week! I have a cleaning list that I go through - which again I will post another time.

Summer Schedule Idea #3: Wednesday is Whatever Day

This is our midweek day where we have nothing really planned at all. The kids can play outside, go to friends' houses (although that option is open most days), play together inside, watch a movie, read a book, ride their bikes....it's a fun day of spontaneity. We might even decide to head to the movies, go get ice cream, Mom might work in the yard, or just do a small project.

Summer Schedule Idea #4: Thursday is Backyard Thursday

This is a special day for my kids. Every summer we open our backyard up each Thursday morning and invite Moms and kids over to use our backyard. This is our ministry to our church friends and an opportunity to invite neighbors to come over, too. We moms love to sit under the large avocado trees, in the shade, and chat while the kids are on our large driveway writing with chalk, playing school, riding scooters, playing basketball, climbing the fort, swinging on the swings or playing in the playhouse! My kids set everything up, organize the toys before the kids come, and even help teach the new ones the rules - yep, we have rules posted around our yard!

Summer Schedule Idea #5: FUN Fridays

This will be our weekly day to venture out and have a lot of fun - the zoo, the beach, bowling, Magic Mountain, or something more fun than just the library or the grocery store! We're still open for more ideas....so if you have some, feel free to give your input for our Fun Fridays!

This is just what I do to keep our summers moving. I also have a summer cleaning schedule to keep ME from going nuts and spending too much time cleaning in the summer fun! But, to keep my kids from spending WAY too much time on media {TV, computer, Ipad, Wii, etc.}, I have come up with a way to keep tabs on their media time using media sticks. It worked great last summer and helped the kids strategize how to spend their time wisely!

Looking for Other Fun Ways to Enjoy Summer With Kids?

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Blessings,

Becky