With the school year winding down, the day-to-day life of kids and families will certainly change. While we know that there will be opportunities for families to take vacations and do some staycations, it is the typical summer days that can sometimes be a challenge. 😅
While it is tempting to scratch having a schedule in the summer, it is best not to. Keeping some structure is important.
To help navigate the new normal of summer, consider the following:
- Enroll your children in activities that will bring some structure to summer days, including things like sports, day camps, art classes. Many libraries and community centers also offer free summer activities.
- Choose a bedtime and wake-up time for the summer and be consistent. A regular sleep schedule will be so beneficial for everyone.
- Be creative and consistent with having semi-structured family activities, such as “Saturday yard work”, “Monday Movies”, “Thursday Parks”, etc…
Also, set some summer goals.
It is a great time for children to work on skills that they did not have time to do during the school year, such as learning how to play pickle ball or becoming a watercolor artist. 🎨
One site that offers some structure for some creative and academic activities is Outschool. There is something for everyone and it is reasonable as well!
Set some behavioral goals too.
It can be something very basic as putting shoes away in the designated spot to working on not interrupting. It takes a lot of time to build new habits and work on skills, so make it a priority this summer in hopes that the school year will benefit greatly.
Taking the time now to think about summer will certainly pay off. Your efforts will go a long way to prevent some bumps in the road. We all realize how fast summer goes, so be sure to enjoy every minute of it! 😆
