Motherhood and Kids

10 Ways To Prepare For Summer Break

I cannot believe that summer break is upon us. Cyrus finished his last day of school today, and the boys will be finished it up next week. It’s crazy that Cameron will be finishing up his 7th grade year. I am bracing myself because I will have 4 kids home with me, and trying my hardest for it not be chaotic. I know going into summer you can be like alright what to do. I wanted to help you with some thought starters on how to set your kiddos summer break off to a great start.

From one mom to another, we can do this! It will be a successful summer home with the kiddos.

10 Ways to prep for summer break

Establish and keep a routine:

I know summer can be a bit out hectic if you don’t establish a routine. It also can lack productivity where at the end of summer you are wondering what was accomplished. My kids really do thrive off having a routine, and I know that I do as well it helps me stay organized. Everyday won’t always be perfect and that is OKAY! It also helps the boys have a healthy balance of leisure and educational. I do allow my boys to wake up as they want in the summer, but that is because my boys are early risers. The latest kiddo will get up at 9am.

I will kick off the morning allowing the kids to wake-up, eat, and get dressed for the day. The boys will then dive into some independent play for a bit. After that the boys will have a snack and dive into learning activities. We always stop by the teacher store to get the boys workbooks and learning tools for the summer. Once they have completed their assigned work for the day, I get them outside for some fresh air. This is so important in a time where kids are always in a TV screen. I have them get out and active.

I find it super important to make sure the boys are keeping up what they learned over the year. I like to dedicate time in their day when they will be doing educational activities. That might be printing out worksheets for them beforehand in order to have those handy. I have mentioned before the kids use HOMER, which is an app where they can work on educational activities that is in line with their age. I do also keep in mind to make sure the boys are practicing safe internet usage. We monitor all apps they are utilizing and use ALL the parental controls.

Having the boys keep a routine also stops them from the “do I have to” conversation because they know what to expect, and it is not surprising them.

Update Family Calendar:

If you have been here following along for a while you know I update our family calendar every single month. As a family of 6, it is super crucial to keep ourselves prepared with what is to come that week. The summer is even more important to have that family calendar up to date, because our schedules stay just as active between camps and sports training.

Make sure before the summer hits you take a moment to log your life. Get all the appointments, trips, and activities mapped out to ensure your family is having a balanced summer and nothing is forgotten.

Find Fun Activities:

During summer break there are places around your city you can find FREE activities to do with the kids. I know you there may be more activities for your family as life is starting to get back to semi normal. Along with there are still plenty of activities that can be don

One great place I find events is on Facebook Events around my city and also from doing a good ol’ Google search. I also love being outside with the boys. I know we will be spending a lot of time outside this summer since we got our patio all set up and cozy.

I think it is fun to do a family summer bucket list!

Sign Up for Camp/Classes:

If you are interested in signing up your children for summer camps or summer classes make sure to do that early. Camps tend to fill up fairly quickly and sometimes they have a deadline on when registration ends. I got a bit of a later start this year than I normally do with scheduling camps as I wanted to really monitor it based on the current times. This past week I have been signing the boys up for camps and many already were on a wait list. Make sure to jump on it.

I sign my boys up with a mix of classes. Sports camps, Vacation bible school, education camps like Robotics, and music lessons. I like my boys staying active and getting out the house.

Plan Meals:

You know Cyrus is the SNACK KING, if you see some Cheetos, then most likely Cy is the one eating them! I have to be mindful of the items I have in the pantry and what I will be giving the boys for lunch. I have been trying to get a balance so he is not turning into a Cheeto. While I am ok with my kids having the snacks they want within moderation, its also important my boys get the nutrients they need. I do meal plan to help us to stop eating so much junk and to keep a balance.

I try and plan on Sundays when I do my grocery order. Another idea to try is something my sister does. For the entire month my sister will plan out all of her family meals. I have not been that proactive, but something that I was to start doing. It takes the wonder out of the week, and ensure you are keeping a healthy and balanced diet. Kids and parents!

One thing I like to do during the summer is a snack box for each of the boys, and once they finish their snacks that’s a wrap for them that day. This seems to work a little better with the older kids, but I try and keep Cyrus in line as well. This snack box will have a variety of snacks.

Communication is key

Before summer break starts take the time to chat with your kids about what they want to do for summer break. While Calvin usually gives me about 100 things haha. I try to build into our schedule some of the activities the boys would like to do. I also, talk to my boys about summer break coming up, and let them know the expectations for the summer. That way there is no confusion once the summer hits on how break will go.

Create a Toy Rotation Schedule:

The boys sometimes get bored of using the same toys so I try and rotate them out at summer break. If I see a kid utilizing the same toy pretty often (Cyrus and his scooter) then I will make sure to keep those out. So when summer hits, I bring out some older toys. They plan with them as if they were brand new because often times they forget they even had those toys.

I also want to mention, I TRY and clean up and organize the playroom or wherever the toys are stored so when we start the break it is clean and ready for them.

Find Childcare:

I am still working full-time from home and I am not as available to keep the boys entertained all summer long. I know there are moms who are like me working from home and some that are back in the office. If that is the case, childcare plans is a must do before summer. We arranged Cyrus going to the daycare Cashton goes to as his school just ended, so I can still be productive with work.

Plan Play Dates:

You know kids get bummed about not being able to see their friends all summer long so planning a play date every other week with their friends is something they can look forward to. If you haven’t already start connecting with moms to exchange info before the school year is over.

Include a Family Getaway:

Growing up we always would go on a trip during the summer, it is something that was always very special to me. I try to do the same for our family. It doesn’t have to be anything extravagant. You could even do a staycation where you go to a local hotel that has a pool for the week. If you can try to build a family vacation in over the summer.

Don’t Forget: Schedule in that time for yourself! With all the kids home you need to have a self-care day.

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What do you have planned for the upcoming summer break?