Summer is here, school is out and that means, we have to figure out what to do with the kids all day! If this leaves you feeling a little lost on how to keep the kids from constantly saying, “I’m bored” while trying to minimize screen time, I’ve got you covered.
While the beauty of summer is a break in the constant busyness of the school year, it can also mean empty days staring at you wondering how to keep the kids busy.
I for one, love the relaxed feel of summer. And like most moms, I don’t love hearing ‘I’m bored’ or being asked for extra screen time as I search for a way to occupy the kids.
How We Started Our Easy Summer Schedule.
I first entered the mom game with elementary age kids when I became a bonus mom. This is like jumping off the deep end. With open days starring at us, I needed to figure out a way for the kids to be productive.
I’m a big fan of having loose order and flow to the day. Nothing needs to be rigid, and that doesn’t tend to work well with kids anyways, but having a general rhythm or routine can be helpful and not leave you wondering how to spend 10+ hours in a day with bored kids. Plus I’m a work from home mom and need a way to occupy the kids and still get my work done during the day.
Enlist Kid’s Help In Planning The Summer Schedule
I’ve found after many years of doing this, the biggest key to success is enrolling the kids in the planning. The kids will know when their screen time can happen so you’re not being asked about it. Enrolling the kids into planning the schedule creates buy-in to the idea. People, and children, support that which they help create.
In the past I wrote our schedule on a removable chalkboard wallpaper. Something as simple as a piece of paper on the refrigerator door also works just fine.
This year I repurposed a chalkboard I already have to make a cute sign that is easy to reference.
Here Is How To Plan Your Summer Schedule With The Kids
First things first, outline what it is you want to make sure they do each day. These activities become time blocks. For us this included things like, at least one if not two hours of reading. We always do a summer reading challenge. You can learn how to plan your own summer reading challenge in the blog post here.
We include one hour of screen time later in the day, one hour of outside time, creative time where they focus on a craft, coloring, painting, cooking/baking time, educational time and general play time. This Is somewhat loose so if a kid is really involved in a craft, they don’t have to be done at 10am on the nose to go onto the next activity.
Have Your Kids Help Plan The Time Blocks
When I do this, I enlist the kids’ help on where to plan things. I ask questions like, okay after breakfast first thing will be some educational time. After that what activity do you want to do? And when in the day do you want to do your reading time? I typically on my own set the screen time. I opt for something like 3pm or 4pm so the kids know when it’s coming and they can look forward to it rather than feeling like it’s done and over with first thing and now they have to wait an entire day for more time.
Sample Easy Kids Summer Schedule
Our schedule varies year to year, but this is what we’ve done in prior years.
8am -9am: Wakeup, get dressed, eat breakfast, make bed, pick up their room address any minor chores they need to do
9am-10am: Outside time. Before it gets hot this is a great time for the kids to run around outside and play, ride bikes, play tags etc.. Depending on the day and what they want to do this is also easy to swap with the educational time if they want to run through the sprinkler or play in the water.
10am-11am: Creative time. This is the time for them to color, draw, paint, play with chalk, or they can do a craft we may have put together.
11am-12pm: Kitchen & cooking time. Here we might bake together, make bread or bake cookies, the kids have in the past made their own popsicles, or easy things like jell-o or pudding.
12pm: Lunch! They help make lunch or if the kids are older get their own lunch. Additional chores are also done here.
1pm-2pm: If kids are past nap time, this is when we have reading time. If lunch is done before 1 we start reading time early. My toddler naps during this time, so having the kids read at this time ensures the house is calm and quiet.
2pm-3pm : Educational time. We work out of workbooks the school sends home or print off spelling sheets, math sheets, do educational games, etc… You can use great free resources such as education.com for printing out free worksheets. This is also a great way to utilize the library. Many libraries may have a section of free homeschool resources, or you can of course check out educational books, games and packets.
3pm-4pm: Screen time. Here is when we let the kids do t.v., play on tablets, or do video games etc..
4pm until dinner: Free time. This can be used on whatever the kids want. If they want to play with toys, do more outside time, work on a project more etc.. they can. Usually around 5 or so is when my husband gets home so then kids are hanging out chatting with him, telling him about their day etc…
After dinner, the family usually hangs out and this open ended time may be where we play a board game, watch something on TV as a family, go for a walk, and general baths, showers etc… are happening.
Be Flexible With Your Summer Schedule
Again this is a general open schedule which means you can adjust it to suit your needs or your day. On days we might go to the library and get new books we would do that during educational time. It may work out that educational time is in the afternoon but there is a children’s reading hour in the morning, so we may swap educational time.
As the kids are getting older, there are times they ask to flip flop a time block if they have to share something. For example, one may do educational time while others do screen time if they were wanting to take turns on the tv.
Focus On The Priorities In Your Summer Schedule
The beauty of this schedule of knowing what’s most important to you is you can focus on those. For us, it’s the reading time and outside time, although the kids would tell you it’s screen time for them.
If I have a light day at work and we want to spend the afternoon at the pool we toss out the afternoon schedule and do that instead. In knowing that reading time isn’t happening in the afternoon now, we may then ditch craft time in the morning to read.
If the kids have a friend that wants to come play or invites them over for the play date, then they may skip out on part of the schedule to play with friends.
This schedule was first planned for older kids, but it works great for littles too! If you only have little kids at home, this is a great way to be able to break up the day with them for you too.
I hope this serves you well as you adapt and adjust this easy summer schedule to fit your family’s needs.
Good luck keeping the kids busy with this easy summer schedule!
Kaitlyn