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16 Tips For Making Summer Fun For Kids AND Mom

23/05/2018 - 05:10 PM

For most moms I know, Summer is a love-hate situation. We love the lack of strict schedules and school-mandated to-do lists (not to mention weather good enough to send our kids outside [1] from sunup to sundown). But Summer also means that we have a lot of hours to fill for our children, and no matter how many awesome new toys [2] we buy or sweet bucket lists [3] we make, we're guaranteed to hear an "I'm bored" or two — probably on day one.

However, there are ways to make Summer blissful for both kids and mom, and the following 16 tips will help you get there. From creating easy to manage Summer shortcuts for everything from empty days and the ridiculous number of snacks [4] you know your kids are going to request to ways to change your own mindset to better enjoy everything the season has to offer, this is how you make this Summer the best yet for you and your kids.

Don't Overcommit

Being too busy is the enemy of Summer [5], which is all about unstructured, carefree days. So for every week of Summer camp and family vacation you book, remember to give yourselves one to just chill and see where the day takes you. Sure, there will be long days full of whining, but there will also be some full of spontaneous fun — and that's where memories are made.

Post Up at a Local Pool

Swimming is a mom's Summer best friend, mostly because kids seem to never tire of it, meaning you can fill days on end simply by visiting a local pool. Do your research, talk to pool-loving mom friends [6], find a spot that will work for your family in terms of location, layout, and hours, and buy a season pass. You won't regret it.

Find Your Favorite Park

On early mornings, evenings, and afternoons that aren't too hot, a local park can fill hours without much effort on a mom's part. Start taking your kids to all the parks in your area to find your favorite. Look for safe equipment, some shade, picnic tables or nice benches, and restroom facilities.

Set Up a Snack Station

If your kids are like mine, a day spent at home includes about 10-10,000 requests for snacks. Beat them to the punch by setting up a snack station in your pantry and one in your refrigerator, both stocked with healthy, easy-to-grab bags of precut fruit, pretzels, crackers, granola bars, and more.

Schedule a Grandparent Camp

If you and your kids have a great relationship with their grandparents, try to organize a trip to grandparent camp [7], a preset number of days that they'll take over childcare duties at their house. Not only will you get a break, but it's a great way to cement the bond between your kids and your parents or in-laws.

Work With Your Neighbors

If you're lucky enough to live in a neighborhood with a lot of kids (and some manageable moms [8]), work together to organize a play-date rotation, regular neighborhood-wide games and get-togethers, and an informal watch system that means you'll keep an eye out for their kids that are old enough to be roaming around the hood, and they'll keep one out for yours.

Find an Age-Appropriate Summer Camp

Even if your kid isn't old enough for sleep-away camp [9], there's probably a great day camp, park-district Summer camp, or specialty camp in your area that will work for them. Do your research, ask around, and find a program that will provide a little structure to a week or two of your Summer. Both you and your kids will appreciate it.

Beef Up Your Backyard

Invest in a playset, bounce house, or outdoor playhouse, stock up on bubbles or water toys, or simply turn on a sprinkler. It's amazing how much fun your backyard can be in the Summer if you put a little time and money into it.

Encourage Independent Learning

Don't let your kids fall victim to Summer brain drain. Encourage them to put down the screens and pick up a book. Load their tablets with math and reading games, and sit down to play with them. Turn errands into learning experiences by letting your kids count change, count items, or weigh produce.

Schedule a Family Vacation

Summer is the perfect time to schedule a family getaway [10], so pack up the car or book a flight, and take your Summer fun on the road.

Put Your Favorites on Regular Rotation

Find a favorite ice cream shop, and visit weekly. Discover the best outdoor restaurant patios, and spend Sunday nights dining al fresco. Have Wednesday night picnics at your favorite park. Order the best local pizza to the pool on Fridays. With more time to explore, linger, and relax, Summer is the perfect time to put your family's favorite spots on regular rotation.

Create a Chore Chart

When the kids are home all day, your house can go from neat to nasty in no time at all. Enlist the help of your little ones to keep things in order by setting up a chore chart [11], giving each child age-appropriate responsibilities.

Explore Nature

There's no time better than Summer to get outside and explore all that nature has to offer. Visit state parks, paddle on nearby lakes, or set up camp in the backyard [12]. Fresh air, sunshine, and happy plants are good for every soul, no matter how old.

Ease Up on Bedtime

We're not recommending you completely throw out bedtime, but when it stays light out until 9 p.m., who wants to go to sleep at 7? Even if it's just on a few special nights (say, for Fourth of July fireworks), forget about that strict bedtime, and let your kids experience the awesomeness that is Summer after dark. [13]

Create a Kid Activity Center

Set up an indoor and outdoor activity center that you can direct your kids to the first time you hear "I'm bored." Put craft supplies, coloring books, games, and reading material in one spot inside, and bubbles, sidewalk chalk, outside games, and balls together outside, and your kids will have no reason to act like there's nothing to do.

Embrace Free-Range Behavior

The rest of the year, you're probably driving your kids to school, clubs, and sports, helping them with homework, and making sure they're well-fed and rested (in other words, managing their every minute), but Summer is the time to switch to a more free-range philosophy [14] (assuming your kids are old enough, of course). Let them learn math and science during the school year; in Summer, they can learn independence [15].


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