Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Summer at home: Scheduled or Free?

Today was my daughter's final full day of school! She has two more early release days until she is officially a second grader. I am thrilled for her and sharing in her excitement for the summer break. 


Do you like your summer to be scheduled or free? 

I am shooting for a little bit of both this season. Here are a few ways I am balancing a schedule (for my sanity) and freedom (for the fun of it): 

Find the right summer camp -
I found a gymnastics camp close to home that allows single-day attendance, so I booked my daughter for Tuesdays in June and July. This gives her an opportunity to be with children her age for more than just a single week and gives us something dedicated on the schedule. Most camps are M-F, and that just did not fit our style. Everyone has different preferences, so search for various camp schedules to find what works for you and your kid(s). 

Plan family road trips
We recently booked a couple weekend rod trips to get the three of us out of the house while still being able to spend quality time with Daddy too. Having a dedicated excursion (or two) on the calendar helps us to have something to look forward to and plan around. Even a trip to the grandparents' house can be an extra fun experience!


Think up some activities
My biggest concern about the upcoming summer is that the kids will end up in front of a television too often. Or my daughter will camp out in her upstairs room with the iPad for hours on end. I want to allow her plenty of down time over the next 8-9 weeks, but I do not want to create a media issue, either. I visited the craft store and picked up 6-7 small craft kits that we can create together, plus a few inexpensive new books and toys to entertain the one-year-old while I am spending quality time with his sister.  

Call upon friends
I purposely left many days of down time in our summer plan, and when I inevitably get tired of hearing "Mom, I'm bored!", I will turn to my trusty list of classmates, neighbors, and friends to grab some entertainment time. Pool dates, lunches out, and having friends over for bike riding and picnics are my go-to plans when we need some fun outside of the usual. 


When does school release in your area? 

I still cannot believe we are just about done. Time flies! 


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