Our Summer Schedule

If you have been following along for awhile now, you have probably noticed that I try to keep the fam in check with a good routine.  When the kids went back to school, we implemented a structured bedtime and morning routine, and it was essential in helping our evenings and mornings run smoothly.

As we all know, life happens and we can't predict what each day will bring, but I have absolutely witnessed the benefit of having a simple and consistent routine with the kids.  When we don't have a routine, things seem to be more chaotic and I hear, "mooooom, what can I do?"  And now that the kids are out of school and home for the summer, I wasn't about to spend my days worrying and wondering if the kids would have enough to do, if they would get bored, if I would be able to get them to help with chores and if I would have two seconds to look at this here blog.

So, I decided to stick with what works, and whip up a summer schedule for the kids.  Here are a few things I considered:

• I would be home with the kids all day, every day.  This mama will need breaks from time to time, and lucky for me, I have an older boy that makes a great helper {and one that is looking to make a little moolah this summer!}
• I wanted to put together a schedule that would be simple for the boys to follow on their own, with a little aid from yours truly. 
• The schedule was intended to keep the day moving right along with a mixture of activities and plans.
• The schedule will be in effect from Monday through Thursday.  To ensure we don't feel too cooped up all summer, we have declared that Friday as "Family Fun Day", which means working together on a few chores in the morning and then heading out on a fun adventure together for the remainder of the day.
• I wanted to keep the schedule in a common area so the kids always have an idea of what to expect next.  I have learned that my kiddos adjust better when they know what is coming, vs. being surprised with what is happening next.

So here is a look at the daily schedule, popped up right on the front of the fridge:

Shown above is our daily schedule printed and mounted in a frame, a timer to offer a helpful reminder for when it is time to transition to the next activity and a motivating "fun day" reward ticket.

I whipped up a freebie for you to download as well!

{click HERE to download your free Summer Schedule printable}

When the kids first wake up, they get to curl up on the couch and watch some cartoons.  This is our morning snuggle time and it is my favorite way to start the day.

Around 8:30 we have a quick breakfast.  We save the big breakfast for the weekends, so weekdays typically consist of waffles, bagels, oatmeal, eggs or cereal with a side of fresh fruit.

By 9:00 the kids are dressed and ready to play.  I thought it would be fun to get their minds working early by playing games or doing puzzles:

Since I still have a five year old boy with a short attention span, half an hour increments for most activities seemed to be the sweet spot.  Once game time is over, they head to the kitchen table for art time:

{Yes, that says, "I like blogs".  He intended to write, "I like dogs", but made a B instead of a D.  So now he is working on giving me some art for my studio}

While the boys craft and create, I am sitting at the end of the table looking over blog things.  When it is time to clean up, I start making them a simple snack.  Since we keep most snacks prepared in the snack bin, there are days when they can get snacks on their own, but I like to hop in and help, especially on hot days when smoothies are in order!

Other snacks we enjoy are home made trail mix, rice crackers, veggies and dip and graham crackers.

After snack time is over, the kids get oodles of free play outside.  We have a fenced in backyard so it is extremely convenient for me to keep the patio door wide open while they play yard games, swing or play in the sandbox...

I am teaching my oldest how to do some light cooking this summer, although I have a feeling he will be cooking better than me in no time.  He is loving it and feels really "grown up" when he can serve us with a plate of spaghetti.

After lunch, the boys take some time to let their food settle and snuggle in for story hour.

Then, back to the playroom for toy time.  During that time, they do whatever is clever.... build lego cities, play train tracks or race matchbox cars....

After inside play, they get some more fresh air.  Maybe play in the sprinkler, a good game of tag or some wiffle baseball.

Once they have had their fill of play time, I built some time in for them to offer up their helping hands around the house with a few simple chores {I will save those details for another post}.

Another snack later and the rest of the day is free play.  By this time, we are starting to gear up for our evening and we adjust our schedules based on our plans for the night. 

As I mentioned, this is our Monday through Thursday schedule.  Fridays we have a list of quick household tasks we work together to complete, and then we head off for our fun day away.  We brainstormed all sorts of things we want to do this summer, everything from heading to the children's museum, going to a movie and spending a day at the zoo.  I popped those items on little cards and on Monday we draw out our Friday fun day activity and pop it up on the fridge.  It gives the kids something to look forward to and allows them to see their reward for being so helpful throughout the week.

Do I wish that our days could be carefree, lazy and schedule free?  Sure, but I admit I gave that a whirl the first two days the kids were home from school and it didn't work so swell for any of us.  Since we implemented our daily schedule, the days seem to go so much smoother.  It has curbed my five year old from sneaking into the pantry all day for snacks {since he knows when his next snack time is}, it has completely eliminated the questioning of what to do next and has built in a few spare seconds for me to still work while the kids are set up with the tools they need to create and play.

For those who stay home during the summer, any other tips or tricks for getting through each day with a grin?  What are some of your favorite summer activities?