What to prepare for to make summertime extraordinary for your kids

Ah, summer vacation! The warm months that kids dream about all year and the months that require the most amount of planning from parents. During the school year, the kids are occupied by class, sports, and homework. But in summer, the day’s structure changes. Now the day involves sleeping in, spending time at the pool, eating ice cream, and watching movies at night. 

 

Let’s make summer of 2018 the best one yet by preparing early and learning some easy summertime activities to keep both you and the kids entertained. Here, we will share what to prepare for to make summer extraordinary for your kids. 

Make a Summer Calendar

Before summer even begins, make a summer calendar with all of your activities on it. You can add to this calendar throughout the summer to keep it updated. We suggest putting the calendar up, so the whole family knows what’s going on.

Not sure where to start? Check out iMom’s printable summer calendars! She has ones for every month, but here are June, July, and August to get you ready for the summer. They are so cute and will help keep you, and the family organized. Make sure to include:

• Camp dates (if any)
• Vacations
• Weekend trips (make sure to have your mechanic help you with car maintenance to be prepared for spontaneous road trips!)
• Visitors
• Appointments
• Activities (sports practice, games, rehearsals, etc)
• Big outings

Call the Camps

If it’s already summer and you’re just starting to plan your child’s summer camp plan, it may be too late. Plan early to secure your kid’s spot in their favorite camp. According to the American Camp Association, summer camp has become much more popular over the last five years, so give yourself enough time to find a camp that catches your eye. 

If you miss out on your son or daughter’s favorite camp, though, don’t worry. You can always either register for the wait-list or choose a backup option. Today, there are camps that do everything from arts and crafts to white water rafting, so there is sure to be multiple choices that are right up your child’s alley. 

Plan Your Summertime Activities

While some weeks will be full of activities like camp, vacation, and family trips, plenty of days will just be spent at home. Often, these are when some of the best, impromptu memories are made! We’re sure you remember summer days spent running through the backyard sprinklers, playing outside with friends, or staying up late to look at the stars. The simplest activities are sometimes the most fun, so we’ve listed some summertime activities that are fun, affordable, and will make lasting memories for years to come.

Baking Cookies for Ice Cream Sandwiches

While just baking cookies is plenty of fun, making them into ice cream sandwiches is even better! First, head to the grocery store to get the cookie supplies. You could either stick with a traditional recipe, like these “Chipwiches”, or you could mix it up and actually make your ice cream sandwiches out of safe-to-eat cookie dough. Either way, they’re sure to be delicious!

Volunteer

Just because your kids aren’t in school doesn’t mean that the learning and growth have to stop. Volunteering during the summer is the perfect way to spend time with your children, teach them a new skill, and grow their philanthropy skills and appreciation for those around them. To successful volunteer as a family, first, establish your kids’ passions. Do they love animals? Want to learn more about their neighborhood? Are focused on keeping the ocean clean? No matter what their interest, there’s a volunteer organization for it.

Plant an Herb Garden

The warm summer weather makes it the perfect time to get outside and do some gardening. Some kids might get bored with planting the regular flowers, so make a cute herb garden with them and explain the importance of agriculture! Planting is a lot more fun when you get to eat the results. Start by buying (or making) a flower box. Then, make cute labels for each herb (here are some great examples). Next, gently plant the herbs and watch them grow all summer! In a few months, you’ll have delicious basil, sage, oregano, or whatever else you decide to plant.

Make a Colorful Sandbox

If you have little ones at home during the summer, this idea is just too cute to pass up! All you need is white rice, food coloring, and a box to play in. Simply boil your rice, add in food coloring, and let it dry out for at least a day. Then, throw in some bath or sandbox toys and let the fun begin. This is a great enrichment activity to ignite your child’s senses.

Summer is so much fun for both kids and parents and with a little preparation, you can make this summer extraordinary for your whole family!