Last day of school!!! Awesome! Oh wait… what do I do with these kids now?
This is our first year with a kid in school, and with Summer looming my first thought was, “What in the hell am I going to do with him not in school or daycare?”
Luckily, we registered E with some amazing camps to keep his body and mind active, but I know there are a ton of stay at home mom’s that are looking at today with both excitement and dread…
“I’m bored!”, “Can I have a snack?”, “I don’t want to do that!”, “He’s touching me!”… So I’ve compiled a list of some great Summer ideas and activities that will hopefully keep you from pulling your hair out.
Theme Days
If you have a generalized theme for the days of the week it makes it easier to plan ahead. I’m a super planner and my head is normally thinking 2-3 weeks in advance (old wedding photographer habit), but I find that having a theme gets everyone excited and on the same page. Ask your kiddos what their Summer Bucket List is, and see what you can fit in! We also went to Walmart and bought a plastic pool and splash pad – I break these out whenever the kids want a water day and I haven’t shaved my legs. Printable here.
Free Bowling!
Did you know that your kids can get up to 2 free games of bowling per day? There’s a new bowling initiative to get kids active and back into bowling. Go to kidsbowlfree.com and find a bowling alley in your area that is offering this program. All you have to do is register and show up! This is a great activity when it’s too hot to play outside, bonus: mom’s you can sit and read while your kids bowl!
Summer Movies
This has to be one of my favorites. Regal Cinemas is offering movies on the big screen for just $1. Showings are Tues-Thurs at 10am and they offer 2 different movies depending on the theatre. Follow the link to find a theatre near you! https://www.regmovies.com/static/en/us/promotions/summer-movie-express
Research
– What free camps are in your area? Check your local parks and rec page to see if there are free tennis, soccer or baseball camps happening in your area. Usually these are half day clinics, but your kids will be active and trying out something new or learning new skills.
– If you don’t live in a neighborhood with a pool it can be hard to find a place to cool down. Try the local lake and see where the beach access points are! You can also google local splash pads and find one at a local park (just make sure you find out what time the pad is on – otherwise you could miss it). You may have to pay $5 for parking, but it’s better than having to pay a costly membership.
– Go hiking, berry picking, find a creek to traipse through – all of it can be framed as a new adventure. Remember: Everything is more fun when you’re in the middle of it with them!
Rely on your Tribe.
There are other mom’s around you that are going through the exact same thing – whether they want to admit it or not. Reach out to them, ask questions, see if they want to team up at the pool or take a road trip to the zoo. You are not alone this Summer to manage your kids by yourself – even if you think you are. Find a mom group on Facebook or a local meet up group. It’s easier to cope when you have people around you to lean on.
Lastly – it’s okay for your kids to be bored.
This is where their creativity comes into play, and when they have to think of their own adventures. Don’t structure every minute of every day, but making sure they have somewhere to turn other than a screen is helpful. Put a list of “things to do when you’re bored” on your fridge, or make a craft drawer that they can go into is super helpful.
My kids know that when they want to color, draw, or make a craft they have a drawer and cubby set aside that is just for their supplies. They can go in there at any time and grab stamps, glue, construction paper, crayons, markers, safety scissors, and popsicle sticks to make whatever is in their heart to create.
I pinned a few more ideas on my Pinterest wall, and hope you find some of them helpful for those times when you’re going crazy and counting down the days to school starting again. You got this! Make these 68 days count.
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