School’s out and it’s time to entertain kids at home for the next eight weeks. As fun as the summer months are, it’s a lot for parents to work, care for children, and plan activities that are engaging and educational. That’s why it’s important to start the summer off strong… with a super summer routine for kids!
Never Underestimate the Power of a Routine 💪
Along with sunscreen and fresh-squeezed lemonade, a strong routine will be your best friend during the summer season. You might think that sticking to a schedule is boring or even cripples spontaneity, but it’s actually quite the opposite!
If you ask any early education teacher what the secret to a successful classroom is, they’ll probably talk about the importance of a solid routine. In fact, going through the daily schedule is often children’s favorite part of the day! They love checking off tasks and looking forward to what is coming.
A Solid Daily Routine:
- Provides structure and predictability
- Reduces anxiety and stress
- Helps fight boredom
- Makes time pass effortlessly
- Prevents tantrums and meltdowns
- Gives a sense of confidence and security
What to Include in Your Family’s Summer Routine 🌳
Each family’s routine will look a little different, depending on where you live and how your family likes to roll. It’s helpful to first consider the main areas that are important for a child’s routine:
- Self-care (getting dressed, brushing teeth, bath time)
- Meals and snacks
- Clean up time (picking up toys, helping with meal prep)
- Outdoor activities (park, pool, playground, walks)
- Unstructured playtime (toys)
- Screen time
- Learning activities (science experiments, reading, Playlearning™)
- Errands (dentist, doctor, grocery store)
- Special outings (library, museums, parties)
Break The Day Up into Organized Times:
- Early morning
- Breakfast
- Late morning
- Lunch
- Afternoon
- Etc.
You can develop your routine so that kids know they always play outside after breakfast and have quiet, unstructured playtime after lunch.
Create an Interactive Schedule 📆
Creating an interactive schedule takes some time on your part, but the payoff will be worth it! When kids get used to the routine of going through their daily schedule, they’ll look forward to their tasks… and it’ll save you a headache or two!
- Set up an area on the wall that kids can reach and label it “Summer Schedule.”
- Cut out and laminate “Daily Routine” cards.
- Stick the cards along the wall in the order that kids should go through them. It’s helpful to have a large calendar for kids to practice days of the week and look forward to special events that are coming.
- Throughout the day, refer back to the “Summer Schedule” area and have your little one show you what they’ve already done and what they still need to do in their day.
Specials Days of the Week 🏊
Humans love predictability! But it can be hard to form a routine with so many different things going on in our lives. One trick to keep consistent is to choose certain days of the week to do different activities.
This might look like doing morning yoga every Monday and Wednesday, and going to the pool every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. That way, when your child asks “what are we doing today?” You can say something like, “Well, it’s Thursday… and what do we always do on Thursday mornings?”
These time marker activities give kids a sense of predictability and control, and it also helps time move fluidly.
Fighting Boredom 💤
If you have older children at home, then you’ve definitely heard the painful cries of “I’m boooredd!” During the summer, it’s especially important to have activities ready to fight boredom so that kids don’t resort to passive screens to pass the time. Have a list of activities ready that kids can go to if they’re feeling bored!
- Puzzle
- Paint by numbers
- Books
- Science experiment
- Board game
- Cards
- Music
- Dance
- Mud kitchen
- Art video
- Make an obstacle course
Resisting the “Learning Slide” 📚
One of the biggest worries for teachers and parents over the summer is the “learning slide.” But, the good news is that you don’t have to force your kiddos to study at the table each day to keep their minds sharp! Summertime is a great opportunity for hands-on learning… or learning by doing.
- Want to keep up with math skills? Make a delicious summer recipe together and use problem-solving to measure the correct amount of ingredients.
- Learning about life science? Place some ice cubes outside and observe the water cycle by watching them melt and evaporate on the hot sidewalk!
- Brushing up on literacy skills? Listen to a podcast for kids or write a story together about a summer adventure!
Screentime doesn’t have to be an hour of zoning out and distractions! The Lingokids app combines playing and learning so that education over the summer is fun, productive, and supportive!
It’s Okay to be Flexible 🤸🏿♂️
Summer is a time where you’re supposed to relax and break the rules a little bit by letting kids stay up past their bedtime or eat an extra popsicle for lunch. Let your summer routine pave the way, but don’t pull out your hair if things go off course.
In fact, you already know that life with kids never follows a predictable path.
- Change meal and bedtimes gradually over the first weeks of summer
- Take note of what works or doesn’t work for your family’s routine
It’s summer, after all, just go with the flow and enjoy watching your little learners play.
Summer Routine and Lingokids 💙
It takes a village to raise amazing kids. What tips do you have for making a summer schedule that works for the whole family? Let us know by tagging us on social media!
Interested in more engaging and educational summer activities for kids? Check out our downloadable Summer Survival Guide for Parents with ideas and tips for beach days, traveling, camping, learning, and so much more! Looking for summer-related content in the Lingokids App? Our downloadable eBooklets are full of summer fun with all the Lingokids characters!
For more information, download the Lingokids App and check out all the content on our YouTube channels.
