SUMMER PLANNING WITH KIDS - THE COVID EDITION
/Welp, this summer looks like it’s going to be a bit different. Camps, pools, lakes, clubs, etc. may be open or may not be. If they are open they are likely operating under different guidelines than what we’ve experienced before. Travel plans may have changed and some of your regular summer adventures might not happen this year. It feels weird but it’s our current reality.
We have made the decision in our household that our kids will be home with us this summer and not at a camp. I will be working on a modified work schedule and family will be helping with childcare when we need it. When I think about what our days will look like its a mixed feeling of excitement of relaxed summer moments and the panic of bored kids wanting television and electronics all day. If I’m being honest, it’s the latter that’s been on my mind the most. I realized I needed some framework to help myself and my kids come up with some sort of structure for their 2.5 months at home without the schooling that has been keeping us all busy.
When trying to come up with a plan for what our days would look like, I remembered something my good friend and fellow professional organizer Sue Duval from The Organized Hive shared with me a year or two ago. She had told me that her kids (who are 10+ years older than mine) had 3 things they had to do everyday in the summer. They had to do something good for their mind, something good for their body & something to help out around the house.
I found Sue’s idea so inspiring that I am implementing it in my own home this summer. This loose structure will help us plan our days and guide us when the dreaded “what are we doing today” question inevitably arises. Depending on the ages of your kids this will look very different, but this is what I am planning on for my daughters, ages 5 and 8.
DO SOMETHING GOOD FOR YOUR BODY
This can be any form of exercise that gets my kids moving. Going for neighborhood walks, bike rides, swimming at their grandparents’ pool or playing tag in the back yard.
DO SOMETHING GOOD FOR YOUR MIND
Since my kids really like to read, I imagine we will do lots of reading coupled with activity books, board games, card games and maybe even creating some Rube Goldbergs.
DO SOMETHING GOOD FOR YOUR HOUSEHOLD
Clean up up their room, help with laundry, tidy up their arts and crafts supplies. I am hopeful that this list will grow - a mom can dream!
This summer may look different but I am determined to make the most of it and enjoy my time with my kids. Have any tips to keep your kids busy this summer? I’d love to hear about it below.
Happy Summer Friends!!
xo -Emily
