School’s (almost) out for summer! Bring on the sunscreen, sunnies, swimsuits, sticky watermelon fingers, and that beautiful summer sun!
If you are a parent or caregiver, the end of the school year & summer approach very quickly and I sometimes stumble into it unprepared. I do not have routine care established for this summer which means my littles will be with me! I truly look forward to this time with my kids but I know I need a flexible plan to keep our days moving in this stagnant Georgia heat. Our kids, aged three and five, are creative, messy explorers who want to be outside every chance offered! For us to make the most of this time together, a routine that gets us outside, exploring our communities and resources, is key to sun-soaked summer fun!
What to ConsiderÂ
We live in Georgia which means a hot, sweaty summer. I have to plan for heat/humidity and how that affects my littles. We spend our time outside in the mornings, often retreating from the high heat around lunch time, and try to fill our evenings with ways to cool off outside until dinner & bedtime.
Fun-Filled & Themed DaysÂ
We will follow a themed routine this summer. I fell in love with this summer schedule by The Pragmatic Parent! She offers fantastic predictability for each day, like Water Wednesday, while tackling your summer bucket list activities. Â This is the schedule we plan to follow for Summer 2023!
There are many variations on Pinterest for you to create your own summer fun for your family. Check out these other summer schedules here!
Summer Fun for FreeÂ
Check your local community and the resources around you to see what you can put in your schedules (for mostly free)! Places to check include:
- Local Libraries: Libraries offer community passes to local businesses, age appropriate story times, clubs, book clubs, Â craft events, summer reading programs, and more; all at the affordable cost of applying for a library card!
- Church Communities and Vacation Bible Schools
- Your State and National Parks: Remember, active duty military and veterans get into these resources often for free! Check out the Get Out and Explore More Guide to learn more about the Free Junior Ranger Program for your kids!
- Your Local Army Community Services (or service component equivalent) and the United Services Organization (USO).
- Check out resources like Run Wild My Child and 1000 hours Outside for ways to get your kids of all ages outdoors (often) for free!
