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Camping with Kids
We just got back from a weekend camping trip and we are all exhausted because we played HARD. Camping has always been a favorite for our family – our daughter’s first camping trip was when she was only a month old. Over the years we’ve learned so much about camping with kids at different ages and stages. Here are some of the things that work for us. Pack intentionally. We try not to take TOO much stuff with us when we camp (that’s kind of the point), but there are definitely things that make life easier when you’re traveling anywhere with little ones. The areas that I really focus on…
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Keeping a Summer Routine
Summer can be really hard for children. During the school year they have routines that they can depend on. They know when meals will happen, they have a good idea of what each day will look like, and they understand what the rules and expectations are for each of the adults and environments they interact with. When all of this changes it can feel like the floor has dropped out from underneath them. This can lead to unexpected, and sometimes unwanted behaviors. Continuing some of those same routines, and creating new ones definitely helps! Routines help make sure that tasks get completed, they keep us all a little happier and…
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Summer Chores for Kids
Even as an adult I struggle to do all of the household tasks that I’m responsible for on a regular basis – so it makes perfect sense that children have a hard time cleaning up after themselves. Giving them age appropriate chores early on helps them understand that we all play a role in taking care of our environment. Summer is the perfect time to add a couple of chores to the daily routine. When days are longer and schedules are a little more flexible, then it can be easier to implement new routines. Selecting the right chores for children helps set them up for success. Here are some things…
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Summer Planning
The end of the school year is right around the corner (we’ve got less than a month left here), and that means it’s crunch time when it comes to planning what the summer will look like. Every year has looked a little bit different for us. As my daughter gets older and her interests change, so do our summer plans. Here are some of the ways that I’ve planned our summers over the last few years. Click on the images for more information.
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Last Day of School Traditions
Our last day of school is tomorrow! When my daughter was in kindergarten the last day of school rolled around and I realized that I hadn’t planned for any fun traditions. For me, someone who LOVES holidays and celebrations, this was a massive problem. I quickly came up with a couple of things that work well for us and have been things my girl really looks forward to. Here are our last day of school traditions. I try to keep mornings the same – throwing a special breakfast or activity into our well-oiled routine would throw the whole day off. My daughter’s school always does a half day for their…
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Summer Family Night Activities
We lean into family nights HARD during the summer. Everything feels more relaxed and fun, so we take full advantage! If you’re looking for inspiration, here are some of our favorite family night activities. The great thing about many of these is that they can be a little spontaneous – which is really what makes summer fun!
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Summer Learning Supplies for an 8 Year Old
Every year I’ve tweaked the supplies that I gather for summer learning. When my daughter was in Kindergarten we used a ton of crayons, glue, and flash cards (see how I organized all of that here), now that she’s almost done with second grade, there are so many more notebooks, pencils, and books. Here’s what we’re using to keep her on track academically this summer (all links are affiliates). In the past I’ve printed specific worksheets for certain themes. That worked for us, but it also used a lot of ink and paper, plus I had to organize all of it. The workbooks help us focus on specific subjects, and…
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Summer Planning; What Works and What Doesn’t
Over the last couple of years I’ve learned so much about planning and structuring our summer days at home (see the post that I shared on Monday for a round up of ideas and inspiration)! From planning our days down to the hour to throwing out the plans and winging it, I’ve tried it all. Here are some things that have worked really well for us (DO’s), followed by some things that haven’t been so helpful (DONT’s). DO DON’T The most important thing that I’ve found is to know your kids and plan for what they need. My summer planning has changed every year because my daughter has grown and…
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Snow Day Ideas and Traditions
We got hit with a nasty ice storm this week, which led to our third snow day of the year (the first two were for an extreme cold snap). Since I work from home, snow days mean that my daughter is home with me. I thought I’d share some of our favorite ways to spend a snow day – but before we get to that, If you’re in a program where you end up getting more children on a snow day, here’s a post that might be helpful! Now to the fun stuff! I’m a huge fan of leaning into the absolute relaxation of a snow day. Sometimes a surprise…
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Cheap Summer Activities for Kids
Keeping kids busy all summer can get expensive really fast – but it doesn’t have to! There are so many creative ways to encourage children to use their bodies and brains without spending a ton of money. Here are some of my favorites: Parks – Make a list of all of your local parks and visit a different playground each week. Explore nature preserves and walk every trail that you possibly can. Pack a picnic to really make a day of it (then you can challenge children to come up with new picnic foods AND help prep the lunches too) Play dates – connect with other families and schedule times…
