How to Plan a Simple Summer that Still Feels Special
My oldest just completed his final exam of the year so it’s officially summer, a simple one at that. While we’ve had summers in the past with lots of travel and road trips, this summer will be more simple. A simple summer with longer days and little plans can arguably be the best.
Many of us remember the summers of the 90’s. Riding bikes, going to the pool, hanging out with friends. We didn’t have phones or social media to worry about and many of us want that for our kids now too. Less screens, more freedom, more fun. I remember in high school rolling down the windows and simply driving and listening to music with friends.
I don’t remember my Mom planning too many big things for me or going through my summer plans months in advance. While we parents may need to look ahead, summer days don’t always include a known daily schedule but are rather the perfect time for letting go and hopefully taking things slow.
Reality Check
In the beginning of summer this plan sounds great. Parents and kids alike may be fine with less structure, but the summer months can drag on so I’ve found adding some simple summer fun can make things feel special without the overwhelm. I’m ever on the hunt for fun and free, if possible, events to keep our summer having some structure while still enjoy the beauty of a simple summer day.
As far as daily rhythms go, my kids still have their expected chores to do along with various summer school work one days we don’t have things going on. I’ve found some summer schedule really helps. This way when we do our soft launch week and school really gets going again things aren’t stressful!
The Best Summer?
Can any of us remember the best summer? Maybe now we might say the summer we got married or had a baby. As a kid I’m not sure if we’d say a certain summer was superior to the other, and I’m 100% sure we shouldn’t put the pressure on ourselves to plan the perfect summer for our kids. So, let that go and consider this just some ideas. You’re not looking for the best here, you’re looking for simple.
If your summer isn’t simple guess what? You’ll be burned out come August and definitely not ready to resume school again, especially if you’re a homeschool Mom like me! So, here are some ideas we go by.
Lazy Days
For the first week of summer I’m ok with some very lazy days. I need them too! However, with older kids I know those might involve friends over, movie afternoons if its rainy, or even an ice cream run in the afternoon. Surprising my kids with an ice cream run at 3 PM would actually be fun for them! I loathe video games, but I know those may be a part of lazy times, with time limits of course.
We do something called “Captain” in our home which essentially means whoever is captain that weeks gets to sit up front and pick the family movie night movie. I highly recommend this if you don’t do something like it! Vidangel is a must for us year long for movies. If you haven’t tried it yet it blocks out the things you don’t want your kids to hear or see while still enjoying a movie. If you want free month to try it, use this link!
Summer freedom may involve some other fun things for captain like picking snacks for the pool, maybe the dinner we have there or ice cream flavors if we opt to buy cartons over eating out.
The Bored List
I’ve seen these before and I do kind of love them. I may just make one myself and share it in another post. Basically write a list of things your kids can do if they’re bored. Boredom invites creativity and if your home is like mine with even an egg carton or empty box, you’ll be amazed at what your kids can create!
Summer Camps
Last summer will look much like this one where the boys do our usual summer camp, but we aren’t adding much on to that. My bigs all go to the same overnight camp I grew up going to but we don’t chose to put them in day camps over the summer.
We learned years ago we aren’t a swim team family so we’re glad to have our mornings and weekends free. Family time is important while we can get it and sometime that’s best on a Saturday morning not sitting at the pool’s sidelines!
At the end of the day I know each family has different needs but the summer camps can come with a hefty price tag and lack of supervision, so plan accordingly if you do go that route.
Summer Food!
While I love a big feast, summer food can be so simple. Lots of basil and tomatoes in the garden make for less meal planning sometimes and more fresh meals. Kids I find in the summer can go for a sandwich by the pool with friends leaving you off the hook for a big dinner and less clean up in the kitchen at night. This is a summer win!
A New Skill?
Something I always hope for is that my kids might learn a new skill over the summer. There are likely new things they’d like to try and summer offers that’s opportunity if you offer them that time. Maybe they want to try and hit balls at a driving range or take an art class. My teen is learning some technical skills on the computer which will come in handy down the road.
Not every skill requires tools and money. You are their best teacher and youtube tutorials are free! Don’t underestimate what you already have in your house to help teach your kid a new skill this summer.
My Sunday Afternoon Rule
Several years ago I set out to keep Sunday afternoons free. I wouldn’t plan anything that day and for the sake of our family we might even say no to things that would create a busy day and rob us of Sabbath rest. I know it’s summer but busy schedules aren’t something I love and my husband is still in the office each day! He doesn’t exactly get a summer.
So, my idea to you is this, protect your Sundays. Don’t plan anything on them, don’t feel the need to fill the empty space. Go to church, enjoy good food, and rest.
A Few of My Favorite Things
Some of our favorite things that have created the best memories are outdoor movies, summer hikes, wading in creeks and other summer activities. I’m not sure anything beats a toddler running through a sprinkler for the first time!
Local Spots
This is a great time of the year for a lot of community events, so definitely look into those! Many places will host fireworks around the fourth of July, have live music at various venues, splash pads, or I even heard about an ice cream crawl recently! It’s all about the little things that really add up to a fun summer.
Beach trips may not happen so I try to think about other warmer weather outdoor activities my family would enjoy. We’ve done day trips to a beach, packed lawn chairs by a creek and enjoyed long weekends camping.
A Mom’s Perspective.
Summer offers us lots of time to slow down. It’s not just about your kids having so much fun, but you as well. Self care is important here and I have my own hopes and desires for making this simple summer still feel special.
I’ve actually felt for awhile now that the Lord wants me to wake early to get my time with him and my workout done so that I’m more present for my kids. Having a two year old or any younger kids can be a lot and so taking care of my mental health this summer matters!
While I look at the calendar and think about local minor league baseball games to attend, I’ll also pencil in some date nights with my husband and find the perfect opportunity to still meet with friends discussing our latest reads, strolling Home Goods, or maybe grabbing Cava.
Summer is fancy in itself. The sunshine, the flowers, the water. Why do we feel the need to upstage what’s already in front of us? We can enjoy the simplicity of summer, learn a new skill ourself like homemade ice cream or fresh milled bread, totally on my bucket list. We can have quiet time before the kids wake and let go of a summer bucket list our neighbor may have created.
You know your family and your summer won’t look like anyone else’s. The first step to summer break seems to be letting go of those expectations so we can truly have a summer vacation, even if we never leave our state.
