Summer Vacation has started! We as parents start to turn our thoughts to kids being home all day and how to keep them entertained. While summer usually means more free time, it doesn’t need to mean that all their time should be free time. In fact, studies have proven that kids need a schedule to thrive. Dr. Bob Myers, a licensed child and adolescent psychologist says, “Regular schedules provide the day with a structure that orders a young child’s world. Although predictability can be tiresome for adults, children thrive on repetition and routine… As they get older, when a child knows what is going to happen and who is going to be there, it allows them to think and feel more independently, and feel more safe and secure. A disrupted routine can set a child off and cause them to feel insecure and irritable.” With that being said, we have come up with the ultimate summer schedule for your child that allows them plenty of free time to explore while still providing the structure that helps them thrive.
How the Summer Schedule Works
The idea is to print one schedule for each child, then laminate it or just slip it into a sheet protector, either option will work well. Then in the morning, the kids can use a dry erase marker to check off each task.
Ideas for Chores
Deciding on age appropriate chores can be hard. We often want a chore the children are 100% capable of doing perfectly and then get frustrated when it is not done right. The age-old adage, “Practice makes Perfect” is fitting for this situation. Give your kids the opportunities to learn to work and they will get better. Kids can start by doing chores with you. Even a one-year-old, can help you move clothes from the washing machine to the dryer or use a handheld broom and dustpan. So, don’t worry too much about perfection. Instead, focus on creating a routine and instilling a good work ethic.
What works best for us is to give one child the same chore for the whole week. It cuts down on the confusion of what their chore is and helps them learn mastery of that chore during the week. Our chores just rotate every Monday morning.
Some ideas for chores are to unload/ load the dishwasher, vacuum a room, start a load of laundry, take care of animals, disinfect a bathroom, or pull weeds.
Workbooks
All these books come in different elementary grade levels (We do not participate in affiliate marketing. We just found some workbooks we, as parents, like.)
Big Second Grade Book by School Zone
Idea: Have an older child in Middle School or High School, challenge them to learn something new. If they need help in typewriting have them take an online class or if they are getting ready for the SATs, summer is the perfect time to grab a workbook or take a class.
References
