Helpful Parenting Tips for a Successful Summer Break with Your Kids

The last day of school is approaching which means summer vacation is on the horizon.  Summer will be in full swing for families all over the country in no time. While summer break Is a great time of year, it can also be a big adjustment.  We just were going 100 miles an hour doing all of the end of school year things in May (speaking of which, check out this post for tips on how to Thrive at the end of the school year).

As we kick off summer, some of us are trying to navigate working, working from home or simply navigating children having much more free time.  It can be a challenge to keep our kids engaged in fun and healthy activities while also taking care of other responsibilities.  

I am trying to figure this out too, you aren’t alone.  Summer can be so much fun but like any new season it takes a little getting used to.  With a little planning and intention, your summer schedule can be the perfect time for intentional family time. So, let’s chat about the best parenting tips for a memorable and successful summer break with your kids.

Helpful Parenting Tips for a Successful Summer Break with Your Kids

The 3 Phases of Summer

Before, we dive into summer break parenting tips, let’s first talk about the 3 phases of summer.  Years ago, a wise friend shared this ideas with me and it has helped me plan for the summer months.  June is the first phase of summer, it’s the go-go phase.  

We are just coming off of full school and activities schedules and now our schedules are opening up dramatically as a result, we are feeling a little stir-crazy, like we don’t know what to do with ourselves.  In this phase of summer, I plan a little more to bridge the seasons.  Summer camps, play dates, and road trips are a fun way to dive into summer when everyone still has a whole lot of energy to burn.

The second phase of summer is the slow-go month of July.  At this point in the summer, everyone’s sunk into the slower days.  Kids have usually found their groove with being “bored” and have found some fun on their own at home.  You might still choose to do some activities but you don’t feel the need to do as many organized activities.

Finally, the last phase of summer is the uh-oh don’t go month of August.  At this point, school is right around the corner for most families.  Schedules are starting to fill-up with back to school activities, school sports camps and back to school supply shopping.  Quiet days at home are coveted.

So, the majority of the following tips I usually mostly apply to the month of June as we transition to the slower pace of summer but of course they can also help you all summer long as you navigate having a little more time on your hands while your kids are at home.

Download the 2023 Printable Summer Schedule Planner Here

Tip 1: Have a Game Plan

Summer feels so much different than any other season because we don’t have the constraints of the school calendar on a daily basis.  It gives us a little more freedom and some extra time we might not have during the school year.  

Now, if you are anything like me what often can happen is one of two things.  With all of the perceived extra time on the calendar, I pack our weeks to the gills with summer fun and maybe overdo it a little.  On the flip side, I can see the wide-open calendar and figure we have all the time in the world to get things done.  Both can be problematic. Here’s how I go about planning for our summer to embrace space in the schedule and plan for the things that matter.

Want to listen to the tips? Head to the podcast.

Start with a Family Meeting to Decide What Matters

I start my summer by having a family meeting.  That sounds fancy but I simply ask my whole family this question: what do you want to be sure to do this summer?   As you determine what matters, you could make a summer bucket list which is really just a fancy term for a bulleted list.  

Brainstorm a list of fun activities that you can do together over the course of the summer. This could include anything from visiting a nearby state park, having family movie nights, visiting local parks, going to a drive-in movie, or going to a water park. The possibilities are endless!

Making a summer bucket list can help give your family a sense of excitement and anticipation for the fun summer activities that lie ahead. Download the 2023 printable summer schedule planner here that includes a customizable summer bucket list and 50+ ideas to get you started.

Download the 2023 Printable Summer Schedule Planner Here

Make a Plan of Attack with Your Calendar

Let this list then guide your planning and be sure to plan for these things in your calendar.  There is power in planning, I say it all the time, but good intentions don’t make things happen.  At the beginning of summer, like I said we see the wide open expanse of our calendar and we blink and it’s August.  These “must-do activities” were deemed important by your family.  Plan for them, if you wait, you may be surprised to find there may not be room in the schedule.  

Practically speaking, once we have determined what matters I pull out a paper calendar for the month of June, July, and August and plug in important things. When I get a birds-eye view of summer I can easily determine when it’s getting a little full or if we have too much breathing room in that first go-go phase of June.

Here are some additional things you may want to consider putting on your 3-month bird’s eye view calendar:

• Summer Camps
• Extracurricular lessons: Art, dance, music, and sports lessons
• Family Reunions, Festivals, and Special Events
• Family Vacations

Leave White Space in Your Calendar

Once, you have the main things planned, don’t be too quick to fill in the open space. It’s so easy to worry that our kids will be bored and that they need a lot of extracurricular activities for all of you to survive but the beauty of summer is there is breathing room or white space on the calendar to be spontaneous.  

For example, if it’s a hot day, let’s go to the pool.  Friends are in town, let’s meet them at the park.  If our schedule is overly full, we won’t have room to enjoy things.  So, find a balance between planning what matters and breathing room for things that pop up.  That will look different for each one of us but it’s important to find a balance that works well for your family.

Tip 2:  Have a Daily  Summer Routine & Responsibilities

While school is out for the summer and it’s tempting to let your hair down, routine helps us all to know what to expect daily.  When we have a routine, it decreases the amount of “reminders” we have to give our kids because they know what to expect.  Your routine might not be as early as strict as during the school year.  It might be more of a rhythm like when you get up, you make your bed, get dressed, brush your teeth, and bring down your laundry.  

In the summer, the kid has more time so we include more responsibilities or chores in their day.  Things like unloading the dishwasher, taking the dog for a walk, watering the plants, putting away laundry, and helping with meal prep and cleaning tasks.  I know it can be a lot of extra work to invite kids into these tasks and there may be some whining but we share that they are a part of a family and with that comes responsibility.  We often say “teamwork makes the dream work” and “Many hands make light work.”  We normally take care of our chores right away so we can “eat the frog” or get the hard thing done first.   I often remind myself that these household responsibilities are valuable life skills and we aren’t just raising kids, we are raising future adults.

Check out these kid-friendly recipe ideas!

Last summer, my kid would do a kid’s meal occasionally, they would plan it, make a grocery list and then prep it as a team and then clean up afterward.  They loved it and they had to use so many skills from teamwork to following directions while they did it.  It doesn’t have to be a fancy meal but it can be so fun for them.

One of the things you could plan for is a little daily activity.  Every day of the week you could have a set theme. You could have Art Monday, Movie Tuesday, Park Wednesday, Friend Thursday, or Cooking Friday.  Other ideas include a field trip Friday where you visit a local attraction in your area.  Board game day where everyone gets to pick a board game and you take turns playing.  A library day where you check out new books, take in a library program and check in on your reading goals for the library summer reading program.  

The options are endless but I find these “theme days” to be helpful because you aren’t wracking your brain every day to come up with something to do. It also means you could do a little something fun every day but still leave plenty of time for relaxation at home.  You might even put the brunt of the responsibility on your kids, have them do a little research and come up with a list of local parks they want to visit, recipes they would like to make, friends they would like to invite over, and movies they would like to watch.

Tip 3:  Down Time is Good

We talked about this when we were planning, leaving breathing room for kids to get “bored” is great.  While summer can be a great time for lots of activities, it’s also a time for kids to be kids, play and use their imagination. I always say creativity and imagination are just on the other side of boredom.  Look back at your childhood, what do you remember?  

I remember we went on family vacations in the summer but we also had a lot of time to play with neighbor friends, swim at the local pool, build backyard forts, and eat popsicles. Part of the beauty of summer is the respite from all the normal obligations of everyday life, we can rest a bit.

We live in the midwest so I encourage my children to spend time engaged in physical activity outside.  Our oldest son and his friends organized an impromptu weekly basketball meetup at a local park.  Whether it’s playing sports, going for a bike ride, or setting up an obstacle course in the backyard, there are plenty of ways to get your kids moving and having fun outdoors.  Check out these backyard water tips.

Tip 4: Set Screen Time Rules

Screen time can be a great thing, especially during lazy days or when you need some time to take care of other responsibilities. However, while we are more lax in the summer we do still set limits and make sure that we communicate those expectations to the kids and we are consistent.

This helps kids take on the responsibility and you don’t feel like you are “nagging” them constantly. Practically, they have a timer they set at the start of screen time and when it goes off they put their screens away. If you need tips for navigating tech with kids, check out this post.  

Sometimes, kids just resort to screen time when they are bored so as a family you can come up with a list of alternative ideas to post so they can look at it and choose from one of those options.  Ideas could include things like board games, playing outside, playing with friends, building legos, making crafts, doing a puzzle, or pretend to play for younger kids.

Download our Family Trip Planning Guide with Printable Worksheets

Tip 5: Plan Family Trips

Of course, summer is the perfect time to get away with no school and fewer items on the calendar.  Some of my favorite memories growing up were our yearly family vacation to the lake, we have carried on this tradition with our kids.  

Here’s the thing family trips don’t have to be extravagant and you don’t have to go far.  One of our family’s favorite trips was a road trip to South Dakota and another to Northern Minnesota, it was cost-effective but a blast. Don’t buy into the belief it has to be fancy to be fulfilling, kids don’t care!  Check out my best road trip tips here.  

Family trips create sweet memories and create a lasting bond.  So, start your summer vacation planning.  Some of your favorite family traditions might just come from those trips.  I always say if it doesn’t go right and goes a little wonky, it will make a great story later.  We have a few of those moments on family vacations!

Need help planning your family vacation? Check out our downloadable travel planner full of worksheets to help you pack, plan your itinerary, fun game ideas, and more.

Just Remember…

As a parent, it’s important to remember that the summer months can be a difficult time to maintain a consistent routine but it’s worth it to maintain sanity and order.  Kids take our lead so set the tone for the summer you want to have, Of course correct when things get wonky, and just know there are phases of summer.  

In no time, you’ll be settled into a much slower pace of life and you’ll be asking how do we get the kids back into a school routine.  It always happens. Coming off the heels of a busy end of the year, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed and stressed. However, take a deep breath and plan ahead for what matters to your family.  It will help alleviate some of the stress and anxiety that comes with summertime. 

Want more practical tips and encouragement as you simplify your life on purpose so you can focus on what you love, join our community on Facebook and Instagram here and check out our podcast full of practical advice and encouragement. You don’t have to overhaul your life to love it!

Make sure to listen to the podcast episode to hear more about summertime: