I’ve been a working mom since day one.  This means I’ve never enjoyed (endured) a summer break with my kids.  They’ve always been in day camps or at home with family…until this year. This time I would be the day camp and I know my kids don’t function without a schedule, so I used my four months of bed rest to concoct a game plan for a full calendar of summer activities for kids. (Originally posted in 2018)

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Summer Planning

Step 1:

Print off a calendar for each month of summer break.  (I have used these in the past.) Plan to have one focused activity for each day and a theme for each week.  I plan a field trip and special snack every week as well.

New for 2025-Free Printable June, July & August calendars! Download for FREE here.

Step 2:

Hit up Pinterest!  I go through alllll of the things I’ve pinned to do with my kids but have never had the time to do.  I make a list and group things together to get inspired for some of the weekly themes. You can see my Pinterest board here.

Step 3: 

Find the freebies.  Our library offers a program where you can get free passes to tons of local attractions and parks.  I also Google “Free activities near me” and look at the local parenting websites for lists of summer entertainment.  Armed with my calendars, an I-pad and an old school spiral notebook I begin to piece together my plan.

Summer Time Weekly Theme Ideas

• -Sports
• -Building/Legos
• -Your Home State
• -Art
• -Animals
• -America
• -Science
• -Star Wars/Space
• -Food
• Lazy Days of Summer
• Last Blast of Summer

Outdoor Toys for Summer on Amazon

Next Steps for a well organized Summer

Step 4: 

Make your supply list.  Knowing full well all great plans implode when life in a busy family happens, I decided to make a list of supplies organized by week and ordered them ahead of time on Amazon. I figure if I have already paid for the supplies, it will motivate me to follow through on the activities.

Step 5- Implementation

…To be continued…Keep following along to see some of the Pinterest fails (and a few successes!), how we managed our schedule and how I adjusted to life as a stay at home mom to a 9 year old, 6 year old and infant! 

Updated September 2023: I don’t think most of the summer activities for kids made it to the blog.  I was clearly overconfident!  Little did I know that a year and a half later I would begin homeschooling due to the pandemic.  If you’re looking for more activity ideas be sure to check out these posts: 

Homeschooling

Blood & Circulation Activities

Homeschooling with Disney