Summer is my favorite time. I don’t do camps. I don’t want to shuffle kids to and from places anymore. I did that for an entire school year and once summer hits, I am done being the mommy cab. We spend the mornings outside and this year, I am adding a weekly field trip. I love the freedom that summer brings. I love spending this time completely focused on these cool little people.
I vividly remember relaxing at home in the summers when I was a kid. I watched hours upon hours of tv and read books outside. I made crafts. I would leave in the morning and return when the streetlights came on. It was THE best. I won’t let some of these things happen for my kids because unfortunately, times are different. But we are embracing the freedom that only summer can bring.
Craft Time
I have stocked my kids’ craft boxes. They have watercolor pencils, watercolor paper, glitter glue, paper shapes, cardstock, construction paper, scissors, and, of course, lots of blank paper. I love seeing what they create with a few things. I try to switch things out for them a few times a year. We’ve done beads and pom pom balls and pipe cleaners (they ended up all over my house, so we switched to paper products only.)
We’re making some sensory activities. Some of our favorites are freezing toys, making slime, play doh, and we’re trying rainbow rice for the first time this summer. I get my sensory ideas from Mothercould on instagram.
Field Trips
For our weekly field trip, we’ll be going to Bear Creek Nature Center, the zoo, Pikes Peak Children’s Museum, pottery painting, easy hikes, I’m getting more ideas from the kiddos as the summer goes on. A lot of these activites cost less than $40 for my three kids to do.
Loose schedule
Summers are more relaxed in our house, but as much as I want to be carefree, a disaster of a house stresses me out. I try and do a load of laundry every morning. I fold it in the afternoon. The kids have their have to dos before they can be their true outdoor beings. They have to make their beds, put their pjs in the laundry, bring their dishes to the sink and help put away the toys. One of my favorite parts about summer is that they are so focused on playing outside that the indoor messes don’t pile up quite as fast! When we can work together, it goes so much easier. We typically don’t have to rush out the door, so that helps too!
Activities
I don’t sign up for camps because I don’t want to shuffle everyone around anymore and when summer camps come out, I am overwhelmed. The end of school is looming and I have a full calendar, so adding anything stresses me out. I do let the kiddos choose an activity to do. Sometimes it’s swim lessons, sometimes it’s dance, sometimes it’s gymnastics. I don’t live a curated Instagram life that provides endless photo opportunities. I don’t shell out crazy amounts of money for our adventures. I do give my kids lots of attention. I give them my time. I hope at the end of the day, they remember that Mom was there. Mom was (sometimes) fun. Most of all, I hope they feel how loved they are.
