Keeping Your Children Busy This Summer

After being a stay-at-home mom and running a home day care business, I had to come up with ways to keep the children busy and free from boredom. My first suggestion is to make a calender for the whole summer they are off. Whether it's for 6 weeks or 8 weeks, you have to write it all down to make it work successfully.

The easiest way to make a summer calender is to print a blank calender off your computer. All you need is the months of June, July and August with all blank days. Okay, first fill in the holidays so you know how many days you actually need to schedule events. Now look in your local newspaper, scan event calenders on the Internet and make a list of things happening in your community or nearby. Look for parades, festivals, fairs, pools,lakes, field trips, summer school, day camps, art camps, museums, parks, playgrounds,swimming lessons, Vacation Bible schools, 5-Day clubs, specialty stores, ice cream socials, pet shows, kid movie day, kids' bowling, library activities, etc. Ask friends and family if they have heard about anything going on locally for the summer.

First of all, I made up my day care daily schedule. I had a set schedule of what we did everyday. Kids do better with a set schedule and they know when things are going to happen. What do they get to do when they are dropped of? What time is lunch? What time do they get to go outside? What time do you read a story? When is craft time? When is TV time? When is nap time? If you have a chart on the wall or door, kids can look at it and know what to expect. I give the schedule to the parents. I also give them the schedule for the summer so they know what to expect and they can dress the children accordingly and if we have planned any activities requiring extra fees, they will be ready. I always try to schedule free or very inexpensive activities.

Where I lived we had many lakes in our surrounding area. I told the children each summer that we would get to go swimming some place different every week. They loved that! We would go to a local pool, also take swimming lessons and visit 4 or 5 local beaches or lake accesses. It keeps the summer interesting. It beats having to swim in a kiddie pool all the time although it does help keep them cool, on the days we stay home.

A city nearby always had summer activities for children and if you signed up early for a paying event such as swim lessons or a water park field trip, all children received a summer t-shirt. The city also held a local pet show which gave the children opportunity to see school friends and new and different animals. They got to take their own pets as well for judging and get ribbons then get their name in the paper. Everyone got a ribbon even if it was just for participation.

Here are the typical events I scheduled all summer long......swimming lessons, summer school math, summer school science, VBS at one or two different churches in the beginning and end of summer, swimming at a city pool, swimming at 5 local lakes, 2 small museums nearby, 5 Day Bible Club held at my house, picnic inside or outside, helping in the garden, going to the local library for their story time or reading contest and a trip to a favorite fast food restaurant..

I had my own crafts at home as well as food class, sandbox play, rollerskating, bowling, special movie day at home, pet show, parade at the local summer festival, local day camps that included basketball, tie-dying shirts, cooking outside, fishing, hiking, outside group games. Sometimes we took drives in the country just for the fun of it and we would find turtles, cattails, and wild flowers. You can make it a lesson in nature. Another thing I did was take them to a different playground every week.....at local parks and different schools. It broke up the boredom of my little swing set in my back yard.

Make sure you make out permission slips for each child in your care and have the parents sign it showing you have permission to take them places in your car. Make sure you have the appropriate car seats needed, as well. Practicing safety makes it an even better summer!