Even if the weather might not be cooperating where you live, school will soon be out, and summer is upon us. With the arrival of hot and sunny afternoons, days at the pool, and weekends spent camping, it can be tempting to let go of schedules and expectations for your children. Still, according to experts, a summer schedule for kids is essential.
Before you let the lazy days of summer take over, consider how a summer schedule benefits kids.
Benefits Of A Summer Schedule
While each family and child is different, therapists and doctors agree that kids thrive on some schedule year-round.
There are many summer schedules for kids that benefit their well-being.
Research has shown that a summer schedule can decrease Stress and Anxiety. Just like adults, when kids know what to anticipate and what is expected of them throughout their day, their anxiety and stress levels are lowered.
Feelings of security may occur without a summer schedule for kids. Children thrive on consistency as it provides safety and security, which are keys to healthy social-emotional development.
A summer schedule can give children a sense of control. When kids have a heads-up about their day and week to come, it helps give them a sense of control over their day and life, even if most aspects of their week are, to a degree, planned out for them.
A summer schedule can improve your children’s mood and motivation. When basic expectations (personal hygiene, meal times) are consistent, children are more apt to respond to requests with a positive attitude. Maintaining regular daily routines, like brushing teeth and getting dressed, also helps kids build autonomy. Likewise, they will probably be more motivated to complete the request so they can move on to the next fun thing!
A summer schedule also builds connection. As your children experience regular activities such as family dinners or game nights, they learn that an opportunity for connection and bonding is dependable and important.
Creating A Summer Schedule For Kids
When creating a summer schedule for kids, remember that summer break is the holy grail of childhood. It’s totally okay not to have rigid wake-up times and bedtimes (unless you need to, of course). Your kids’ brains and bodies benefit from the break from the constant demands and stress of our often overscheduled lives.
Start by involving your kids in the scheduling process. When planning daily activities and camps, listen to your kids’ interests and requests. Older kids and teens, especially, probably have their own expectations and ideas of what their summer break will look like.
It’s also crucial that you space out big activities. Try to spread the summer fun so kids don’t get bored or burned out by the end of June. While an overnight camp might not be within the budget, many local parks and recreation centers offer affordable day camps.
It’s also crucial that you don’t overschedule your kids’ summer break. Remember that summer break is just that—a break. Make sure to leave free space for kids to play with friends. This allows children to build autonomy and creativity and helps with self-regulation.
Limiting screen time is also an essential aspect of creating a summer schedule for kids. While it can be easy for everyone to veg out over the summer, research has repeatedly proven that too much screen time is bad for everyone. Establish screen time limits and expectations up front and right away with your kids to help decrease pushback.
Work in educational opportunities without simply extending school-time activities. It’s important that we help kids not lose all of what they gained over the school year and build in opportunities for fun educational activities. Visit your local zoo or nature center to learn about animals. Play math games with yard dice or giant Jenga blocks.
Making a summer bucket list based on feedback from your children is a fun way to get them involved. During summer break, our kids often have a few specific things in mind that they look forward to doing before school resumes. Make a list of everyone in the family’s top two or three things and prioritize those in your schedule!
Finally, have fun. While keeping everyday life consistent is important, don’t forget to enjoy the season. Roast the s’mores, catch the fireflies, and enjoy the fireworks—because summer goes too fast!