Motivated Mom/ The Busy Mom’s Guide To Summer At Home

Motivated mom LaToyia Dennis, author of Hatch, Leap, Soar, shares her guide to keeping the kids busy when they're home for the summer!

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Now that we’re officially a few weeks into summer, your kids have likely entered the “I’m bored” phase. As #MotivatedMoms we want to make sure our kids are enjoying their summer break, but that can be hard to juggle with so much going on in our busy lives.  It should be top of mind while maintaining everyone’s schedule to avoid burnout. One of the best ways to do that is by practicing self care when you can. But what can you do to help the situation with your kids?

Since we know you’re busy, which is a blessing and a curse sometimes, you might be trying to brainstorm activities without success. Try not to stress though, we’ve got your back. Here are some tips to making your family’s summer at home memorable!

Summer Tip – Set clear quiet time boundaries

This tip is especially important if you’re working from/at home for any part of the summer. During the times when you need silence and no interruptions to get your work done, you still want to make sure your kids have something to do.

Quiet time is great for your kids to work on their reading skills in order to keep them sharp for the next school year. Take them to your local bookstore and let them pick out any book they want to read over the summer so it’s something they’ll be interested in. Promote exploring the store and looking at different options to spark a new interest. This will keep your home quiet, while also giving your kids something to do during that time frame.

Summer Tip – Get them outside

One of the best things about summer is the warm weather and ability to spend time outside. Make sure your kids are taking advantage of that, especially before the cold returns in a few months.  If you have a backyard, turn it into a fun play area. Your kids age range will determine what you should include and what they’ll have fun doing. If you live in a city or don’t have a big enough yard, take advantage of your local parks for a couple of hours a day. In either situation, it’s important to make sure your kids are having fun playing, but are also doing so safely.

Summer Tip – Movie night with no extra screens

A rainy day classic, setting up your living room for movies is always a fun time. Take turns picking one of your favorite films, whether you watch several in a day, or make family movie night a weekly event. Make it even more memorable by leaving your phones, tablets, laptops, etc. in another room.

To take it up a notch, set up a mock concession stand in your kitchen. You can also use this as an excuse to upgrade your sofa for maximum viewing comfort. Also, be sure to stock up on blankets and pillows for the inevitable fort you and your kids will build to hangout in. 

Summer Tip – Small adventures can be the most memorable

If you don’t have room in your budget to go on a full-blown family vacation, it isn’t the end of the world. There are still plenty of fun activities that you and your kids can partake in.

Instead of a weeklong trip, go away for the weekend. Or, if you’re able to, for a couple of days during the week since it will likely be less expensive. You can also take day trips to baseball games, museums or other events that are closer to home. A lot of places will have a discount, or sometimes no fee at all for younger kids, so check out what’s within a reasonable distance from your home.

Even though you’re busy, it doesn’t mean that you or your child’s summer fun has to suffer. Having a plan for your kids during the summer months will keep them entertained and keep you from feeling like they don’t have anything to do. Wipe away the summer boredom stage by trying some of these tips with your kids to keep them entertained and give them memories that will last a lifetime. 

Do you have any fun at-home summer plans? Please share your fun ideas in the comments below.  We would love to hear from you…oh and share this with a friend. 

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