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This past May was a busy month for our family. With traveling, work obligations, and many changes to our schedule, our normal routine was thrown out the window!
Now summer is upon us, and though we are fully embracing it, my kids thrive with a little bit of structure and downtime in their days. I do, too!
As part of our morning routine, we have introduced “Summer Fun Pages,” which are only “pages” sometimes and are usually but not always fun!
My kids are so excited about this, and I am so pleased with their eagerness and enthusiasm each morning. We really are learning all throughout our days, but the time we set aside for our summer fun pages is more of a focused, structured time we engage in together each morning.
Summer Fun Pages
As part of our morning routine, after breakfast and morning chores and usually while the baby is content to play on his own or is napping, the “big” kids and I sit down to complete our summer fun pages.
For each activity they complete, they earn a sticker (up to 5 per day) for their chart. {They each have their own chart — my daughter picked this one, and my son picked this one.} Our goal is to complete summer fun pages 4 days per week, which will allow them to fill one full chart each week.
A few weeks ago, we created a “bucket” list of sorts to help us be intentional about how we spend our time this summer. It’s far too easy for me to plan fun outings in my head, only to realize when fall rolls around how few we actually did!
The idea for allowing our summer fun pages to earn us a summer fun day is really an added layer of accountability to make sure that in addition to relaxing and slowing down this summer, we still go out and do! I tend to be a homebody by nature, so I need all the motivation I can to pack up all three kids at these ages and go on an adventure!
In case you are interested in doing summer fun pages in your home, here are some of the activities we do each day (we choose 5 per day), and each week I am adding other options into the mix.
- 2-3 pages in a school book — This includes all sorts of practice from writing, cutting and pasting, sequencing, coloring, phonics, etc.
- Math game
- Reading — We read a lot, but during this time, Isabella reads a book to me. Sometimes we use BOB books or I Can Read, or Step into Reading books from the library, but mostly we just use the little readers I used when I was her age!
- Never Bored Book — I usually let Isabella pick one to two activities from this book, which she loves!
- Pattern Blocks
- Puzzle
- Drawing — (We have Watch Me Draw Cinderella but there are a lot of other neat options in the series. I love this one because of the simple, step-by-step picture instructions and the drawing pad that folds out so you don’t have to keep flipping pages.)
For my 3 year old
- 1 page in a preschool book — this is usually some form of matching or line tracing to practice pencil and small motor control
- Cutting practice (We use and like this little book.)
- Pasting practice
- Puzzle — My little guy loves puzzles and can complete many on his own. This one, this one, or this one are three of his favorites right now.
- Lace and Trace — We enjoy these and these.
- Sorting (sometimes I even just have him sort the pieces of the four different puzzles in this collection.)
- Patterning or Sequencing
- Pattern Blocks
Questions for You:
Does your family keep up with school work in the summer? What types of activities do you encourage and how do you help motivate your kids?
Do you have questions about Summer Fun Pages or Summer Fun Days? Send me an e-mail or ask in the comments!
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