summer planning

June 5th, 2013

welcome to summer!

I took this picture last year right before the kids got home. They were so excited to bust through the finish line! Woo Hoo! Summertime!

We also made a GIANT list of all the fun things we wanted to do that summer. I’m happy to say we checked off almost every one (I don’t think there were any pony rides, but hey! they’re expensive).

summer list

This summer, I’m inspired by this post about getting summer right.  Having a schedule–albeit a loosey goosey summer one–is key to keeping my sanity in the summer. I really like the idea of having a set amount of time everyday dedicated to a specific task: say 20 minutes reading, 20 minutes writing, 30 minutes chores, 20 minutes working toward their summer goal.

summer passport

My idea is to make a summer passport–inspired by the restaurant passport above (hmm, that link seems to be broken, but you get the idea). We’ll make some little books together and write down all the tasks we want/need to accomplish all summer in them. Then I’m going to go out and purchase one of those handy dandy date stampers–you know, the ones the librarians used to stamp your book?  And I’ll stamp their passport when they finish the tasks.

Does this sound too complicated? Last year our summer was filled with fun stuff and my kids’ definitely learned some things too. But this summer I want them to see how a little time each day adds up to awesome things.  Oh my, I think KCW has taken over my brain!

 

Posted in summer journal.

19 Responses to summer planning

  1. Sara says:

    We made summer passports last year and my girls put stickers for each thing we checked off, they loved doing it and we can’t wait to get going on them this summer. School is not out for us until the 13th but we have the books ready and waiting!

  2. Jane says:

    I LOVE these ideas for Summer planning and Summer fun! I’m going to work on a Summer activity passport with my Daughter. Thanks for sharing this cool idea!

  3. van says:

    Love this idea! Now you have me wanting to stop after work to pick up a tiny notebook and think of a summer bucket list. :)

  4. I dread the long summer holidays because the kids get so bored. Now they are a wee bit older this would be a great idea. I’m really excited now about the break. We’re going to have a ball! Thanks for sharing.

  5. carolina says:

    Love your post!!!!

  6. Sarah R. says:

    The summer passports are an awesome idea! I’ll definitely have to file that away for when the kids are older.

  7. Carla says:

    I love the summer passport idea! And that banner is rad! Happy summer to you!

  8. Julia says:

    I love that idea, we’ll be doing that this summer. Our summer holiday doesn’t start until the end of July in the UK so I have plenty of time to source books and stickers and the kids can think of fun things to aim for.

  9. Jenny says:

    Whoever posted the passport lives in Nashville. Mmmmm, biscuits.

  10. Heidi R says:

    Thanks for this post! This is a great idea!!!!! :) I don’t know why I do t think of these simple things!!!!

  11. Oh Meg!!!! This is fantastic, I could not LOVE that ‘Welcome to Summer’ banner more. What a perfect, fun, thing to come home to. I’ve never thought much about summer plans, the kids have been so little for the last few years, but now that at least one has been through a full year of school, I think I may need to step up the planning. Just a tad anyway.

  12. Laurel says:

    Love this idea! We made a list as well, and I feel like I should organize it in some way. Maybe I’ll give something like this a try…thanks!

  13. Meghan says:

    What a great idea! My daughter is finishing up kindergarten in a couple of weeks and we were talking about things she would like to do for the summer. I too would like to include some educational time but would like a way to make it fun….this passport book looks like the perfect way to do that! Thanks!

  14. […] or putting a bag together for a beach trip, or laying out the materials for a craft in the porch. This post got me even more excited about kicking it off and involving Beatrice in the planning. The pictures […]

  15. sanae says:

    I love all your summer ideas!! The welcome to summer banner? Pure genius. Your kids are so lucky to have such a fun mom!

  16. Reyna Lay says:

    These are such great ideas! Love it! btw: I just wanted to let you know that I’m having a Threads Magazine Giveaway on my new sewing blog!! Please share and come by and enter to win! http://mysewinghabit.blogspot.com/2013/06/threads-magazine-junjul-2013-giveaway.html

  17. Sarah says:

    I love this and am planning to copy it all, pretty much exactly. Sincerest form of flattery and all that, you know!

  18. Tara says:

    passports are a great idea! and I love the idea of using the librarian stamp because it makes it kinda vintage and classy and extra fun. at least for the moms ^_^ My kids are a little too young, and I’m a little too pregnant and disorganized to come up with a great summertime plan, but someday it would be fun

  19. Sarah says:

    Oh you are so inspiring! Makes me want to go make some lists! Conquer the world! Get things done!