Want to know the top 3 secrets to keeping your kids busy this summer so you get a break? I’m spilling the tea on my practical strategies that will keep your kids busy all summer long and give you some time to yourself!
Be Prepared
In order to be effective in keeping your kids engaged and busy this summer, you need a plan. You can’t just wing it in the moment, especially if you need to prep materials and activities beforehand. I’m not talking about anything extravagant, I mean we are moms so who has time for that, but I am talking about mapping out the week, just like you would a meal plan. Have a rough idea about what you want to do, what materials you may need, and a backup plan just in case your kids get done with the activity quickly! For example, look online for some free downloads you can print out with varying activities and prep for crafts before each week. Make the crafts simple so you don’t have to do much to help, but complex enough that it will take them some time to complete it. Make it extra special by making each week of the summer themed with different themes like ocean week, dinosaur week, space week, farm week, etc. Plan to get books, crafts, snacks, and sensory table items to match the theme and add a little something new to your activities each day during that week. This has been a HIT with my kids!
Keeping it Simple
Even though I am a play therapist that utilizes toys in almost every activity with my clients and my own kids, keep it simple. You don’t have to spend a lot of money for your kids to have fun. I recommend keeping objects handy like boxes, tape, markers, scissors, and paper for your kids to use their creativity and imagination and make a rocket ship or a boat or anything they want out of those materials. It’s amazing how long kids will stay engaged with just these simple objects you find around the house.
I am also a big believer in magnet tiles and sensory tables. Both of these activities don’t need a lot of prep, but will keep kids busy and entertained for hours. The magnet tiles are a bit of an investment, but your kids can build over and over again indoors or on the garage door! And sensory tables may need a little more prep, but you can literally change up the table and what’s inside each day or each week with simple materials like water beads, play sand, or even something like rice or uncooked pasta! Then you just need a few kitchen items like a spoon, spatula, funnel, or plastic cups and some other small toys like action figures, toy cars, or lego bricks or blocks.
Recycle
This takes a little front loading prep at the beginning, but once it’s done, you will have a lot of time on your hands! Find toys, puzzles, or games your kids haven’t played with in a while and recycle them throughout the summer. Some weeks they can play with BOX A with a variety of items, some weeks they can play with BOX B, and so on! This way, it’s not the same toys and items each week, which they will get bored with easily. Each week you bring out a new box with all new recycled items so each week is different!
I hope these strategies help your kids have a fun, playful, engaged summer and will also give you some time to yourself! For 50 play based ways to keep your kids playing independently read here!
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