Do you have preschoolers at home for the summer? How about some summer schedules for preschoolers at home that will help save your sanity – and make them happy too? Contrary to popular belief, children actually thrive on routines and schedules – and routines for moms are your saving grace!
When creating your summer schedule, you may find you need a variation of these routines and schedules. Feel free to use any combination, but these routines are a good guideline to get you started.
PRACTICAL OVER PERFECT: DAILY SUMMER SCHEDULES FOR PRESCHOOLERS
No schedule or routine will ever be foolproof or perfect when it involves kids. Things can be somewhat unpredictable. As parents, we should always be ready to adapt on the fly.
Having preschoolers at home can be extremely hectic and busy, but at the same time it can be very fun for the entire family.
Just like with any routine, you want to set yourself and your family up for success, and the best way to do this is to start with a good, easy, and practical morning routine.
Be sure to cap the day with an effective nighttime routine for kids, and plan fun activities throughout the day.
Wake up and start your morning routine
Most preschoolers are early risers, so it’s a good idea to plan ahead and start your morning routine early. A good time to wake up and start your day is between 7 and 8 because then you have a good chunk of day to play with.
Breakfast
To make it fun, maybe get the kids involved and let them help you prepare something once or twice a week.
Everybody tidy up
Get the kids involved in clearing the breakfast table (sing a song to make it really fun).
Free Play or Screen Time
Let the kids entertain themselves while you get some tidying done or washing out or whatever is needed.
Outdoor Time
Including outdoor adventures are great for all kids, but especially preschoolers who are used to daily outside activities as part of their preschool classes.
Everyone gets dressed. Grab some water, a snack and a blanket if you are heading to a park. Summer is the perfect time to get outdoors and enjoy the sun and fresh air. Go on bike rides, ride on scooters, play in the park, or if you are lucky enough, head to a beach.
This is the perfect opportunity to cross fun activities off your summer bucket list!
Lunch Time/MIDDAY ROUTINE
Once you get home, prepare some lunch, eat, and everyone should tidy up again together.
As young as your preschooler may be, there is no better time than at this age to teach them responsibility and how to work as a team.
Free play/screen time or reading time
Maybe you want to keep an educational activity going through the holidays, so why not indulge in a book together, or a board game even? Maybe download an educational game that is age appropriate onto your mobile device (or their tablets if they have them).
If the weather is nice, include another outdoor “free play” time outside.
Dinner and bedtime routine
You may be the kind of mom who just wings it when it comes to dinner, especially in the summer. Maybe you decide to just do salads and home made burgers one evening and opt for a cooked meal the next. Summer is the time to play – even when it comes to mealtimes. The nights get darker later, so why not dine alfresco?
After dinner, maybe the kids can have some free time outside. You and your partner can sort out the tidying for the evening.
Let them use up their last bit of energy. Then you can get your little ones in a bath, into bed and maybe a story or two before dreamland.
HOW TO ADD MOM AND DAD TIME TO YOUR DAILY SUMMER ROUTINE
Make sure to indulge in quality time, either by yourself or with your partner.
Watch a movie, sit outside and enjoy the summer air, or maybe just have some good old conversation – whatever you choose, make sure to take time out for this.
After the kids go to bed, carve out at least 30 minutes of kid-free time.
SCHEDULE ADDITIONS: SUMMER ACTIVITIES
As we mentioned before, prepare for the unexpected and be ready to adjust things at whim.
So, if the summer day is not quite what you expected, try to have mess-free indoor activities planned. Also, make time for art projects, play dough fun, baking, fort building, and that sort of thing.
For more summer activities, check out the Systems to Organize Summer, which contains activities to keep the kids busy and planning pages and chore charts to keep you (and the kids) organized.
It will not only be fun and entertaining but also add to the educational part of things too – because preschoolers are sponges and always learning.
Also, make provision for play dates and add in shopping days, swimming days and all those great things that come with summer.
CONCLUSION
Summer is wonderful. It just seems to brighten up everything and everyone, and it gives one a sense of renewed energy.
But summer also makes preschoolers extra active and they just want to go, go, go. That is why having summer schedules for preschoolers in place is vital. You and your children can enjoy the summer with minimal fuss – and leave you feeling sane (or at least a little).
Happy summer!