Summer Sanity: A Parent's Guide to Keeping Kids on Schedule and Happy!

As parents of young children, we understand the delicate balance between allowing our kids to embrace the carefree spirit of summer while still maintaining a structured routine, which benefits both parties.

If this topic gives you instant anxiety or stress, fear not, because today thanks to Claire Contrada, a licensed early childhood educator and literacy specialist, I will be sharing invaluable tips and expert advice to ensure a harmonious summer for both you and your littles.

Let’s get right to it, shall we?

Tips for Creating Summer Routines with your Littles - By Claire Contrada

Summer is fun, but it can be hard when you shift from having a consistent routine every day during the regular "school year." It’s not necessary to have a strict schedule in the summer, but kids do thrive on routine. Big changes and shifts can trigger stress, anxiety, and dysregulation. Here are some tips to help create a summer routine in your home:

-       Keep morning and bedtime routines consistent. This seems simple, but it truly does help to keep these intact, and it’s something that kids can rely on to never change.

-       Let your child(ren) have plenty of physical activity. Kids need about 60 minutes of physical activity every day! Either make it a part of your daily “activity” or pick a time of the day that they can always be outside.

-       Make sure you have some daily down time. As much as kids need to move, they also need time to rest. That does not mean they need to sleep (if they are past the napping stage), but that they have time to slow down and give their body a break. Our house has quiet time from 1-3pm! Everyone can nap, play quietly on their own, read, or do what they need to do on their own.  

-       Rely less on the passive “time passing” like screen time and embed more unstructured play into your day encouraging your child to explore, create and discover without rules or guidelines. Open-Ended play is great for boosting cognitive development.

-       Create a visual schedule for your child to help with planning days, anticipation of what will happen that day, and keeping a sense of order. If you need help with doing this, reach out! I am happy to help create one for you and your family.

-       Plan fun outings - Mini golf, visit local farms, berry pick, visit beaches etc, but don’t overcrowd your schedule.

This is how our summer flow may be:

-       Wake-up/Morning Routine

-       Morning Activity or Outing – Visit Cider Hill Farm, a local splash pad, Library, Beach, meet up with friends or visit the Seacoast Science Center.

-       Lunch

-       Nap and Quiet time

-       Snack

-       Physical Activity time – outside, park, playdate, pool

-       Family Dinner

-       Bedtime Routine 

A big thank you to Claire for sharing her expertise and for making summer scheduling so much more approachable than many think it can be. If you would like to follow Claire, you can find her on Instagram here. You can also feel free to email your questions for her here: clairecontrada@gmail.com. And if you’re interested in joining her sensory classes in Salisbury, MA check out The Mom Comm.

If you take away anything from her advice, let it be this: don’t feel like you have to overcomplicate the daily routine. Try to keep important features consistent like rest and free play, and don’t be afraid to adventure together every once in a while.

Wishing you all a healthy, happy and sunny summer together!

With love + light,

Kelly