The perfect summer routine for families

Summer offers a unique opportunity for families to enjoy more relaxed schedules and engage in activities that they might not have time for during the busy school year.

Establishing a summer routine can help balance fun and relaxation with structure and productivity. Here are some ideas to create a fulfilling summer routine for your family:

Enjoy morning together time

Start your days by gathering as a family each morning. Use this time to enjoy a leisurely breakfast, discuss plans for the day, or simply enjoy each other's company. This can help set a positive tone for the day ahead.

Ideas for activities: Enjoy a family breakfast picnic in the backyard, take turns choosing a morning yoga or exercise routine for everyone to follow, or start a morning gratitude journal as a family.

Set flexible goals

Summer is a great time to work towards personal and family goals. These can be anything from learning a new skill, completing household projects, or participating in community service.

Ideas for activities: Set a reading goal for the summer, create a family garden, or volunteer at a local charity organization.

Set weekly learning goals

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Even though school's out, learning doesn't have to stop. Set weekly learning goals or themes that interest your children, such as science experiments, cooking projects, or learning about different countries. Libraries often have summer reading programs that can encourage reading for fun.

Ideas for activities: Visit local museums, have a weekly family book club where everyone reads the same book and discusses it together, or take turns teaching each other new skills.

Plan outdoor adventures

Take advantage of the warm weather by planning regular outdoor adventures. This could include hikes, beach days, bicycle rides, or picnics in the park. Outdoor activities are not only fun but also promote physical health. Got a pool? Try these fun pool games for kids.

Ideas for activities: Go on a family camping trip, plan a scavenger hunt in your neighborhood, or have a backyard movie night.

Schedule downtime

With all the fun and activities, it's important to make time for relaxation and downtime. This allows everyone to recharge and prevents burnout.

Ideas for activities: Schedule "quiet time" where everyone reads or does their own quiet activity, have a family game night, or watch a movie together.

Practice budgeting and financial responsibility

Summer is a great time to teach kids about budgeting and financial responsibility. Set a budget for various activities and involve your children in the decision-making process. Challenge kids to experiment with budget-friendly activities. 

Ideas for activities: Open a lemonade stand business where kids can learn about profit and loss, involve them in grocery shopping and meal planning, or have a family yard sale.

Encourage creativity and independence

Summer is also a great time to foster creativity and independence in children. Allow them to come up with their own activities and projects, such as building a fort, creating a scrapbook, or putting on a play. Encourage kids to entertain themselves when they’re bored. 

Ideas for activities: Set up a craft station with various materials for kids to use, encourage them to write and illustrate their own storybook, or have them plan and prepare a family picnic. Got older kids? Try these relaxing crafts for teens. 

Connect with nature

Take advantage of the longer days and warmer weather by spending time in nature. This can help reduce stress and improve overall well-being.

Ideas for activities: Go on a family nature walk, have a backyard campfire and stargazing night, or start a small garden.

Practice gratitude

Summer is a great time to reflect on what we are grateful for. Encourage your family to express gratitude daily through journaling, discussing it during meals, or creating a gratitude jar where everyone can write down things they are thankful for. It’s a perfect time to try junk journaling!

Ideas for activities: Have a gratitude scavenger hunt where everyone looks for things they are grateful for in nature, create a family gratitude board with pictures and notes, or take turns sharing something you are grateful for each day.

Allocate chores and responsibilities

Incorporate chores and responsibilities into your summer routine. Assign tasks based on age and ability, and consider creating a rotating schedule to keep things fair. This teaches responsibility and teamwork.

Ideas for activities: Have a family cleaning day where everyone pitches in to tidy up the house, assign tasks for meal preparation and clean up, or have rotating job roles for outdoor maintenance. For extra motivation, consider tying certain chores to allowance. 

End the day with quality time

Just like starting the day together, end it on a positive note by spending quality time as a family. This can be anything from playing board games, having a movie night, or simply chatting and catching up.

Ideas for activities: Dream up a family talent show, play charades or Pictionary, or have a "no electronics" night where everyone disconnects and spends time together.

Be flexible and embrace spontaneity

While having a routine is important, it's also essential to be flexible and embrace spontaneity. Leave room for impromptu activities or changes to the schedule. This allows for new experiences and keeps things exciting.

Ideas for activities: Spontaneous trips to the beach, trying new restaurants or foods, backyard camping, or visiting local attractions.

Reflect and plan for the next day

Before bedtime, take a few minutes to reflect on the day and discuss plans for the next day. This can help reinforce positive experiences and make adjustments for a smoother routine.

Ideas for activities: Journaling, discussing the highs and lows of the day, creating a "to-do" list for the next day, or reading a bedtime story together.

Creating a summer routine for your family doesn’t have to be rigid or overly structured. The goal is to find a balance that allows for fun, relaxation, and a bit of learning along the way.

Be sure to involve your kids in the planning process and be open to trying new things. And remember, even with a routine, it's important to make time for spontaneity and enjoying each other's company.

Visit the Greenlight Learning Center for helpful resources on all things family, finance, and fun.

This blog post is provided "as is" and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional advice. Some content in this post may have been created using artificial intelligence; however, every blog post is reviewed by at least two human editors.