Yes! Summer is finally here and for this mama it means no more making lunches! But it also means more time home with my kiddies.  Typically, I would fill the summer with camps, but this summer I planning more outings and some activities at home.  

The kids need a little bit of structure to keep them from those terrible words "I'M BORED!".  I'm sharing with you 5 ideas that I use to keep my kids busy this summer.

1. Swingly Chore Chart

I noticed that the chore chart keeps the kids motivated to getting chores done.  The kids can earn a reward if they finish their chores.  For the reward we chat about it as a family and agree what is fair.  You can download our Swingly Chore Chart HERE.

2. Reading for ScreenTime

We know we can't keep a screen-free summer so the kids exchange reading time for screen-time.  We tend to do a lot of library trips in the summer!

3. Volunteering

This can take a little bit more planning, but some of our favorite places to volunteer for kids has been our local animal shelter (kids reading program) and helping to pick crops for the local food bank.  Check your local organizations for activities for kids - they tend to have more kid-friendly stuff in the summer.

4. One-on-One Time

I purposely planned summer camps at different times for each of my kids so that I could spend some one-on-one with each one.  We plan park days, play dates, whatever they want to do.

5.  Playtime!

The summers in the south are brutal and we spend the afternoons indoors to avoid the hot summer sun.  Of course, there is nothing more fun than our favorite play shop - the Doorway Camper Food Truck.  The kids love playing with the pretend play storefront and they have a blast making fake food to sell!

Hope these activities get you started this summer.  And don't forget to check out our Activity Center for more free downloads and printable activities.