Summer Schedule for Kids (AKA Mom’s Sanity Saver!)

A peek inside this post: The freedom of summer is great until you realize that your kids have gone feral due to zero structure. All you really need to keep from going crazy is a loose summer schedule for kids! This printable summer schedule uses themed daily summer activities for kids to help bring a little order to your time off without spoiling the fun of summer! You can use our printable summer schedule as is, or use the weekly summer schedule template to organize your own ideas for structured summer fun!

What this post is NOT: This post is NOT a daily schedule that dictates by the hour when everyone should wake up, eat, sleep, and play. It’s truly just an outline of what each weekday can look like in the summer, giving parents and kids something to look forward to!

>>>Keep Reading if you want to see a reasonable outline for the week and to access the printable summer schedule for kids and the weekly summer schedule template!

pin for Pinterest about summer schedule for kids

Woohoo!  

The summer is here and that means no more homework, projects that take a hundred years and just as many dollars to complete, packed lunches, permission slips to sign, supplies to replenish, and schedules to adhere to.

But it also means that we are fully responsible for our kids ALL DAY LONG: for their entertainment, for keeping their brains stimulated, for encouraging exercise instead of idleness, for keeping the peace between siblings, etc.

The Problem: Summer Boredom

I love having my kids home for the summer. However, some of us handle down time better than others.

three bored kids sitting at a table

My oldest definitely prefers to be doing something constantly, and will act out or cause fights amongst his brothers just because he’s bored. My second is basically Garfield and would quite honestly eat lasagna and watch TV all day if I let him.

#3 is usually a homebody unless we’re doing something really fun, and #4 is the reason we instituted some rules regarding video game time and screens in general.

With so many different personalities in the house, it can be difficult to find a system that works for everyone, and we (myself included) might begin to lash out at one another instead of enjoying our summer break together.

>>Looking for a simple family command center? Don’t miss this!

It became clear that we needed a summer schedule for kids (that would make my life easier too).

The Solution: A Summer Schedule for Kids

I decided that a loose summer schedule with daily summer activities for kids might be a good idea.

summer schedule for kids printable

I’m not talking about planning every day down to the hour, but a nice outline for how our week will look is definitely helpful for keeping our minds and bodies sharp and stopping boredom in its tracks.

First, I did some self-assessment and had to be realistic about a summer schedule I would actually want to stick to.

For instance, I usually don’t enjoy running errands, especially with the kids in tow, so I knew it’d be best to get them all done in one day, instead of having to do errands on multiple days.

I’m also someone who enjoys downtime and I believe there are benefits to not being on the go all the time, so I made sure to factor things like that in.

I’m sure you’ll figure out a schedule that works for you and your family.

four kids having fun and playing ball outside

>>Don’t miss the printable summer schedule and weekly summer schedule template towards the end of this post!

Summer Schedule for Kids: Ideas

When I created our printable summer schedule, I basically just gave every day an overall theme. It doesn’t mean we’re necessarily doing everything listed for that day, it’s just nice to have an idea of what our week will look like.

This keeps summer life a little more structured.

The kids are better able to handle their summer freedom when they know what’s expected or planned. And that makes for an overall win for Mom!

Here’s a list of the themes and daily summer activities for kids that we’re using:

Make It Monday  

Nothing too crazy, as Mondays are usually a recoup day after the weekend.

Make It Monday: prepared snack boxes
  • Clean/Tidy Downstairs
  • Prep Healthy Snacks
  • Bake a Treat for the Week
  • Arts & Crafts

To… Tuesday 

Our Outings and Errands day.  It’ll give the kids an incentive to behave during errand time when they know they get to go somewhere fun afterwards!

To...Tuesday: mom reading book to son at the library
  • Grocery Pick-Up
  • Library
  • Bowling
  • Mini-Golf
  • Movie Theater
  • Indoor Trampoline Park

Watch & Water Wednesday  

My kids are always worn out after being in the water. (Thank goodness something tires them out, right?!) We’ll use Wednesdays for water fun and then have some downtime with a movie or TV show.

Watch and Water Wednesday: mom splashing with kids in the pool
  • Pool
  • Beach Day
  • Water Balloons or Water Guns in the Backyard
  • Kayaking
  • Splash Pad
  • Fishing
  • Relax with Movies/TV Shows

Tech-Free Thursday

No screens! Aside from the things listed below, this is also a great time to brush up on skills they learned during the school year!

Tech-Free Thursday: girl playing ukulele
  • Clean/Tidy Upstairs
  • Practice Instruments
  • Sports Conditioning
  • Read books
  • Journaling
  • Puzzles
  • Board Games
  • Writing Letters to Friends and Family
  • STEM projects

>>Check out more fun things you can do when you’re UNPLUGGED in this post: 10 Ultimate Staycation Ideas with Kids in Mind

Fun Friday

Spend the day how you like it!

Fun Friday: tween boys hanging out
  • Invite a Friend Over
  • Play X-Box
  • Play with Toys

Now, does this mean if we feel like going to the pool all five days that week that we can’t just because it’s only listed on Wednesday’s agenda?

Of course not!

This is just a loose outline to prevent us from getting the summertime blues. And if the kids are over the pool that week, we’ll have a ton of ideas to help us enjoy our week another way.

Your Printable Weekly Summer Schedule Template

We’re offering the Summer Schedule for Kids as a printable PDF to subscribers of our newsletter.

summer schedule printables

As a new subscriber, you can expect:

  • First Access to New Blog Posts
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  • Free Printables (like this one!)
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  • & More!

And, because we’re not into keeping hostages, you can unsubscribe at any time.

What’s included in the Weekly Summer Schedule Template PDF?

After signing up for our newsletter, you’ll have access to download this 3-page PDF, which includes:

  1. My summer schedule with daily summer activities for kids that I use
printable summer schedule example

2. A weekly summer schedule template with the same themes for each day that I’ve assigned, so you can stick to the same outline but fill in your own ideas (Idea: you could put the printable in a picture frame and write your ideas on the glass with a dry-erase marker so you can change it up each week!)

printable weekly summer schedule template

3. A blank make-your-own schedule so you can use my layout but come up with your own themes and ideas for each day

blank summer schedule template

Download your Free Printable here

(Since the printable summer schedule is in PDF format, you can easily edit the pages with your favorite photo editor for a more polished look, or simply write in your own ideas after printing! Choose to print all three pages or just the one you think will suit your family best!)

Enjoy Your Summer… And Your Printable Summer Schedule!

I hope the printable summer schedule for kids makes summer life easier and more enjoyable for the whole family! With a little structure, your kids will be able to have fun and you’ll be able to stay sane! Happy Summer, Friends!

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Summer Schedule for Kids (AKA Mom’s Sanity Saver!)

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