The kids will soon enough be underfoot now that summer’s here! But before you panic … chill! Here’s how you can actually enjoy having the kids home all summer — without losing your mind. Six simple strategies are needed to be your modus operandi (almost) every day. These strategies will give your days structure, help your kids know what’s coming and hopefully will keep the chaos to a minimum.
Kids Home for the Summer — YOUR PLAN.
What you will be able to avoid:
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“I’m boooored!” every 10 minutes
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Living in pajamas 24/7
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Nonstop screen time battles
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Summer brain drain
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Sibling showdowns
What happens instead:
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Enjoying being together (mostly)
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Staying school-year ready
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Diving into some good books
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Looking forward to fun activities
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Keeping the house (somewhat) in order
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Creating a calmer, happier summer vibe for everyone
No rigid schedules, no Pinterest-level planning — just a rhythm that works. Want in?
Kids Home for the Summer Plan
1. Summer Learning
Because I’m a working mom, I get sort of frantic about my kids’ brains during the summer. They sort of turn to mush. Kids can forget things they had mastered in May so by the time August rolls around it’s too late to catch up. So we do “summer learning,” every day. My three kids spend time writing, doing some math, problem-solving and learning a new skill they need to know or need to review (multiplication facts, addition facts, typing, learning their letters, cutting with scissors, counting money, etc.) We make it fun and hands on with activities. We also try to learn something fun and new each summer, like learning how to communicate in a new language. You can teach your kids Spanish, learn signs in ASL, or learn to count in Chinese. Summer learning is my kids’ ticket to screen time and other fun activities they love.
2. Reading Challenge
Reading isn’t included in our summer learning time because it’s in addition to summer learning. And to get my kids to read, we do a “daily 15” for reading that sometimes turns into more (if they are loving what they’re reading). I’ve tried summers without enforcing reading and I will never skip it again. Try the reading challenges at your local library and let your kids choose their own books. Definitely choose high-interest preschool read aloud books for younger kids. Older kids can pick what they want. Insisting your kids read daily will also prevent a summer slide!
WILLIAMSON COUNTY LIBRARY READING CHALLENGE
RUTHERFORD COUNTY LIBRARY READING CHALLENGE
READ MORE:
Kids’ Ultimate Nashville Summer Bucket List
Water Parks Near and Far
2025 Top Summer Camps for Kids
3. Morning Structure
Kids need structure, especially in the summer. We can’t have kids staying in their pajamas until 4 p.m. every day where their teeth never get brushed and they eat cereal for “breakfast” at noon. It will make you go crazy and you’ll start hating summer. So, have your kids get dressed, brush their teeth, make their beds, and get ready for the day. They also eat breakfast at a “normal” breakfast-eating time. When kids have structure and are busy, it limits the bickering and the sibling quarrels and the pushing of each other’s buttons.
4. Chores
No one likes chores. But they’re a part of living in a house with other people: dishes get used, clothes get dirty, and the floor is always iffy. So my kids “owe the family” at least one chore a day. And more importantly, they have to do their chore without complaining.
Have the kids help with:
- emptying the trash
- emptying the dishwasher
- loading the dishwasher
- wiping down the kitchen table
- sorting the recycling
- vacuuming
- cleaning the door handles with disinfectant wipes
- picking up toys
- their own laundry
- and helping in the backyard
