Reclaim Summer

Hi! New here!? Welcome! Been following along? Welcome back! I have some FABULOUS news for you! It might be...THE BEST NEWS, YET! A great majority of the content shared on my blog can be implemented at ALMOST ANYTIME, regardless of experience or knowledge of Montessori! Whether your child is younger than a year, three, five, or even older, you can utilize the content that I share and determine what your family needs. All content WILL NOT apply to each age group or to all families and that’s ok, take what you need. As you read an article, categorize the content into 3 categories: I need this now, I might need this in the future, and this does not apply. Give yourself a timeline to revisit the items designated “for the future”. And, of course, contact me if you need help implementing an idea and would like a consultation!

 

About That Summer!

If you could reasonably modify 3 things what would they be? You see, many of you have reached out and shared that you’re feeling a certain way about summer. You were really EXCITED for summer to kickoff and your kiddo(s) were excited, too, BUT now the household is feeling TIRED and summer hasn’t met everyone’s expectations. WOAH! You guys, the sun is still shining, the flowers are still in bloom, and summer is a huge time for growth and connecting. So, let’s put our Hero capes back on, even if they’re dirty, no longer perfect or even faded. Let’s give the kids some THROWBACK experiences! Let’s help the kids be creative and enjoy what’s around, when possible! 

 

4 Steps to Plan Your Adventures 

  • Review the General Daily Routine

  • Brainstorm

  • Get Going, But be Realistic!

  • Encourage Play

 

1.Review the General Daily Routine

Here’s a template from wakeup through dinner time. The best thing is, YOU decide the time/hours of the day. This template can help you REFOCUS your schedule and RECLAIM summer! 

Wakeup Routine

  • Get ready for the day and Bathroom break (times may vary depending on needs)

  • Eat breakfast 

  • 8:30 a.m.- Prep to leave 

  • 9 - Leave for morning adventure or do something at home 

  • 10:30ish - Bathroom break and small/simple snack

  • By or around 1 p.m. - Finish lunch

  • Bathroom break and 30 Minutes of quiet activity

  • Approximately 1:30 - Go to afternoon adventure

  • 4:30 - Bathroom break and head home (if not already there)

  • 30 Minutes to 1 hour of play/quiet activities 

  • By/around 6 p.m. dinner prep, nathroom break, and dinner

  • Play time

  • Night time routine/bed time routine

 

2. 5 Ways to Brainstorm: Here are some ways to think about what to do!

  • Draw pictures

  • Make lists

  • Collage

  • Discuss

  • Look at options in a magazine 

 

Brainstorming Fun

Draw pictures: Let the Child choose between 2 different kinds of utensils- crayons or markers? 

Even if the picture looks like “nothing”, ask the child: “tell me about your drawing” and ask if you can write the caption: “I’d love to write your story, where can I write the words?”

This experience will give you the opportunity to ask questions, as well!

 

Make lists: Explain to your child, “I/we want to have some adventures with you. What do you want to do?” 

Is this question too vague? Try “should we add the zoo and the sprinklers to the list?” Only suggest ideas that you’re actually willing to do/places you’re willing to go this summer.

 

Collage: Is your child more visual? Likes projects? PERFECT! Find a few catalogs or family magazines and invite the child to tear the pages and find activities they’re curious about. Allow the child to use a glue stick to adhere the images to a paper. For follow up, ask questions, such as:

“what did you find?”

“Tell me more about this picture”

“What’s happening over here?”

 

Discuss: Depending on the age of the child, the preference may be to just discuss and that’s ok, too! Consider asking some of the questions shared above to encourage the conversation. Remember, if you’re going to make any suggestions, they should be activities that you’d be willing, able, and interested in doing.

 

Look at options in a magazine: For those who are more visual or younger, you may consider looking at pictures together to compile a list and explore aloud together.

 

40 Ideas to Consider:

Zoo

Pool

Beach

Nature walk

Garden

Aquarium

Music games 

Free festivals for kids 

Park play

Bubbles

Play dough

Bike ride 

Fruit/veggie picking at a farm 

Petting zoo

Library

Ice cream truck

Kiddie pool in the yard 

Ice play 

Build a fort

Roll down a hill

Create a scavenger hunt

Play with a tent outside

Go camping 

Draw with chalk

Play board games

Jump rope

Play hopscotch

Play a sport/toss a ball

Do a relay race 

Make trail mix 

Play with toys

Build with blocks 

Sandbox

Paint with watercolors

Draw or color 

Use stickers 

Create a story 

Pretend play 

Gluing project

Card making 

 

3.Get Going, But Be Realistic

Parents need support. We all feel guilt. It’s the truth. We ALL feel guilt about different things for various reasons, but we can relieve some of that guilt by figuring out what brings our kiddos JOY and what brings us JOY.  The question is, how do we keep it in check? If you can identify where those two intersect, your joy and theirs, then you’ve CRACKED THE CODE. My daughter and I love craft and cooking projects. Most recently, I realized that my daughter and I love to paint and on another adventure we truly enjoyed picking blueberries at a farm. Truthfully, be realistic, you can only do so much in one day. Overdoing doing it, costs everyone! It’s like when you’ve been in the sun a little too long and everyone gets hungry, tired, AND cranky; the TRIFECTA for impending disaster, I know! To balance out the needs of the group and the interests of the members involved, you may consider limiting the number of activities within a day in order to encourage free, independent play and activities during certain parts of the day; it’s good for everyone to take “a breather”. I know, you’re thinking...NOW WHAT!?

Grab a calendar and identify when the activities that bring joy can REASONABLY be done and give them a date. Some activities are easier than others, some are less or more expensive, some may be geographically accessible or impossible and worth saving for a road trip or vacation another time. You may consider sorting the list into quadrants: inside/outside and with an adult/independently. This will allow you to see which activities require supervision vs. those the child can successfully complete independently. The hope is that the list allows children to experience joy with others AND feel joy on their own. It’s also possible that the activities you’ve identified could be helped by having another child over for a play date.

 

4.Encourage Play

Encourage Decision Making

-Which activity would you like to do?

-Would you like to start the day with this (name activity) or that (name activity)?

 

Encourage Independent Play

-Show me, what toy will you play with first? OR what activity will you try now?

-I will be in my office, would you like to play on this rug or at this small table?

-Where will you play with this toy? OR where will you do this activity? 

 

Encourage Waiting a Turn, Cooperative Play, and Turn Taking 

-It sounds like you would like a turn

-Wait your turn

-He can have a turn, then you can have a turn

-She had a turn first last time, let’s make sure you get a turn first this time 

-He chose this activity, will you choose the next activity?

 

Encourage Problem Solving

-What should you do?

-What could you do?

-How can you fix this problem?

-What kind of help do you need?

-How can I help? OR How can your friend help?

-What job can I do to help? OR What job can your friend do to help?

 

Flexible Thinking 

There are things that we WANT and things that we NEED, there’s a difference. The things we WANT, may not be what we get. For the things we NEED, we work hard to get those things. And, the things we WANT we also work hard to get and when we get them, it’s SPECIAL! The things you NEED are the “basics”: air, food, water, rest, love, safety, and a sense of belonging; think Maslow’s hierarchy of needs! So “THE WANTS” are the”extras”, the whipped cream and the cherry on top!

 

It is hard to be flexible. Some people are able to be more flexible than others. Know yourself, know your child, and determine who is able to be flexible and when is it more difficult. Through being able to predict the times and or situations when it is difficult for you and or your child to be flexible, you will be able to get yourself into a better mindset.

 

Ready to RECLAIM SUMMER!?

 

Stacey Band