When I think about the month of June, I think about summer! The summer is so short! Use June to take advantage of the kids still being in school and plan a few fun things to do over July and August. Even if you don’t have kids, take some time during June to think ahead about how you want to maximize your summer fun and memory making moments!
Kick the clutter for June is all about the words that clutter up your mind over summer. Time to get rid of or declutter words or phrases like “I’m bored” or “there’s nothing to do”! Read on to hear my tips for setting up a super fun summer that even the adults will enjoy!
The best way to start is to sit down with the kids, maybe even one on one if you can. Chat with them about things they want to try, areas they want to explore, or even some shopping they may want to do during the summer. Ask them about things they hear from other kids that sound interesting. Depending on how many kids you have, this can make summer fill up way too fast! Set limits. Maybe each person in the house gets to pick one thing to do that is out of the ordinary. It may not seem like a lot, but when you factor in other commitments or desires, the summer really does go by fast!
One of my favourite summer lists to make is a freebie list. I make a list of all the fun things that we can do for free. I actually try to do this for each season to give some varied options throughout the year! If we have a day where everyone is kind of bored, it’s great to go through the list and pick out a couple things to do. I am sure you can come up with a bunch of stuff targeted to your family or interests but here are a few ideas from my list, keep in mind that I always have a ton of crafting supplies on hand…
My Freebie List
- Drive to a really cool park/playground
- Go for a bike ride
- Go for a hike
- Do some art
- Make slime
- Make play doh
- Play in the sprinkler
- Bake a treat
- Make popsicles
- Have a best smoothie contest
- Find puddles after a rainstorm (no matter what age the kids are!!)
- Play with friends
- Have a lego building contest
- Play barbies or dolls
- Play a board game
- Create an obstacle course
- Make exercise dice
I mean, the list could really go on and on! I like to have about 50 things on my list – the kids just get that bored! I also try to ensure this list is completely screen free! There will be ample time for screens through the summer, so I never make a plan for it! If you don’t have kids, try making a freebie list anyway! You could even still have a ton of things from my list on it! Who says you need kids to be able to do some of these goofy things!
I usually have a couple of other lists that we all participate to create. I love making a ’10 or less’ list, and I also have a ‘fun family day trip’ list.
10 or less list
This list is for outings that cost 10$ or less. I guess now, after COVID, it’s a bit of a pricier list. But this includes things like ice cream outings, hitting up the candy store or dollar store, and even things like heading out to find some local garage sales on weekends. I also include anything that I have coupons or discounts for in this list. Cheap movie day might land on this list. If you can find a local bowling alley, you may be able to sign the kids up for a summer bowling discount! Ours is free if we pay for a shoe rental. It’s basically anything that would be fun for your family that truly doesn’t break the bank.
Fun Family day trip list
This list includes anything that either takes up at least a half day, that costs more than 20$, or that needs a bit more planning. These might include things like heading to an amusement park, checking out a museum, going to the zoo, or other activities your kids may be interested in.
A little planning goes a long way
I hate the long summer days when the kids keep complaining about being bored! We don’t have that many anymore, but there are some days where I just want them to figure it out on their own. Having these lists and thinking ahead a little bit means that we can have a lot more targeted fun. The freebie list is a list that the kids can look over in the morning and use it to help plan out their day and what they want to do. It doesn’t take that much time to put together, but the kids will never think of all those options on their own, so it helps to keep it handy. If your kids are too young to read, make the list using pictures!
For me, teaching my kids how to make or find their own fun is a top priority. But kids don’t seem to naturally know how to do it sometimes. Creating these lists helps them think about their options and creates some anticipation excitement about the activity!
Create some fun with your summer, and create a few lists! Because truly, who doesn’t love a good list!?
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