Planning out summer for 4 yr old (SAHPs)

[PMJ]

I'm primarily wondering how SAHParents do this - b/c it would be hard to manage so many activities (I imagine) for a WP, but anyone is free to answer!

Preschool is done for us already, and though we have some classes (soccer, swimming and an art class) planned - those don't happen till July/August, and they are only 1 hr a day, 1X a week. My thought was to write some stuff down and be sure that DD does these things daily - or at least I can direct her to the list when she says, "I'm bored". Art, Puzzles, reading, practice writing, iPAD time, tv time, exercise, bike ride etc.

So how do you manage your days (if there is no preschool)? Do you have a set time for different activities? How much iPAD and tv does your 4 yr get daily?

DD is an only child, we don't have a lot of friends here and she needs mommy a lot!

Before we drive each other mad, I want a good plan, so the next 3 months are fun!

thanks!

[Pear]

We found a preschool program that runs 3 afternoons a week in the summer. I also go through every activity catalog I can find and try to stagger in as many activities as I can. We've managed to make sure we have at least 2 classes a week, add in library story times. Then we spend the rest of the time at the pool or the children's museum

[brittone2]

We don't do preschool and HS, so I have 3 kids with me.

In the cooler morning we might take breakfast outside and have a picnic, then read some books outside. Play with sidewalk chalk, bubbles, ride bikes or scooters, play on the swing set, sand play, paint, etc. while it is still fairly cool out. Grab coffee for you and head to a park to play before it gets unbearably hot. I encourage them to get some energy out. We do little things like write a number and then count out shells or pinecones that fit with that number. Make a nature bracelet using masking tape with the sticky side out, and have DC pick little flowers or bits of nature to decorate it. You could play around with little hands on educational activities like that.

Water play in a small pool while you stand by with a book. Sprinkler time. Make popsicles in the blender to have in the hot afternoon. Fill a water table or make one out of a large dishpan and give them scoops, spoons, a rotary egg beater, whatever to play with outside. Get a bath baby doll and give baby a bath outside. Scrub little cloths on an old washboard (can find small ones for like $10 IME) and hang on a mini clothes line.

In the later part of the day after lunch when it is really hot they might play in the basement playroom a bit, have quiet time and read (older two read independently, I would read to DS2), listen to a book on CD, draw, etc. We do the pool in the afternoons as well. So I might do that after they've had some quieter downtime.

I try to sort of alternate the more active play with calmer activities throughout the day when possible.

You can think about little ways to integrate her into your day, like small chores like sorting silverware and putting it away, having her help with dinner prep (scrub a carrot or sweet potato with a scrub brush, shuck some corn, rip up lettuce for a salad), watering plants. If they did those things in preschool, it would be educational ;) That way you can integrate some things like that into her day without having to come up with "entertainment."

We do little TV, not daily. If they do watch it is usually something like our Happy Scientist subscription or something else fairly educational. I'd save movies or more TV for rainy days ;)

[SnuggleBuggles]

Summer camp! We usually do 3-4 weeks worth- just part day.

We also belong to the local pool and try to go daily. We have made nice summer friends that way. We just head over and chat/ play with whoever is there. Fresh air and fun= good.

[janine]

Same ques here except I am a WOHM but my DD's will be home (4 and 1.5).

[janine]

Summer camp! We usually do 3-4 weeks worth- just part day.

We also belong to the local pool and try to go daily. We have made nice summer friends that way. We just head over and chat/ play with whoever is there. Fresh air and fun= good.

What kinds of camps are you doing?

[wellyes]

We have Tuesday and Thursday for adventure days - all day outings to parks, zoos, museums, farms, nature reserves, etc. I live right outside Boston which means there really is an endless supply of things to do. To keep costs down, we only go places that are free or that we have memberships to, and we always pack a picnic vs buying lunch out. We have membership to the zoo, the science museum consortium, and the Audubon society. Or, we get passes from our local library.

M-W-F we go out every morning for an hour or two. Yard, library or playground. Lunch home, then tv time to chill out, then arts and crafts. Then outside again for a bit before dinner.

For tv I do PBS kids. No commercials, funny and lighthearted, maybe a little educational, skews younger rather than elementary school age.

I also have a pool membership and am planning to do drop in activities at the local nature center, library and gymnastics studio. I like to keep the very active so they are tired at night!

[alootikki]

Brittone, I love all of those ideas!

[SnuggleBuggles]

What kinds of camps are you doing?

Last year, when he was 4, he did gymnastics, a nature center, a church one and botanical gardens. Museums have some but we didn't do them.

[Kindra178]

Brittone, I love all of those ideas!

Me too. My twins, age 4, will be doing camp in the am for most of the summer. I work so I use it as partial childcare. But they also seem to do better when when they have something to do. In the afternoons, the general plan will be to do some quiet time, some academic time, some pool time (agree with SB that the pool is a great way to meet new people) and some backyard time. DS2 loves our sand and water table. My boys love to "paint" with water or paint with washable outside paint, sidewalk chalk, water shooters, etc.

[TwinFoxes]

I can't remember, are you in the DC area? If so, there are a couple of websites with event calendars. I go through them, and put them in our online family calendar. Also, we are doing some camps.

[trales]

Library one time per week, story hour and then time in the childrens room. Sometimes I would "pick up" another parent and go the park.

Town Pool/ swim club everyday we could.

1 time per week museum trip or adventure, go into the city, ride the T, explore new playgrounds etc.

Signed up for MOMS club, did not love the moms, but they did have an activity at least once per week and it was well attended and DD had fun. Parks, local beach, town pool, etc.

Every free activity that was offered no matter the affilitation of the group.

[pinkmomagain]

I've almost always done day camps. One summer I did various activities and I ended up spending all summer in the car to be honest.

[MSWR0319]

We're in the same boat OP, only I also have a 13 mo, which means I have to schedule around a nap or he won't get one! Today was DS1's last day and I"m already wondering what we'll do tomorrow! We live in a rural area, but in town so there are a few things to do. We go to the library story time once a week, plus they have a class for DS2. I also signed him up for an art class offered by the Parks and Rec that is 4 days for 1/2 hr. We're basically signing up for everything we can without going overboard. I'm also hoping to be able to get on pinterest and find science activities, etc that we can do daily or a few times a week.