As the school year winds down, many parents are faced with a new challenge: transitioning to summer vacation. Change can be hard for anyone, but can be especially difficult for little ones who have likely already acclimated to a consistent school and child care schedule. Here are a few tips and tricks to make your family’s transition to summer vacation as smooth and seamless as possible:
Build a Bucket List Together
While the transition into summer vacation may feel overwhelming at first, the sunshine and warm weather are also an opportunity to create new and lasting memories with your kids! Children love to be involved in decision-making, and creating a summer bucket list together can be a great way to build independence while also giving your little one things to look forward to throughout the season.
Maintain Structure
One of the things that can make the transition from school/child care to summer vacation difficult is the drastic change in schedule. Children often thrive on routine, and easily become used to familiar structures like wake up/sleep times, meals, outdoor play, etc. Making an effort to maintain this structure, even if in a different form, during the summer months can help make the transition easier for your little ones while also preparing them for the next transition back to school in the fall. Setting daily times for sleep, meals, play, and quiet time are a good place to start!
Prioritize Social Times
For kiddos who are used to seeing and playing with their friends daily at school, summertime can seem scary and lonely at first. Planning frequent playdates or meet-ups with other families during the summer months can go a long way in continuing to foster your child’s social development while also helping to encourage healthy friendships!
Encourage Small Acts of Independence
Regardless of your child’s age, summer is a great time to start building lifelong skills like self-sufficiency and independence. When school is out of session, your child likely has more time on their hands – you can help them find productive and consistent responsibilities that are age-appropriate! Some ideas include helping out in the garden, walking the dog, or hosting a lemonade stand. These small activities and tasks give structure to your child’s day while also helping them to feel needed and capable!