10 Mom Hacks for a Stress Free Summer
By the end of the school year, us moms are D-O-N-E. Am I right? We long for summer’s less stringent schedule even though we know what it can lead to. I mean the kids are home with us ALL summer. If we don’t keep them busy, the whining will start. And no mom wants to listen to whining for three months. So, what do we do? We plan my friends. We plan. And this is coming from someone who isn’t a natural planner. I’ve had to learn the hard way. If I don’t go into summer somewhat prepared, chaos ensues almost immediately. And with that comes the stress. We have enough going on, we don’t need any added stress!
So, let’s chat about some ways we can make life easier on ourselves. Let’s talk mom hacks. With these 10 mom hacks for a stress free summer, you can cut down on the anxiety all that together time can bring to your family and instead allow you to appreciate each other! We have our kids with us for such a finite amount of time, we shouldn’t waste an ounce of summer magic on stress!
Easy Summer Mom Hacks
- Run a semi-schedule: You certainly don’t want it to be as strict as the school year schedule, but a get up by a decent time, stay active and learn something daily schedule is totally doable.
- Get active with the kids: Just like kids need to run it out, sometimes moms do too. The next time you send them out to play, join them for a bit.
- Create entertainment stations: I’m talking a craft station, a movie station, an outdoor play station. That’s enough to keep them busy for hours.
- Set up snack stations: Never do kids want more snacks than in the summertime. Make it easy for them to serve themselves by preparing single serving snack packs in baggies.
- Draft a summer bucket list: They’ll have a blast checking each summer goal of your family’s list, no matter how small.
- Explore your neighborhood: A scavenger hunt is a great way to make the street you see every day more interesting!
- Fill a boredom buster jar: Every time you hear “I’m bored” send them to a jar filled with little slips of paper that contain a boredom busting activity idea!
- Plan family game nights: Put away the screens and enjoy some good old fashioned family fun. We love Friday board game nights at our house!
- Take field trips: Getting out of the house is crucial to summer survival. Once a week, plan a fun activity for the family away from your home.
- Make a chore chart: When the kids are home more, the house gets messier, faster. Give each family member a quick task from the chore chart each day and you’ll stay on top of that mess. Less mess equals less stress!
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Quirky Writes says
I agree, I think keeping them busy is not only important for a stress-free summer but also for their personal growth. Some rules do need to stay. There are some really great, creative ideas here!
Lina Melo says
I’m not a mom yet, but I have so many mom friends who will find this blog post very interesting!
Love all your tips for a stress-free summer
joy says
i’m not a mom but good ideas! what do you mean by a snack station? you mention snack baggies but nothing about stations… do you have tables set up for them to create the baggies themselves?
Joy at The Joyous Living
Ceci Rey says
Great tips! I would love to draft a summer bucket list. Thanks for the inspiration!
Scott J DeNicola says
The scheduling portion is very important. My youngest would sleep all day if we let her. As a family, we try to make sure the kids have some sort of plan for the day and don’t just lay around on their phones or in front of the TV all day. Creating a bucket list is a great idea and then checking it after summer is over to see their progress.
Scott J DeNicola recently posted…Negotiating With Your Children
Tracy @ Cleland Clan says
Love these ideas! My kids used to make summer bucket lists. The activities they chose were simple and for the most part inexpensive—catching lightning bugs, playing in the creek, going to a local state park beach, baking cookies, camping in the backyard… We did at least one a week.
Charmaine Daisley says
This is such a super list of summer activities that can keep both moms and kiddos happy. My personal favorites are ‘Explore your neighborhood’ and ‘Fill a boredom buster jar’ – the boredom buster jar gives them a new burst of energy and excitement throughout the day, which means more sanity time for mom, and the neighborhood exploration will also tire them out, so they either take a nap or go to bed early (well, a mom can wish, right?).
Lindsay Brown says
I love these ideas! This will be my first summer in several years as a stay at home mom so I am in need of some ideas to keep me and the kids active and busy! Thanks for sharing your mom hacks!
Ivelisse says
I don’t have kids but these tips sound like they would work amazing! I love the snack and having different stations idea.
The Sunny Side Lifestyle Co. says
As a mom, I LOVE summer! The kids are home, we’re doing stuff together, they’re playing with friends. Great suggestions for activities to organize to avoid the summer boredom that can happen.
Kelly says
These are some great suggestions! Kids can get bored so fast. Growing up we would play outside all day, everyday. Kids today are so wrapped up in electronics so it’s important to plan to keep them active.
Snehal says
My aunt and I love doing some garden activities with my lil cousin! Sometjmes we also plan a short summer trip! 😀
Thuy says
My favorite idea is the boredom buster jar. My summertime is usually super busy and full of events so it’s good for me to find as many ways as possible to destress
Lyosha says
awesome hacks and tips! it will come in handy when I get to spend time with my niece one by one.
Lyosha recently posted…HSE Art and Design Alumni
Debra Roberts says
Quick and to the point! I like that and while I’m an empty nester, I do have 3 grands, so great tips that I will certainly give a shot to!