Summer Programs

If you’re like most parents, you have a job and it doesn’t stop just because your kids have the summer off. How rude! So they have between 10-12 weeks off from school and you need to get child care, transportation, and activities lined up. Roll up your sleeves, grab a stack of Post-Its, and open up your calendar.

Option #1: Family and Friends

Summer is a great time for your kids to spend time with grandparents, aunts and uncles, and friends. Check to see what weeks work best for family or friends and block them off your calendar. If your kids will be traveling distances to stay with family, book your flights early to get the best rates. Bonding time with Gramps!

Option #2: Summer Programs and Camps

Meet with your kids to get their input about things they’d like to do over the summer. Chances are, they’ve heard about great robotics or maker programs or super fun sleep-away camps. Talk to your friends about programs their kids enjoyed and search online to learn about other opportunities. Inquire early and reserve space as soon as possible; good programs fill up months in advance. Time to immerse themselves in their passions!

Option #3: Create your own program

If filling the gaps between camps and visits to Grandma’s is impossible or too expensive, consider setting up your own program for the summer. This may sound like a lot of work but it’s actually easy because you’ll be able to create exactly what you want — all in one place. You can make your kids’ summer really exciting by creating a theme like theater, robotics, or studio art! I set up summer theater so my girls starred in musicals — they absolutely loved it and they developed great singing, dancing, and speaking skills. We also added summer reading, math exercises, and intriguing science experiments in the mornings so they started the new school year at the top of their game! Invite a few other kids (tuition), which will pay for your teacher and materials — making your summer program fun and FREE! Everyone likes free!