summer chart 2013

And so our summer vacation begins (school ended last week around here)...

Last year I made a calendar for June and July out of posterboards. Each day was labelled with an activity (handwritten) on a little piece of cardstock - with a hand drawn picture to match. (Some were rough...working on my art skills here!) :)

First, we had a countdown to summer chain - each day was labelled with the date and what was going on that day. They took turns cutting them off.

 off to the side of the calendar were posted these: (I think the drive in movie got added on the 27th later - I'd have to go back and check my calendar?)

But by July I was getting tired and the house was getting awful....

By August, I was DONE. 

They still asked every day, "What's the activity for today?" 

The activity is getting ready for school later this month!

I really liked the idea of a daily activity, but when the weather was too hot or we were tired or the house needed cleaning or errands needed to be run or I felt obligated to show up at the gym I was still paying for (well, I still am this year, but I don't care this summer)....the 'daily activity' sometimes got pushed to the next day and it would stress me until we completed it.

.     .     .        

Long story short - 

This year, I knew I needed to plan the fun but also list our 'normal life' along side it with room for more organization and planning. 

We'll see at the end of summer if this is over planning and what parts I want to keep for next summer! (Every summer I try something new - I had a few rejected ideas this year I may try next year.)

This year's summer chart:

I started with posterboard and cut three bright SUMMER IS HERE kind of colors to make it about 24x36 

(I relocated this later - which was a pain, but don't let the pictures confuse you.)

I stapled it right to the wall. (They're easy to take out and the holes are tiny that they leave.)

I covered the "seams" with ribbon and the border - the ribbon got glued down since the posterboards are temporary, unlike the wall. :)

I decided to use frames for two of my charts so I could write/erase as needed.

I did hang them "through" the poster, but when I relocated it, I also just hot glued them in place. (They're from the dollar tree...it was worth the $2 not to have them move all summer.)

And my months are smaller, but labelled with a weekly THEME rather than daily activities and the details of the week will be determined the week of.

That way if I'm busy or something comes up, I can alter the activities around that. If I have more time than we thought, I'll add something in.

I have activities in mind (some pinned on Pinterest, some in my head, some the kids have requested)...I just listed them on notecards under the heading for each week so I can remember my ideas when we get there.

And then, I added that to the board under the calendars so I don't lose them!

A closer look at my stuff....just in case anyone wants to use it too.

 I doubt this one will help anyone as it's got my kid's name on it, but the general idea might help someone...or you can just laugh at my over scheduling (which already failed on the first day as shopping for our 2-week grocery run took well past 11 am.) Ah, the joys of grocery shopping with 5 kids at multiple stores. :)

 It's not a super strict schedule, but more of an outline...and if we get behind, then something will have to be dropped...something fun.
"Choose a room sticks" means all the common areas will be on jumbo popsicle sticks and they randomly choose one and that is the room they have to straighten before Dad gets home from work. The 3 year old will get automatically assigned the hallway/foyer because it's the only one she's capable of doing without step by step instructions.

 Here's hoping this altered summer chore plan will work out better than last year's. :)
Chore sticks are jumbo popsicle sticks on the chore chart (pockets for each child) and labelled with specific chores that need to be done each week - like "vacuum girls room" or "organize dress up" or "clean playroom floor"...some are gender specific - like only the girls will have to vacuum their room - most are generic.

And just to make this even more longer :)

My themes this year:

One with Nature

(cub scout camp, nature crafts, whittling, pool time)

Head over Heals

(cartwheels and other acrobatics, hair flips/twists/braids, etc)

Framed

(photography basic lessons with my point-and-shoot)

Freedom Fun

(anything 4th of July related, red/white/blue - food, incl making homemade pvc weapons, outdoor movie)

Just beachy

(trip to visit my parents...at the beach)

Please pass the peas

(lessons in the kitchen on basics like homemade bread without machines, etiquette, making aprons, finishing in a dinner party to have a game about the Word of Wisdom - our law of health - and practice good manners...this passes off a requirement in my kids' booklets to earn their Faith in God award at church)

a stitch in time

(quilting, family history field trip)

Game on!

(classic indoor/outdoor games - marbles, checkers, hopskotch, cards, etc)

A day in the life of a kid

(good old kid stuff - learning to blow bubble gum, sleepovers, water fun, etc...last fling)

Reliving the memories

(scrapbooking, journals, video, maybe even a game of charades based on things we did...etc.)

Not all of those ideas will happen I'm sure and I may think of more...but that's why I didn't ink them on cardstock on use permanent scrapbook tape this year for my calendar! :)