A Simple Summer Plan
We have now finished reading our science and history for the year and are hoping to wind up most other subjects within a month. Wisconsin is still chilly but we have heard the frogs at our favorite pond, so we know that spring has indeed arrived. It’s so exciting to look forward to a warmer summer season and a looser homeschool routine!
The last two summers we have followed a much more relaxed schedule but not given up our “school” time completely, and I plan to do the same this year. I have really enjoyed keeping a bit of school during the summer, even if it’s only half an hour, and I think it helps our days to go more smoothly when we do have some structure. It feels like enough of a change from the rest of the year that we are all getting a break, but also is a chance to keep up with – or catch up on – skills that need repetition or that didn’t get enough attention during the year. If our boys ever resist this summer schedule or tell me that they want a complete and total break, I will absolutely reconsider – but for now it is working well for us all.
P.S. Don’t be fooled by the lovely beach pictures which were taken during our spring break in Alabama. Wisconsin does not have an ocean and is currently a demoralizing 45 degrees and windy. Yes, I do sometimes wonder why we live here.
Our Simple Summer Routine
I usually start by making a checklist of activities I am hoping to accomplish during summer – not saying that we will or must do every single thing, but simply as a starting point to give us inspiration for all the open days and beautiful weather. This year our checklist includes:
– a list of chapter book read-alouds to work through
– our fabulous local zoo, and some local nature centers
– some of our favorite parks that we want to be sure to visit
– A Summer of Playing Skillfully – a hands-on, play based curriculum that we pick and choose from when the mood strikes us
– Exploring Nature with Children – another lovely curriculum that we can use as inspiration for our nature walks, though we don’t follow it religiously
– a few local splashpads & pools
– plant a garden
– plan a birthday party in May for Little Brother and Baby Sister
– a camping trip with Dad and another one with Grandpa
– the Safety Unit Study from the Good and the Beautiful (we did this one last year, and I think it’s worth repeating yearly)
Then I also made a loose schedule which we will follow on the weeks we are in town. It looks like this:
Monday: Morning time & picture books with all four kids; then Big Brother and Middle Brother work on Math and Handwriting (two topics that need more time this summer); then hit something on our checklist above and/or get outside!
Tuesday: Same
Wednesday: Same
So simple! We can finish it all in less than an hour and I love it. Of course, we can and will shift the days slightly each week depending on the weather or other plans that arise. It helps me to have some structure that we can use on rainy days, or too-hot days, or simply days when we all need some routine – but at the same time we need to leave plenty of time open for spontaneous adventure days and play dates with friends and soaking up all the sunshine and road trips and fun that summer brings. Again, homeschooling is so flexible and we can make it into whatever works best for our family.
Stay strong, my friends! Soon enough we will all be complaining about the heat and swatting mosquitoes the size of my toddler’s head. What bliss!
Originally written April 13 2021
