Always An Adventure

Real hope and encouragement for REAL life.

  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure
  • Shop Here

June 8, 2017 by Jamie Siebens

How We’re Sneaking Summer Skill Building into Lazy Days

Summer days are meant for chill relaxation, but they're also the perfect time to sneak in some summer skill building. Here's how we work learning into our summer fun!

Summer is upon us, and I am working hard to get back in the groove of things. In some ways it’s nice to have a more laid back schedule, but in others…. well, I’m already missing the comfort of a set-in-stone routine. The summer heat here is brutal, and I know we’ll be spending lots of time inside. In order to avoid turning into total couch potatoes, I’m really going to try to keep us active and engaged, and hopefully build some practical skills into our fun time.

Here are some of ways we’re sneaking summer skill building into our lazy days:

(There are affiliate links in this post, meaning we may get a small commission from any purchases you make. We only recommend products and services we actually use and love. Click here to read our full disclosure policy.)

CLICK HERE TO PIN FOR LATER

A Teamwork Approach to Housework

Our kids have been cleaning up after themselves and helping with chores since they were toddlers, but this summer we’re working on real life skills that will help them work independently. Some of the things our 6&7 year olds will be practicing this summer include:

  • Folding laundry a specific way
  • Cleaning and polishing the bathroom sink
  • Unloading the dishwasher and putting dishes away
  • Loading the dishwasher a specific way
  • Setting the table properly
  • Keeping their art supplies clean and organized
  • Keeping their bookshelf neat and tidy
  • Stove safety and preparing basic foods like quesadillas and scrambled eggs

Most of these “training” opportunities are going to be in Mommy & Me chore sessions around the house. The girls are already used to working together with me on projects — they have no idea that summer skill building is my hidden agenda. And I’m totally fine with that. We’ll also be working on:

Healthier Habits for Sweets & Snacking

Without the structure of school days, it’s easy to get into the habit of snacking all day long. Constant grazing is not a habit I want to encourage though – it’s a recipe for constant messes and can easily turn into mindless munching and boredom eating (ask me how I know!) So we’ve determined some realistic meal and snack times, and are doing our best to stick to them – myself included.

We also got into the bad habit this year of eating sweets after almost every meal. I blame the Halloween/Christmas/Valentines/Easter candy influx that filled our candy jar and kept it full ALL. YEAR. LONG. I’m stocking up on this sugarfree gum in efforts to break the candy cravings and create habits (and life skills) that will be healthier for their bodies and teeth for years to come.

Does this count as summer skill building? I think so. My kiddos will probably see it as just boring-old-rules, but the truth is at this age, we have the power to shape habits that will affect the rest of their lives. This is totally an area I’m willing to be “mean old mom” on – even for myself!

RELATED: Why Kids NEED to Be Bored

 Strong Swimming Skills + Endurance

Being able to swim well can literally be a lifesaver, and it’s definitely something we’re focusing on this summer. We’ll already be spending hours at the pool to escape the summer heat, and we’re going to intentionally make time to practice the skills they learned in swimming lessons this spring:

  • Treading water
  • Floating, especially when they start to get tired
  • Basic swim strokes
  • The ability to swim 25+ yards without fatigue

The best part? We’re sneaking this into one of their favorite parts of the day – pool time! How fun is that?

RELATED:100+ Things To Do Instead of Screen Time

Manners and Social Skills

Our girls are both very social, and easily make friends wherever we go. But we still could improve our playground etiquette skills, like introducing yourself and asking the other person’s name, inviting shy kids to be part of the group, and how to resolve disagreements in a kind and respectful way.

We’ll also be working on table manners this summer, and this is DEFINITELY needed.  Yikes! Main focuses: eating neatly, sitting properly in your chair, using a napkin instead of clothes (please!!) and  how to politely deal with foods you don’t care to eat.

I don’t really have a schedule for working on etiquette – we’ll be sneaking it into regular conversations in our day-to-day. And addressing issues as the need arises, of course. I know it will be something I’ll bring up on the way to playground dates and social gatherings. Spending so much time together will hopefully make it easier to work into everyday life.

What does summer look like for you?

Each summer has been incredibly different for us. Last year I worked full time, and was honestly bummed to miss out on the summer fun. This year I’m struggling on the other side of things – how to stay sane and productive with my kiddos underfoot, especially since we don’t have an outdoor space where they can play unsupervised. Some of this summer skill building might just be for my own sake as much as it is for my kids.

What’s your biggest summer challenge? Anything you’re specifically working on over the summer months? I’d love to hear your comments! And if you loved this article, please feel free to share the link with your friends! 

Summer days are meant for chill relaxation, but they're also the perfect time to sneak in some summer skill building. Here's how we work learning into our summer fun!

Jamie Siebens

Jamie Siebens is a freelance writer and married mom of two. She writes about living intentionally and finding perspective in everyday adventures -as well as travel, fun in Florida, parenting, minimalism and simplicity.

When she’s not writing, you’ll find her winging it and #winningatlife as she juggles parenting, spontaneous adventures and multitasking to the point she almost burns dinner.

❮❮ Previous Post
Next Post ❯ ❯

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

Don't miss out!

It's no secret - some of our BEST stuff NEVER makes it on the blog. Sign up below to make sure YOU stay in the loop.

No spam. No inbox overwhelm. Unsubscribe anytime. Really.

Please wait...

You're in!

Categories

  • Simplify
  • Travel
  • Parenting
  • Adventure
  • Self Care
  • Perspective

Shop Here

Shop Here
Primary_Kids_Clothing_20_Percent_Off
How I Stopped Hating Housework With This One Simple Hack

How I Stopped Hating Housework With This One Simple Hack

Any mom will tell you: housework is never ending. It doesn’t matter what your work schedule is, or how organized you are. With kids in the mix things just don’t stay clean anymore. And while I don’t actually mind cleaning, the sheer endlessness of it gets to me sometimes. In the last year or so […]

I’m Not a Fun Mom, But That’s Okay

I’m Not a Fun Mom, But That’s Okay

I don’t know about you, but I have some amazing mom friends. They’re crafty, and super motivated and they do the funnest (not a word, I know) things ever with their kids. Marshmallow fights in the living room. Mud pies in the backyard. Laying on the floor with their kids to play for hours. Arranging […]

Missteps, Mistakes and Our Debt Free Journey

Missteps, Mistakes and Our Debt Free Journey

Today I want to share our missteps, mistakes and where we’re at on our quest to be debt free. If you’ve been around the internet long enough, I’m sure you’ve heard the stories of people working their way out of piles of debt, and shouting from the rooftops about how good it feels. Maybe you’re […]

Bootstrapping, Side Hustles and My Work from Home Story

Bootstrapping, Side Hustles and My Work from Home Story

Today I want to share just a little bit of my work from home journey: the things I’ve done that have bought our groceries, paid for date nights, and even supplemented our regular income for a season while I stayed home full time with our girls. PIN TO READ LATER I’ve come to truly love […]

  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure
  • Shop Here

Pretty Chic Theme By: Pretty Darn Cute Design