Summer is a time of transition, especially if you have older kids who will be home from school for a few months!
(I remember those years with younger children, when our daily routine didn’t change all that much, but all of our favorite places to spend time–like the library, park, and nature trails–were suddenly filled with lots of bigger kids. If you are a mom of little kids, don’t worry–the break will go by faster than you can imagine!)
The benefit of a flexible family schedule is that you can adjust your routines any time, regardless of the season. Some families prefer to have a full calendar, with lots of extracurricular activities…while some families prefer a more relaxed, spontaneous approach.
And then some families–or MOST families, I would imagine–are a mixture of both when it comes to their weekly schedule: some crazy busy and some that are totally light!
For that reason, I found that using a blank calendar template is best for our family. It allows me to see, at a glance, those open pockets of time where I can be a more intentional mother.
Scroll down to get our FREE calendar template + activity menu!
Here are some of my favorite tips for creating a flexible family schedule:
- Print off the printable calendar template (download FREE below) for several weeks at a time. That way, nothing will stand in the way getting your week down on paper!
- Fill in all the “out of the house” commitments for the week and all your regular family activities (meal times, nap/rest, etc.).
- Check the weather and write it down. It’s silly, but it may help you make the right clothing and activity choices–a must for a busy mom!
- Consider your personality and those of your family members. Do you need to pencil in some at-home time for the introverts? Or maybe you need to plan a social activity, like a playdate, for the extroverts.
- Write down some activity ideas and family goals for the week–and remember, positive changes happen one small step at a time!
Our FREE Flexible Family Schedule Guide contains a copy of our weekly calendar template, plus a “menu” of 20 activity ideas you can use all summer long with your kids!
Want even more summer learning ideas? Check out our Family Activity Guide!
This is such a great idea! I am just starting to plan the summer for my girls. I have camp and our vacation booked, but that’s it. So this will definitely help me fill in some gaps while still giving us room to just relax.
That’s a nice template for busy families. As a teacher on summer break, I’m in chill mode now. But when school picks up again, this would be really handy!
I love using calendars. I need to plan out what day we will be doing all of our fun summer activities! You have given some really great tips!
Love this idea! I have a toddler so a flexible schedule is super important, but this is also a great reminder that sometimes the best days are unstructured and have few plans!
My kids are still young (5 and 3), but summer is still tricky because it can be hard to keep a schedule. I try to have a basic schedule with room to move things around if needed. I like to spend a little time on Sunday and plan out the upcoming week.
I love summer! It’s a great idea to have a schedule of some sort. I find having a consistent routine over the summer keeps the kids from getting bored and helps me get out of bed.