Preparing For Summer Break: An Easy Guide For Moms
Let’s talk about that beautiful beast creeping up on us: Summer break.
You know, the season where your kids forget what a bedtime is, your fridge turns into a 24-hour diner, and you suddenly become their unpaid cruise director-slash-lifeguard-slash-referee.
And while yes, Summer brings sunshine, sidewalk chalk, and that nostalgic smell of sunscreen or bug spray, it also brings a shift. And that shift? It can throw even the most organized mom into a spiral. (No judgment, I’ve been her. Probably will be her again. Hi.)
So here’s what I’ve learned over the years to make the jump from school-year hustle to Summer chaos just a little smoother. Think of this as your iced-coffee-fueled pep talk, with tips.
A Guide to Planning Summer Break:
1. Prep the calendar… but loosen your grip.
I’m all about a good calendar color-coding moment, but also, summer is not the time to schedule every single hour. Leave space for magic and boredom. Because here’s the truth: kids get creative when they’re bored. That’s when cardboard boxes become castles…and your living room? A trampoline park.
That said, I still map out key things like:
• Play dates
• Family vacations
• Nana sleepovers
• Free library programs (God bless the local librarians)
Stick it on a big calendar that the kids can see, too. It helps everyone know what’s coming, even if “what’s coming” is a “do nothing” day.
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2. Create a snack command center. (Trust me).
You will be asked for snacks 178 times a day. That’s just summer science.
So grab some bins, baskets, a drawer…whatever works. Fill it with mom-approved snacks they can grab themselves. Bonus points if you throw in some “snacktivities”.
This gives them a lil' independence and gives you a break from opening up everything like it’s your full-time job.
We also have snack ideas for on-the-go that you won’t want to miss here!
3. Make a Summer rhythm, not a schedule.
Schedules are tight. Rhythms are loose.
Think:
• Morning = outdoor play
• Afternoon = quiet time (aka you hide in the bathroom for 10 minutes)
• Evenings = water play or family walks
You don’t have to hit every note perfectly. Just find the beat that works for your family and vibe with it.
4. Lower the bar. Then lower it again.
You don’t need to turn your house into a Pinterest-perfect summer camp. Seriously. Some of our best summer days have included bubble wands, a dollar store water gun, and a beat-up Bluetooth speaker playing early 90s jams.
If you’re showing up with love and snacks... you're doing amazing!
5. Plan something just for YOU!
Listen, sis, you get a summer, too.
Book the babysitter for a solo coffee shop date. Sign up for that workout class. Sit outside and read something that has absolutely nothing to do with parenting or personal growth. Just because.
You can’t pour from an empty tumbler. (Especially when it’s full of lukewarm coffee and kiddo backwash.)
Friendly reminder: It’s okay if it’s messy!
Summer break isn’t always smooth. It’s sweaty. It’s chaotic. It’s full of sand in weird places. But it’s also where the memories live, the messy, hilarious, sometimes meltdown-filled ones that stick with us. So give yourself some grace. You’re doing better than you think. And when in doubt, popsicles fix most things.
You got this, mama. Now go stock that snack drawer and dig out the flip-flops.
What Now? Now that you feel less stressed about summer break, find us on Instagram @thecitymoms and tell us about YOUR summer break hacks! Follow along for more tips.
