Well, summer has probably begun for most of you. But for us this is our first real week of summer and we had just enough of a break last week to do some prep work. It is so nice to get some of this out of the way so we can now just pick up and go.
For those of you who don’t feel completely prepared for summer I have put together a few different days to focus on different areas of prep work and included my lists in case anyone needs inspiration. Of course, I’m not completely done, and could use some prompts as well!
Cheers to a summer with all the prep work done– the only thing that will be left to do is have fun…
Prep Day 1: Uniforms
I do not consider putting clothing ensembles together my forte but I do know that this summer we will need to have lots of play clothing and some gear for fun summer activities. I plan to spend my budget mostly on accessories and gear. Play clothes will be repurposed or made over clothing we already have or purchased at thrift stores and possibly altered. I do not want to be worrying about the girls ruining new clothing or clothing I spent time making them. As a matter of fact, I don’t want to worry about ruining MY clothing. I want us all to have essentials that we can get messy in!
On my list:
- Play clothing (T-shirts, Tank Tops, Shorts, Loose dresses, Old Jeans)
- Appropriate summer footwear– Check for fit, mobility and comfort.
- Hats
- Sunglasses
- Swimsuits/Cover-ups
- Light Sweatshirts/Pullovers
- Potty Training Friendly Clothing– Elastic waistband shorts and training panties.
- Under shorts for dresses
- Restock Hair Supplies– Getting ready for more physical activity!
Some Ideas:
Make over old slip-on shoes: I had a pile of slip on shoes that were pretty trashed and needed a face lift. So I pulled out any crumbly insoles, gave them a spin in the wash and bought a handful of Dr.Scholl’s insoles for $1.50 each at Walmart. Pretty pumped to get another season of use out of them!
Re-purpose old pants: Recently I set aside all of our ill-fitting and worn out pants for cut-offs this summer. See my quick tutorial HERE.
Prep Day 2: Equipment
It’s important to remember that there will be lots of day trips this summer– trips to the pool, hiking, biking and trips to the beach. What equipment do you need or would make things more comfortable? Examine what you have, give tune-ups to bikes, get new parts, get a head of the game and buy something used or new.
On my list:
- Soft cooler– (See pic above)…totally dorky, but so useful for avoiding eating out!
- Extra thermos– Great for taking along a hot soup or keeping milk cold.
- Lightweight/waterproof blanket
- Backpacks for expeditions
- Pool Gear/Towels/Bags/Toys
- Sand Toys
- Helmets
- Bikes/Scooters/Trailers
- Water bottles
- Camping gear
- A pile of carabiners! — I inevitably need them while out and about with the girls.
Prep Day 3: Supplies
Take a look at your schedule, routines and goals. What are some of the day-to-day things you’re going to need? It will nice to have them ahead of time!
On my list:
- Summer Passes– Pool passess, children’s mueseum, zoo, etc.
- Science Equipment- Mini microscopes, magnifying glass, bug catchers/nets.
- Project/Craft Supplies
- Notebooks for Field Journals
- Cameras
- Sunscreen
- Binoculars
- Compus
- Guidebooks/ Field guides
- Day Kits (Notebook, Book, Snacks, Water Bottle, Sunscreen, Chapstick)
Prep Day 4: Travel
This is for making traveling plans simpler, comfy and fun. First, list out any weekend trips or big family trips you have planned for the summer for inspiration. Think your way through each trip and list anything that you think would be nice to have ready or make the trip more comfortable.
On my list:
- Entertainment–Audio books and books that we own.
- Card Games
- Self-entertaining activities for the kids- Stickers
- Travel toys/kits
- Healthy travel snacks
- Duffle bags for quick trips
- Travel sized containers
- Carabiners! Again, I need them when traveling.
- Head/neck rests
- Small travel blankets for the girls
Prep Day 5: Food
This last day is really for my benefit. I need a list of good foods and meals to make throughout the week on my lonesome without Husband cooking for me and doing the shopping *frown*. I’m spoiled.
So this is more of a brainstorming task to make lists and getting in the habit of buying certain items at the store or doing prep work. The key for us is prep because if it’s available…we’ll eat it!
Here are some lists I need to make and few of our go-to meals:
- On-The-Go Snacks: Carrot sticks, snap peas, string cheese, apples, frozen go-gurts
- Variety of Lunches: Re-inventing leftovers, Peanut butter and Nutella Sandwiches, Homemade Soups, Tuna on crackers
- Easy Homemade Dinners: Hawaiian Haystacks (summer favorite), Beans and Cornbread, Broiled Nachos
- Plan AHead Breakfasts: Muffins (the night before with girls), Fruit Smoothies, Pre-cook bacon and mix pancake batter.
- Healthy Desserts: Greek yogurt with fruit, Nutella Fondue, Frozen Banana Popsicles
And there you have it! Feeling good and prepared.
How is your summer going? What’s on your to-do list in preparation for the summer?
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2 Responses to Happy Summer: Getting Prepared…So You Can Play All Summer!
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You know, when you first starting doing this series, I didn’t really think I’d be able to pull anything from it. Homeschooling year-round leaves less time for summer care-free time. But the more I read, the more I’m convinced that I really could do some of these things!! Your play clothes idea? Genius. Just last week, my oldest was supposed to bring something that he could get paint on. Um, he’s the oldest- he has no stained clothing to get even more stained! I especially like the clothing for moms…I see myself alot, freaking out (at least a little) when little sticky hands and faces come screeching towards me. It would be so nice to not have to worry about that!
My parents are coming into town next week and one thing I’ve been doing is to bulk up our freezer. We made a sourdough starter and let it get crazy big, then I made double and triple batches of pancakes, pizza dough, english muffins, and blueberry muffins. Now I’ve got the bulk of my breakfasts already made for easier mornings when we’re trying to beat the heat on sightseeing.
Thanks for all the inspiration and tips!!
I think the worst is feeling a little held back because you yourself don’t want to get messy. It has been nice already to not worry about how I look and more about if I can move. I have this luxury for several reasons. 1. I have no one to impress with Husband gone for the summer. 2. It’s Eugene, OR. No matter what I look like…if I have showered I’m already way a head of the game. :)