Although summer doesn't officially begin until June 21, most schools in the Snoqualmie Valley and Issaquah School Districts have about 3 weeks {gulp} left in the school year. Tackle these tasks now so you can relax later and make the most of your summer fun!
1. First and foremost, make sure you subscribe to our weekly newsletter and bookmark the website! We'll have all the information you'll need like free summer concerts and movies, reading programs, adventure ideas, recipes, crafts, giveaways, and more. We are currently working on our 2016 Ultimate Summer Fun Guide {here's a link to our 2014 article and a link to last year's article} to help with summer planning!
2. Follow us on Facebook. That's where we'll post last-minute reminders, event updates, coupons, flash sales, and special offers! The more you interact with us on Facebook, the more likely it is that our posts will show up in your newsfeed, so be sure to like, comment, and click regularly. Connect with us on Instagram and Pinterest too ... we think you'll love our What's for Dinner, Out & About Family Fun, and Crafty boards {just to name a few}!
3. Make a Must-Do list. Have a family meeting and ask everyone to come up with 3-5 things that they absolutely want to do this summer (go on a hike, go to a beach, lake or spray park, sign up for a race or walk, have a picnic, go to an outdoor concert or Farmer's Market, visit a local park). Schedule these activities on the calendar (and make reservations or buy tickets, if needed) to make sure they happen.
5. Print our Summer of Family Fun Planning Calendar. And then use our online Event Calendar to pencil in weekly activities, Summer Camps, and don't-miss local events like the North Bend Block Party, Chalk Art Festival in Issaquah, Sammamish Days, and Railroad Days in Snoqualmie ... just to name a few!
6. Find a kid-swapping friend. Once a week, trade kids so every other week you've got an afternoon to yourself for errands, cleaning, or simply napping in the hammock.
7. Sign up for summer camp. Our Summer Camp Guide is filled with incredible local camps. From performing arts to sports to academics, from camps that last just one afternoon to those that take place all summer ... whatever your needs and interests, you'll find it there!
6. Find a kid-swapping friend. Once a week, trade kids so every other week you've got an afternoon to yourself for errands, cleaning, or simply napping in the hammock.
7. Sign up for summer camp. Our Summer Camp Guide is filled with incredible local camps. From performing arts to sports to academics, from camps that last just one afternoon to those that take place all summer ... whatever your needs and interests, you'll find it there!
8. Review the rules. From limits on screen time to household chores to wearing sunscreen, avoid a daily battle by discussing your house rules and the consequences for breaking them. Write them down and post them where everyone in the family can see them.
9. Talk safety - from playgrounds to swimming pools to private parts to bullying to drugs. Have regular, age-appropriate conversations with your kids so that it is a normal conversation rather than a scary topic. Need some talking points? The CDC's Keep Kids Safe This Summer page has a great collection of safety guidelines. Savvy Parents Safe Kids is a great resource for learning about, talking about, and preventing sexual abuse.
10. Collect phone numbers of school friends. Some of us live close to each other, other's farther away. Either way, it's great to have phone numbers so you can set up play dates with other kids this summer!
11. Sort through summer clothes. Donate everything that doesn't fit and make a shopping list of what's needed. In addition to regular summer clothes, I buy my daughter a couple of brightly-colored swimsuits (to make it easier to spot her at a crowded pool), a pair of water shoes (for splashing in the creek), and a sun hat and sun shirt (just to be safe and it's easy to keep in the car).
12. Schedule a pampering day (or two). Get a haircut and a massage. Paint your toes. Go to a spa (and call it a Mother's Day present to yourself) or gather some girlfriends and make a DIY Spa using items you probably already have in your kitchen.
13. Stock up on snacks. My daughter is extra active during the summer so she tends to eat more too. Hit the warehouse store without the kids and stock up on more nutritious treats like yogurt tubes (which I keep in the freezer and serve in lieu of ice cream or other frozen items), baked crackers, applesauce pouches, and fruit cups.
14. Make a generic weekly plan. Other things will come up, but I have a loose weekly plan that I use when I don't have the time, energy, or money to plan an exciting summer adventure. Mine looks like this:
- Monday - Library Day to pick up books, movies, and video games for the week
- Tuesday - Playground or Park
- Wednesday - Play date with friends
- Thursday - Swimming
- Friday - Cooking and crafts
