Striking that sweet spot between total freedom and a loose game plan can feel like a circus act after months of school‑year structure—go too wild and you’ve got mayhem, clamp down too hard and the fun’s zapped. Enter our 9‑page Summer Printables Pack: a grab‑and‑go mix of simple routines and open‑ended play that’ll keep everyone chill (and stop your home from becoming “Kids vs. Velociraptors”). Ready to make this summer breezy and balanced?

This system works for our family, and I wanted to share in case it resonates with yours, too. Here’s a quick walk-through of how we do summer around here, with plenty of pool and popsicle time thrown in!

Create a Summer Fun List

Getting your kids to help build a “summer fun” bucket list not only sparks their excitement but gives them ownership over the adventures you’ll share. Once you’ve brainstormed together, pop those ideas straight onto the family calendar so they don’t slip through the cracks—because trust me, summer zooms by. With everyone’s input and a solid schedule, you’ll actually make those memories instead of just talking about them.

How to Handle Screen Time

I’ll admit, I have a love/hate relationship with technology. On one hand, I see the value—tech is everywhere, and our kids will need to be fluent in it for just about any future job. But on the other hand, too much screen time turns my normally sweet kids into cranky little zombies. That’s why we started using technology tickets to help set limits in a fun, flexible way—and it’s been a game-changer! We also hang our Summer Screen Time Guidelines printable in a spot everyone passes often (like the fridge or family command center) so the expectations are clear before anyone cashes in a ticket.

Here’s a close up:

Brainstorming Boredom Busters

So what do they do without screens to keep them busy? That’s when our Boredom Busters come in handy! I truly believe it’s okay for kids to be bored, essential even, because that’s when brains turn creative. But just in case you don’t want to hear “Mom I’m BORED” eleven million times in an hour, this list has you covered. Remind them to go take a peek at their Boredom Busters list whenever boredom strikes.

Ideas for Screen-Free Summer Activities

Stuck at home this summer? Print out this list of fun activities for kids with tons of creative activities and ideas!

Here’s a few more activities my kids loved last summer:

Spa Day

Decorate Cupcakes

Build a Fort (Poppy helped with this one)

Ride bikes/scooters/trikes

Water the Garden

Summer Snacks and Meal Ideas

One challenge that always pops up during summer? Non-stop snacking. I’m definitely guilty of grazing all day long! To help tame the pantry monster, we like to brainstorm a list of healthy “anytime” snacks and post it on the fridge as a go-to guide. This version is blank so you can customize it with your family’s favorites!

If getting your kids to eat healthy snacks feels like a struggle, try this simple trick: set out a plate of healthy options where they can see it, then start snacking yourself. Kids are naturally curious—and let’s be honest, they always want whatever you’re having. To help you get started, here’s a quick list of healthy snack ideas they’ll be eager to grab:

• Cucumber slices (with hummus)
• Carrot sticks (with nut butter)
• Cherry or grape tomatoes
• Cheese sticks/cubes
• Yogurt or Applesauce cups/pouches
• Fresh fruit like bananas, apples, blueberries, strawberries, etc.
• Hard boiled eggs
• Roasted Chickpeas
• Nuts or Dried Fruit

Also, don’t miss these 20 kid-friendly smoothie recipes—perfect for letting your kids pick a new one to try each week! Even my veggie-averse crew loves them, and they’re a great way to sneak in some extra vegetables without anyone noticing. The fruits and other flavors do all the heavy lifting, so picky eaters won’t even taste the greens.

How to Handle Summer Cleaning and Chores

With all the summer fun happening at home, it doesn’t take long before the house starts looking like a total explosion. That’s why having simple, kid-friendly systems in place makes a big difference. Check out these posts for help:

• Setting Up an Easy Chore Chart for Kids
• Simple Tips and Checklist for Cleaning the Bathroom with Kids
• Free Printable Kids Bedroom Cleaning Checklist

Preventing the Summer Slide

Another sanity saver that prevents summer slide are workbooks and activities like Mad Libs that are easy to travel with and fun for the kids to work on. We take them everywhere– when we eat out, shopping, hair cuts, road trips– and the kids appreciate having something to do and I appreciate that they’re keeping their brains sharp.

The Spectrum workbooks were recommended to me by a teacher and the Summer Bridge and Summer Brain Quest are two other options we’re using. The kids earn incentives after completing a certain number of pages, so it’s win-win!

Most schools and libraries have their own summer reading program, but if not, we have charts for that, too! There’s two styles, one is a list and the other a sticker chart.

Last but not least, it’s nice for kids to have their own calendars to keep track of camps, playdates and vacations. They can also use the boxes to jot down one thing they did each day and have a ‘journal’ to remember their summer.

Loosely structuring our summer this way has proven essential in keeping our sanity in tact and sibling squabbles to a minimum. As a work at home mom, my #1 goal is to be present with my kids and intentional with my computer time. Having this routine in place allows me to get some work done at home without the kids being glued to screens, so there’s plenty of time for the pool, playdates, and other adventures!

You can download the whole Summer Fun Printables Pack below. And ENJOY!!! I would love to hear how your summer is going so far!