The week of the last day of school always brings a flurry of activity and excitement at our house. This year brought two school picnics, an awards ceremony and even a kindergarten “graduation”.
It’s going to be a busy summer here as I’m sure it’s going to be for your family too. Here is a list of things to do around that last day of school so you can hit the ground running into summer.
- Pack Away School Clothes
- Pull out Summer Clothes
- Plan Summertime Activities
- Plan Cool Summer Meals
- Stock up on Summer Essentials
If your kids wear school uniforms, or if they have a wardrobe intended for school only, now is a good time to sort them and get rid of anything they can’t use again. Gather all the school clothes and go through them. First pull anything that’s stained or torn beyond repair and trash it. Wash the rest making sure to fix any tears and pre-treat stains before you put them in the machine.
Check the sizes as you fold the clean stuff and put anything that can’t be used or handed down to another child in a “give away” pile. Donate those to your nearest charity, or donate them to your child’s school. Most uniform schools have a ” sweatshirt (lưới an toàn cửa sổ closet” where parents can drop of hand-me-downs and exchange or purchase gently worn uniform items that will fit. Store everything else in a plastic storage bin so it doesn’t get mixed in with summer play clothes.
In the fall just pull the clean clothes from the storage bin and they’re ready to be worn again.
In addition to clearing out school clothes, stash or trash old school papers, memos and notebooks so they don’t sit around and become clutter.
Once the school clothes are put away pull out the summer clothes. Give away anything that’s been outgrown and make a list of items you need to purchase. Flip flops and swimsuits usually need to be replaced each season.
With growing kids, lots of outdoor play, summer camp and vacation, summer clothes only last two seasons at our house if I’m lucky, so I don’t like to spend a lot of money on shorts and t-shirts. Check out your local second hand store. There are some second hand chains that specialize in children’s sweatshirt (lưới an toàn cửa sổ. You can find gently used items that will look just as good but cost much less than brand new.
It also isn’t as painful for you if something gets torn or stained almost as soon as your kids put it on.
Make note of everyone’s summer activities on your calendar. If your kids go to camp make sure to note any field trips and special days when you might need to send additional money, or a packed lunch. Don’t forget to make note of the family vacation.
Anybody coming to visit you this summer? Don’t forget to make a note of those days as well.
Also note any summertime community events and make plans to attend. Outdoor exhibits, summer concerts, festivals and picnics are all great, inexpensive family activities.
Are you dreading having to cook in the heat of the summer? Me too. Find some good summertime recipes that don’t require heat to prepare them and stash them in your recipe box. Pasta salads, and cold sandwich dinners are fun around the kitchen table in the summer.
Plan for one grill night each week and do your cooking outdoors. If you don’t own an outdoor grill you can buy one for less than $30 at your local discount store (Wal-Mart, Target, etc..). Even a small tabletop (outdoor) grill is big enough to fire up some burgers and hotdogs for a family of four.
If you need to replace your cooler now is the time to do it. They are available everywhere and come in all sizes and price ranges. I keep one in our van for cool drinks on long drives, and I have another with wheels for those trips to the beach. (Coolers with wheels. Don’t you wish you’d thought of that first??)
Stock up on sunblock.
Get everyone, even the little ones, some UVA/UVB blocking sunglasses, and don’t forget the hats and visors to keep the sun off everyone’s face. Don’t forget the sand toys. Dollar stores are a good place to find affordable beach and pool toys.
Lastly, don’t forget a supply of paper plates, plastic eating utensils and picnic supplies to keep on hand for impromptu cook outs.
Don’t forget to relax and have fun with your kids this summer.
write by Harold