16 Tips For Making Summer Fun For Kids AND Mom

Being too busy is the enemy of Summer, which is all about unstructured, carefree days. So for every week of Summer camp and family vacation you book, remember to give yourselves one to just chill and see where the day takes you. Sure, there will be long days full of whining, but there will also be some full of spontaneous fun — and that's where memories are made.

Swimming is a mom's Summer best friend, mostly because kids seem to never tire of it, meaning you can fill days on end simply by visiting a local pool. Do your research, talk to pool-loving mom friends, find a spot that will work for your family in terms of location, layout, and hours, and buy a season pass. You won't regret it.

On early mornings, evenings, and afternoons that aren't too hot, a local park can fill hours without much effort on a mom's part. Start taking your kids to all the parks in your area to find your favorite. Look for safe equipment, some shade, picnic tables or nice benches, and restroom facilities.

If you and your kids have a great relationship with their grandparents, try to organize a trip to grandparent camp, a preset number of days that they'll take over childcare duties at their house. Not only will you get a break, but it's a great way to cement the bond between your kids and your parents or in-laws.

If you're lucky enough to live in a neighborhood with a lot of kids (and some manageable moms), work together to organize a play-date rotation, regular neighborhood-wide games and get-togethers, and an informal watch system that means you'll keep an eye out for their kids that are old enough to be roaming around the hood, and they'll keep one out for yours.

Even if your kid isn't old enough for sleep-away camp, there's probably a great day camp, park-district Summer camp, or specialty camp in your area that will work for them. Do your research, ask around, and find a program that will provide a little structure to a week or two of your Summer. Both you and your kids will appreciate it.

Don't let your kids fall victim to Summer brain drain. Encourage them to put down the screens and pick up a book. Load their tablets with math and reading games, and sit down to play with them. Turn errands into learning experiences by letting your kids count change, count items, or weigh produce.

Summer is the perfect time to schedule a family getaway, so pack up the car or book a flight, and take your Summer fun on the road.

Find a favorite ice cream shop, and visit weekly. Discover the best outdoor restaurant patios, and spend Sunday nights dining al fresco. Have Wednesday night picnics at your favorite park. Order the best local pizza to the pool on Fridays. With more time to explore, linger, and relax, Summer is the perfect time to put your family's favorite spots on regular rotation.

There's no time better than Summer to get outside and explore all that nature has to offer. Visit state parks, paddle on nearby lakes, or set up camp in the backyard. Fresh air, sunshine, and happy plants are good for every soul, no matter how old.

We're not recommending you completely throw out bedtime, but when it stays light out until 9 p.m., who wants to go to sleep at 7? Even if it's just on a few special nights (say, for Fourth of July fireworks), forget about that strict bedtime, and let your kids experience the awesomeness that is Summer after dark.

Set up an indoor and outdoor activity center that you can direct your kids to the first time you hear "I'm bored." Put craft supplies, coloring books, games, and reading material in one spot inside, and bubbles, sidewalk chalk, outside games, and balls together outside, and your kids will have no reason to act like there's nothing to do.

The rest of the year, you're probably driving your kids to school, clubs, and sports, helping them with homework, and making sure they're well-fed and rested (in other words, managing their every minute), but Summer is the time to switch to a more free-range philosophy (assuming your kids are old enough, of course). Let them learn math and science during the school year; in Summer, they can learn independence.