Today is the first day of summer break for us! Yea! I forgot to turn off my alarm, so guess who was up at 6:50am anyway? That's right, me. Actually I was up anyway, due to a very loud bird who has moved into the backyard. He announces from a very early time that he is up and doing all the bird things he needs to do.
My kids have a hard time with transitions. We need to explain what is happening when and give them lots of time to process. They are not good with surprises. Even though summer is more laid back, there are still days we need to be places on time (doctor's appointments, play dates, etc.). The calendar also lets them know if they even need to get dressed on a particular day!
I made my calendar in MS Publisher. It is three pages. The first page is just about the day: Monday, June 6th. The second page is titled "What We Are Doing". I thought of the activities that we will commonly be doing, like Pajama Day, Water Day, Field Trip, and listed these, with space to put the particulars, like which park we're going to. There is also an "other" field, of course. The last page is titled, "What You Can Do To Help". I'm really trying to encourage cooperation. Sometimes it takes so long to get out of the house, I'm exhausted by the time the fun activity has begun. So the "help" page lists some common getting ready activities, like "pack for a road trip: DS, drawing, DVDs", or "pack bathing suit, towel, and sunscreen". Then these pages are slid into Avery page protectors (I love these things - they work perfect for white board markers!) and taped onto the wall with painter's tape. I know the painter's tape is not beautiful, but we rent and it comes off easily without leaving residue.
Keep in mind that my kids are readers already. If you have pre-readers, choose some clip art to describe the activities. I'm really happy to share what I've made, but I encourage you to make your own, so you can add all your family's favorite activities. If you'd like me to email you what I have, leave a comment!
Happy Vacationing!
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