Our new relaxed summer schedule

Her smile makes me smile.

I've noticed more and more homeschool families going to year round schooling.  We love our summers!  The kids and I look forward to summer all year and then after a nice break it seems like we look forward to starting school again in August just as much.  We do have a summer routine, though.  There's lots of time for play, but it's not all play : ).


Calvin already loves books!

This is the first summer I didn't sign the kids up for lots of extra-curricular activities like dance, gymnastics, or art.  So far, I'm loving it.  Here's what our schedule looks like:

6:30 am   Wake-up call.  I get up 30 to 45 minutes earlier, which is fine because Calvin always wants to nurse then anyway.


Measle and Monk climbing at a local children's science museum.

 7-9:15 +   We're at the park with the outdoor swimming pool.  The three older kids swim while the younger kids and I get our exercise walking in the park and playing at the playground (Prince rides his scooter while I push the other two in a double stroller).  Toward the end of swim practice we head back to the pool and I watch the swimmers while Prince and Queen play in the splash pad.  In a few weeks, Prince will start swim lessons at the same pool immediately after swim practice. 


Twinkle Toes doing some major building.

 9:30 am   Home again, usually to stay.  I do my workout video while Calvin naps then make lunch or brunch, it they can't make it til 11, for everyone.  (The kids eat a light breakfast before swimming, but are starving again afterwards.)  On Thursdays we'll have our summer kids' Bible study.  The rest of the week we're free to hang out at home.  I took the kids to the library yesterday and plan on taking them to the pool Friday.  We went to the local kids' science museum the other day.  I love that we're not bound by any schedule, but free to either relax at home or go places as a family.


Practicing to be a cowboy someday.

 

And what's a cowboy without his cowgirl?


1-4 pm Rest time.  This is about an hour longer than our rest time during the school year, but then we're getting up earlier now, too.  Lucie and Calvin nap during this time while the big kids read books, play video games (1 hr max), or listen to books on CD.  This is the first summer in several years that I'm not requiring my kids to read a certain amount of time each day. That said, we went to the library yesterday and all my readers are busy reading for fun and prizes. So, reading lots is still a goal, I'm just going about it a bit differently this year. This way they don't "have to", they "get to".   Twinkle Toes (10), Measle (7), and Prince (5) all have Summer Bridge workbooks they're working through, too.  They insisted I buy them so I'm insisting they complete them!  Monk (11) and Twinkle Toes (10) also practice typing with the Mavis Beacon typing program daily.  And the three older kids are continuing with their Greek this summer.  It only takes the kids about 45 minutes to do their Summer Bridge, Greek, and typing each day.  (I told you I'm no tiger mom:).  Add in 30 minutes of piano/violin practice and they've still got plenty of time left over for the lazy days of summer.


Can you read Calvin's shirt?  It says "Star of Mommy's Blog".  And he is!

Evenings are for family and hospitality.  Tuesdays are still reserved for Bible study and Wednesdays for church, but the rest of our evenings this summer are free!  Big D and I agree that we want to practice hospitality more this summer while everyone is on more of a relaxed schedule.  We're looking forward to this!

It looks to be an amazing summer!

What's your summer schedule like?