Have you officially started summer break yet? This is the start of our second week of summer vacation. Around here I try to balance having a fun summer with a lot of routine. I find that it helps with the “I’m bored”s that tend to pop up on those perfect summer afternoons. So if you are trying to keep your kids entertained on these hot summer days check out these good habits to start this summer.

looking for good habits to start? summer may be the perfect time to commit

Summer seems to fly by too quickly (at least for my liking). But even so, it’s the perfect time to work on some good habits. The days are longer, school is out, and sports schedules are often less hectic. Establishing good habits will also help the transition from summer to the school year. You might want to discuss the habits you’re thinking about working on with your family. Or you might just want to focus on one or two things and start implementing it into your daily routine.

| Read about some tips for having a productive morning here! |

take the time to establish a bedtime routine

I know, I know–you’re probably thinking I’m crazy. A bedtime routine?! In summer?! But now that your kids don’t have anywhere to be early in the morning you can push bedtime back and fix any areas you’ve gotten a little lazy with. Has toothbrushing taken a backseat? Is your family still saying their nightly prayer together? Has the playroom seen better days? Whatever routines you’ve gotten lax with, now is the time to get back to it! Your fun summer days will go much better with a solid bedtime routine. Then when summer is over and fall starts again the transition will go much smoother.

| Find a free toothbrushing chart here! |

have your workouts been lax lately? get going again

I have to admit that over the past couple months I’ve gotten really lazy with moving my body. Don’t get me wrong, I’m always running after kids and that’s workout in itself! But our regular hiking trips and other ways I like to be active had become pretty sporadic. I’m proud to say that since summer break started we have been walking every day and I’m already noticing a difference! Sometimes it’s just a couple miles, but we’ve also trekked double that and more! If you prefer the gym lots of childcare centers are finally reopening so you could start that again as well.

| Check out some workout ideas with a stroller here! |

now is the perfect time to plan playdates

Without school getting in the way now is the perfect time to plan some regular, weekly playdates! Especially since it’s summer and we can all enjoy the fresh air in the great outdoors. If you have a pool you might want to consider opening your yard once a week for an “open swim”. Another option is to utilize your local parks. When we lived in Lubbock I used to organize rotating playdates at various parks in the area–it was a lot of fun! Did you know that Lubbock has more neighborhood parks per capita than any other city in Texas? I always thought that was interesting and surprising when we lived there!

stop the summer slide with some journaling

My kids think I’m “the meanest mom ever” because we do some light homeschooling in the summer. Let’s be honest though–most kids did not have the most academic of school years this past year. A good habit to work into your summer schedule is journaling. Just pick up some composition books and get to writing! I like to have my kids sit down in the morning and write on a prompt I provide, but you could also let them write a recap of their day before bed. My general rule of thumb is to take their grade level and double it for how many sentences they have to write minimum. So, my sixth grader has to write at least 12 sentences, my fourth grader writes at least eight sentences, and so on.

| Print up free summer writing prompts here! |

up your water intake–make it a challenge!

Raise your hand if you need to drink more water! I think most of us are probably guilty of not drinking enough good old H2O, right? In the summer it’s especially important to make sure that we’re drinking enough water when it’s hot outside and we’re in the sun more. Make it a challenge with your kids to drink more water. But some sugar-free drink mix if you don’t like the taste of plain water. Make a chart or buy new water bottles with marks on the side. See which of you can drink more water everyday!

why not learn a new skill or start a new hobby?

Although not technically a habit, summer might also be the perfect time to start a new hobby or learn a skill. Start at the library and have your kids research what they want to learn. Or sign your kiddos up for a summer camp through your local parks and rec department. You could even plan a fun “summer camp” of your own at home where you teach baking or watercolor. You can even find some great videos on YouTube and learn something new together!

| Find more fun ideas when you follow me on Pinterest! |

Are there any good habits you’re going to be working on this summer?

The photography in this post was shot by Britney at Your Creative Counterpart:

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