Gear Up Your Home for Summer Break

Gear Up Your Home for Summer Break

The wonders of spring are passing, and before you know it everyone will be home for summer break. The temperatures will be up, and so will your kids. Before your home starts buzzing with rambunctious energy from dawn till dusk, make sure you’re prepared to keep the kids busy this summer season. Whether you’re staying at home or hitting the road, Children’s Humanitarian Services presents everything you need to do to make this summer a memorable one.

Gear Up the Backyard

The backyard is your kid’s turf during the summer months. Before setting them loose, make sure it’s safe for play. Scan the yard for wasp nests, ant hills, poison ivy, thorny plants, and other natural hazards, and store dangerous power equipment and chemicals in the garage. Make sure any heavy items, like bird baths or outdoor sculptures are anchored securely so they won’t fall on anyone.

Once you’ve cleaned up the backyard, it’s time to deck it out for summer. A well-equipped backyard is your weapon against complaints of boredom over the summer months, so make sure there’s plenty to keep your kids entertained. A wooden swing set is a classic addition to any family backyard. It may be time to upgrade your playset fun by adding cool features like a climbing wall, trapeze bars, or a shaded sandbox.

Kids who have aged out of swing sets will get a kick out of a badminton net, soccer goals, cornhole boards, and other backyard games they can play with friends or siblings. Don’t forget classic yard toys like water guns, kickballs, frisbees, and sidewalk chalk.

If you have any budding scientists, or simply curious kids, get them started monitoring and recording the weather, with a thermometer, barometer, weather vane, and anemometer. They might even want to track storms.

Double-Check Equipment

Before sending kids out to explore, make sure bikes, scooters, helmets, and all pieces of recreational equipment are in good working order. According to the CDC, helmets should fit snugly without drooping over the eyebrows or touching the top of the rider’s neck. Helmets should be replaced every five years or any time they’ve been in a crash. Growing children, however, may require more frequent replacement. Parents should also be mindful of bikes that are too small, as ill-fitting bikes strain kids’ knees.

If you’re planning family camping trips, take this opportunity to look over your camping equipment. Make sure kids still fit into their sleeping bags and hiking packs. If sleeping bags are sporting a musty odor, clean them thoroughly, following REI’s instructions, and hang to dry. Refill the first aid kit, buy new batteries for headlamps, and pitch the tent to check for holes and ensure no parts are missing.

Prep for Road Trips

Family vacations are a classic staple of the American summer. Driving is far cheaper than flying when you’ve got a gaggle of kids, but a long ride in the car isn’t most kid’s idea of fun. Make sure you’re ready to keep the peace on long drives by stocking the car with hand-held games, movies (and headphones!) for their electronic devices, and travel pillows to prevent cramped necks after a backseat nap.

As much as we wish they’d stay little forever, kids grow. Before you head out on your vacation, pull out the summer clothes, including swimsuits, sandals, and water shoes to see if they still fit. If clothes are too small, too stained, or otherwise done for, it’s time for a family shopping trip.

Prepare Your Home Office

If you are one of many parents who are currently working from home, the summer can pose some interesting challenges. Gone are the peaceful hours of school where you can manage meetings and increase your productivity, but that doesn’t mean that your home office is doomed. All of the equipment you’ve prepared in the yard will help keep the kids occupied, but the best thing you can do is to create a schedule. Let your family know when you’re available, and when you need a quiet space. Communicating your needs during this time will help, too.

Two to three months of summer vacation sounds like a lot. That’s several months of kids running wild at home, roaming the neighborhood, and competing for your attention. But when you head into summer break prepared for a season of fun, it becomes a time of creative play, inventive games, and family bonding. Take these steps before school lets out and your kids will have the best summer ever.

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