Make it a GREAT summer!

Friday marks the last day of school for my children and I am really looking forward to spending more relaxed time with them over the next few months.

I will admit that, a few years back, I looked at summer with a bit of fear in my heart as I wondered what in the world I would do each and every day with them. But, even then, I vowed to make the best of it and so I did… and every summer has gotten better and better and better.

Now that I’ve learned, here’s how I make it a great summer:

1. I think about what I want to do with the kids and make a list.

2. I ask them what they want to do and make a list. (Often their answers to this question surprise me.)

3. I plot special events, vacations and things that have to happen on certain days on the calendar.

4. I plot the fun things from each of our activity idea lists on the calendar so that I won’t forget them.

5. I make a list of fun things to do around the house and keep it out so I won’t forget about those, either.

This year, my list-making has just become a LOT easier… and it can for you, too.

My friend Jessica over at Life As Mom has put together the most incredible resource for summer adventures that I have ever seen. And no, I am not a member of her affiliate program, I just honestly believe her ebook to be the best Summer Survival Guide anyone could ever hope for. Really. And at $9 for 204 action-packed pages, it really is well worth the price.

The Summer Survival Guide maps out 16 themed weeks of fun, using books, crafts, recipes, field trips and in-the-house exploration based on anything from blasting into space, to dinosaurs, to the ocean to a safari and much, much more. The guide also gives you planning pages to plot your fun, meal ideas to keep cooking simple, road trip tips, family night suggestions and a summer reading plan for all ages, plus lots more.

I love this book so much that once I downloaded it, I sent to the printer and had it printed and bound so I could flip through it with my kids and mark off our favorite ideas… and I have a feeling this guide is going to be dog-eared and marked up quite a bit!

If you are looking to beat summer boredom, and have a blast with your kids, this book is definitely for you.

• Looking for fun and cheap things to do in your city? Check out this list of links to staycation and vacation ideas in 86 cities on MomsTravelTales, my travel site.
• And, for more boredom busting ideas, check out my Blast Away Boredom series from 2009.

Okay, enough about me… What tips do you have for enjoying summertime with your family?