5 Ways Working Moms Can Give Their Kids A Magical Summer

There are a lot of times I have working mom guilt. Summer is one of those times. It is hard to see all the social media posts of moms having an amazing time with their children in the beautiful sunny weather at 10:00AM on a Tuesday morning.

As moms, we don’t want our children to miss out. When they are young, it is a little easier. They don’t yet know exactly what a summer break could entail. Still, there is nothing better than seeing your child’s face light up with excitement when they are doing something new or doing something that they love!

(Once you finish this post, you should check out 7 Sanity Saving Summertime Tips for Busy Moms.)

As working moms, we can still give them that. Our kids don’t have to miss out on summer fun!

5 Ways Working Moms Can Give Their Kids A Magical Summer

Get Outside

There are so many great things to do outside during the summer. Even if it’s just playing in your backyard or a neighborhood park, kids love being outside.

You could also find a pool to visit regularly. If that isn’t an option, check out Amazon for inflatable pools. They have some great kiddie pools for decent prices. Plus, that would provide an entire summer of fun!

Here are two pools I have personally purchased from Amazon that were great buys! We used both pools one summer to create a pool party for William’s 3rd birthday. Both pools are great for smaller kids, as you can control how much water you put into the pools.

The pool with the slide provided hours of fun for our smaller guests. They loved the slide and ring toss game attached.

The larger pool is great for the bigger kids too! They have plenty of room to splash around, play games, and keep cool.

Getting outside can be as basic or complex as you want it to be! You can take the kids for a walk, ride bikes, have a scavenger hunt, have a water balloon fight, and so much more.

Most of these ideas don’t have to take a large amount of time. They could be done after work or on the weekends.

Schedule Playdates

Calendars are a working mom’s best friend. Find time on your calendar and schedule some playdates! We may not always be able to go play on a whim, but if we put it on the schedule in advance, we have some fun to look forward to! Summer playdates give your kiddos time to spend with friends while enjoying the magic of summer break.

You can schedule a playdate for anything! So far this summer we have had playdates to swim and to see a movie.

Plan A Staycation

A staycation can be just as good as a vacation! It can even be better since you don’t have to worry about all of the packing and unpacking. Kids need so much stuff. The best part is that there are no rules. Every family can use their own personalities and interests to make the staycation whatever they want it to be!

Don’t plan on doing housework during the staycation! Treat it just like you would a vacation away from home. There are so many fun options: plan meals to cook with the kids, make pallets or sheet tents in the living room, pop popcorn, plan activities, crafts or games, take silly pictures.

The dirty clothes can wait a day or two while you enjoy some quality time with your family.

Yesterday, we created a quiet place to read.

Today, we made cupcakes!

Plan a Day Trip

Day trips can take a lot of preparation for moms. We think of everything. We refuse to forget the sunscreen, extra clothes (you never know!), drinks and snacks, car activities, and much more. Still, we must remember to have fun! Letting go of our anxieties can be good for us!

Pick somewhere you have been wanting to visit that is close by, pack up the family, and get going! Don’t forget to take lots of pictures!

Some day trips we have taken have been to zoos and the beach.

Find a Summer Camp

Summer camps are a great way to keep your kids engaged. Being at home or wherever they are for the summer, it is easy for their routine to become non-existent and eventually they get bored.

Finding summer camps for them to attend can be great for everyone! Typically, you can find several week-long day camps that occur during the summer months. Look for Vacation Bible Schools, sports camps, park camps, and camps held by businesses dedicated to kid’s entertainment, such as, trampoline parks.

Finding a camp that works for your work schedule may mean a little extra research. It is totally possible to find though! If the camp is half-a-day, consider taking your lunch at the time the kids dismiss, so you can get them where they need to go. It’s only a week, and the kids will love it!

We just finished VBS at the boy’s old preschool. They had a great time visiting with old friends and making new friends.

Final Thoughts On Summer

Being a working mom has it’s own positives and negatives, like anything else. It’s easy to get caught up in what you can’t do. But, what you cannot do isn’t what is important. What’s important is what you can do. We are moms. We figure it out. So, get ready to have some fun with your fam, get out your calendar, and get to plannin’!

I would love to see some of the things you have done this summer! Our family loves trying new things. Leave your ideas in the comments below!