Surviving Summer Parent’s Guide: 9 Helpful Tips for Homeschool Moms
This article is all about my surviving summer parent’s guide.
Parenting all summer after homeschooling your kids during the school year is not for the weak.
It all starts to unravel quickly when:
- You need time to plan
- You want time to yourself
- You have to continue your regular, daily tasks
How do you manage your regular stuff with an unwelcome sprinkle of summer chaos on top?
That’s where this guide comes in!
This surviving summer parents guide is here to help you feel less frazzled and more fun-focused this season! ♥
Let’s get into the good stuff and survive summer together!
How Parents Survive The Summer
Getting Started With Your Surviving Summer Parent’s Guide
This guide includes tips about summer rhythms, mama morning time, and lowkey learning time.
I’ve even included some summer-themed family fun day ideas for you!
You’ll put these tips to good use right away this summer because they’re easy to follow and go.
Keep reading to learn how to survive summer with kids in simple, fun ways. ☀
☀Embrace a Summer Rhythm: Surviving Summer Parent’s Guide Tip #1
Even if you follow a schedule during the school year, try a rhythm this summer instead.
- Pick things to do each day.
- List them in order for your rhythm outline.
- Leave off set days and times in your summer homeschool rhythm. ❤
Family-Style Summer Learning Ideas
Family-style learning for the summer can include core subjects, but do so gently.
Think low-stress educational activities for the whole family.
- Card games like Dutch Blitz
- Dice games like Farkle
- Word games like Boggle
- High-interest thematic unit studies for social studies/ history like mythology
- Nature studies or stem hands-on experiences for science
- Seasonal events with learning tie-ins
Related: 25+ Fun Summer Learning Resources for Homeschoolers
Related: 11 Berry Sweet Strawberry Books (and 5 Best Strawberry Crafts to Do With Them!)
Related: 25+ Best Summer Books for Kids (From Toddlers to Middle Schoolers!)
☀ Beat the Heat: Surviving Summer Parent’s Guide Tip #2
Finding activities that keep everyone chill is a huge part of surviving the summer as a homeschooler.
Check out these cool, no- or low-prep activities! 🧊
- Screen-free water play
- Sprinklers
- Ice painting
- Frozen toy dig
- Easy DIY water play set-ups outside in tubs
- Water, small toys, and small scoops, and shovels
- Washable food coloring, water, and cups
- Small sponges to match letters
☀ Novelty + Challenges: Surviving Summer Parent’s Guide Tip #3
Create an I’m Bored Jar for those long, rainy days.
- Keep it handy, but don’t use the jar every day.
- Novelty + fun activities in your I’m Bored Jar will break up a tough, “boring” day!
☀Low-Key Learning Ideas: Surviving Summer Parent’s Guide Tip #4
These low-key ideas don’t feel like school.
That’s why they’re fun and perfect for summer homeschoolers.
- Start or join summer reading clubs
- Check your local library
- Digital summer reading clubs like Pizza Hut’s Book It! and Scholastic Home Base are great too!
- Make a digital comic book with Storyboard That
- Try a little kitchen math
- Do independent, relaxing activities like journaling or podcast-listening
☀Nature Walk Routine: Surviving Summer Parent’s Guide Tip #5
Make nature walks a regular part of your homeschool rhythm.
Along the way (or when you get back in the A/C) try out this nature walk reflection page!
Keep it light but intentional this summer.
Your future self will thank you!
☀Make Space for You: Surviving Summer Parent’s Guide Tip #6
Part of the surviving summer parent’s guide is the parent actually surviving summer.
That’s why this part is all about you!
Make time for yourself and do these simple, feel-good tasks.
- Reset the kids’ morning baskets
- Take time for Bible journaling or planner review.
- Listen to an audiobook + do some gentle movement
- Grab a prepped breakfast you don’t have to share 😜
☀Mama Morning Time: Surviving Summer Parent’s Guide Tip #7
Consider a new way to start the day: Mama Morning Time.
Get ready for the day before the kids wake up, when you can with these Mama Morning Time activities.
Or, pick one to do daily and complete the list once a week.
☀Plan Ahead (A Little): Surviving Summer Parent’s Guide Tip #8
Don’t worry, planning ahead for the summer isn’t a lot of work.
It’s worth it to plan a few things out!
Use these activities as a guidepost each week to make it through to the next one. ❤
- Consider leaving the house (or just getting outside) together once a day
- Make a summer bucket list as a family and hang it on the wall
- Be a tourist in your town!
- Try a new restaurant
- Visit a new bookstore or public library
- Find a new park to explore
- Discover a new splash pad near you
- Grab the SPF and take a walk somewhere new
☀Summer Family Days: Surviving Summer Parent’s Guide Tip #9
Make each special with these themed summer fun days for the whole family!
- Monday: Creativity/ Art Day
- Ease into the week with some light activities at home
- Drawing prompts
- Finish the picture
- Nature journaling with pictures
- Bullet journaling
- Mom and me back and forth keepsake journal
- Ease into the week with some light activities at home
- Tuesday: Water Day
- Spend time at the house with water play activities or brave a public water play space!
- Water table
- DIY water play activities
- Swimming
- Splash pad
- Sprinklers
- Spend time at the house with water play activities or brave a public water play space!
- Wednesday: Nature/ Outdoor Play Day
- Play outside near your home or find somewhere new to explore
- Try out a new park
- Take a walk
- Play outside
- Invite friends to do an outdoor sport with you
- Don’t forget sunscreen, bug spray, hats, and plenty of water!
- Play outside near your home or find somewhere new to explore
- Thursday: D.E.A.R. Day
- Drop Everything and Read Day!
- Visit a library
- Check out a bookstore’s children’s section
- Make a wish list for new books
- Read books together, outside, upside down, to your stuffed animals, and in all the special ways you can think of
- Do book-themed crafts
- Drop Everything and Read Day!
- Friday: “Tourist” Day
- Be a tourist in your town!
- Explore local activities like museums, memorials, and attractions
- Be a tourist in your town!
- Saturday: Cooking and Baking Day
- A sneaky way to get your food prep done and make it fun!
- Sunday: Family Fun Day
- Choose a fun activity to do together!
- Then, get some rest. ❤
- Beach day + movie night
- Game day + special dinner at home
- Farmer’s market morning + backyard camping night (with dad 😜)
Now You’re Ready With Your Surviving Summer Parent’s Guide!
Whether you’re a type A, type B, or type C homeschool mom, I hope you found these tips helpful!
Now you’ve got everything you need to survive the summer, do a little learning, and have lots of family fun.
Before you go, comment below: What’s your favorite way to survive summer as a homeschool mom?
I’m always updating my posts, so I’d love to include your tips for next time!
Save for Later! 📌
FAQS About the Surviving Summer Parent’s Guide
How do I avoid burnout as a homeschool mom in summer?
Avoid burnout by building in low-effort days, setting boundaries with your time and energy, and leaning into activities that don’t require your constant supervision, like sprinkler play, audiobooks, and popsicles.
If all else fails, plan some time for a solo grocery trip or car ride in silence. ♥
Should I do any school during summer?
That’s up to you! There’s no “one right way” here.
You could think of it more like “summer enrichment” than formal homeschool if you do anything.
Let curiosity, not curriculum, lead the way during summer.
What are some screen-free summer activities for kids?
Try things like:
*Water fun (sprinklers, buckets, water balloons)
*Nature scavenger hunts
*Sidewalk chalk art contests
*DIY obstacle courses
*Audiobook listening while drawing
*Fort building (inside or outside!)
*Sensory bins and frozen toy digs
*Gardening or nature crafts
How can I create structure without strict routines?
Try a daily rhythm this summer.
For example:
*Morning: breakfast + outside time
*Midday: lunch + quiet time
*Afternoon: activity or screen time
*Evening: dinner + family wind-down
Use visual charts or a “summer rhythm board” to help kids know what to expect, and build flexibility into your day.
What can I do when my kids are constantly “soooo bored”?
Try creating a simple I’m Bored Jar with pre-approved activities, rotate toys/books, and encourage outdoor play. Sometimes the best summer magic happens after they push through a little boredom.
For some moral support, check out Dr. Siggie who says, “Instead of focusing on making your child’s life easier, help them recognize they are capable of handling hard things.”
Summer doesn’t have to feel like survival mode.
With flexible rhythms and family fun ideas, you’ve got this, mama.
Save this post and come back when you need a summer pick-me-up!
For everything homeschool, we can PlanIt! ❤