Time Management
1) Make sure everyone in the family is on the same page--literally. Large wall calendars or desk blotters can help. Try Cozi or Google Calendars if you are more tech-savvy. If you want to meet-up regularly with other families (to take advantage of group rates and the like), consider sharing a Google Calendar with each other.
2) Always schedule necessary appointments before optional ones.
3) Don't put activities too close together. Plan for travel time, bathroom/eating breaks, and the like.
4) Be realistic about how long things take. Kids take about 45 min-1 hour to get out the door in the morning. Time in advance: how long does lunch take? How long does my family like to stay at the park? How long does it really take to get to our favorite bowling alley?
5) If you've ever been a teacher, this will be no big shocker, but for others, this might might be useful information: We all know that kids have short attention spans. Just how short are they? Toddlers often can only focus on one indoor activity for about 3-5 minutes; preschoolers, probably 10-15 minutes. Early elementary...we're still talking only about 20 minutes. (Of course, these are just generalizations.)
This means when you plan activities, you have to accommodate this detail. You should consider pre-cutting and pre-measuring items for cooking and art projects. After 5 minutes in your kitchen, if you turn your back to measure 1/4 cup raisins for the cookies, your toddler might be bored...and start dumping the contents of all your cupboards.
Another option: break projects into smaller tasks. Practice cutting paper with kiddie scissors one day, pasting the items you cut out with glue stick the next, and add the glitter only on the third. Draw the outline of an object one day, color it in the next, make a frame for it on the third. You get the picture (pun intended).
6) Some preparation can be done the night before. Slice veggies for the lunches. Select a few books to read. Lay out clothing (at least hard to locate items like a toddlers' shoes and panties for your four year old).
2) Always schedule necessary appointments before optional ones.
3) Don't put activities too close together. Plan for travel time, bathroom/eating breaks, and the like.
4) Be realistic about how long things take. Kids take about 45 min-1 hour to get out the door in the morning. Time in advance: how long does lunch take? How long does my family like to stay at the park? How long does it really take to get to our favorite bowling alley?
5) If you've ever been a teacher, this will be no big shocker, but for others, this might might be useful information: We all know that kids have short attention spans. Just how short are they? Toddlers often can only focus on one indoor activity for about 3-5 minutes; preschoolers, probably 10-15 minutes. Early elementary...we're still talking only about 20 minutes. (Of course, these are just generalizations.)
This means when you plan activities, you have to accommodate this detail. You should consider pre-cutting and pre-measuring items for cooking and art projects. After 5 minutes in your kitchen, if you turn your back to measure 1/4 cup raisins for the cookies, your toddler might be bored...and start dumping the contents of all your cupboards.
Another option: break projects into smaller tasks. Practice cutting paper with kiddie scissors one day, pasting the items you cut out with glue stick the next, and add the glitter only on the third. Draw the outline of an object one day, color it in the next, make a frame for it on the third. You get the picture (pun intended).
6) Some preparation can be done the night before. Slice veggies for the lunches. Select a few books to read. Lay out clothing (at least hard to locate items like a toddlers' shoes and panties for your four year old).
Putting together the schedule
If you haven't done so already, get a wall calendar, notebook, computerized calendar, or file on your smartphone ready to plan for your "family camp" (whether it's just a Sunday, one week, or the entire summer). Peruse the activities listed on this website or others. Scope out special events listed in local parenting magazines, AAA magazines, and the newspaper. Get a couple of books out of the library. Most of all, haul out the list you brainstormed with your family of what THEY want to do. You'll probably want to schedule at least two weeks in advance.
Now, block out sections on your calendar for each day, listing different activities. These time blocks should be developmentally appropriate, given the attention spans I suggested at the previously.
Now here's the question some of you will ask: what if you have a toddler, a preschooler, and an elementary school aged kid? Consider the following options:
Group projects--The oldest kid cuts or measures, youngest pours the contents of measuring cups and spoons into the big bowl, middle kid colors stirs or kneads. The 8 year old who draws can have his or her picture colored by the 4 or 5 year old.
Vary activity by ability--One child draws own picture or colors coloring book. Oldest does so and even adds a sentence. Littlest scribbles. Put all of them in an envelope and send to Grandma, Bubbe or Savta.
Put the elder kids in charge of the younger ones.--Your readers can read books, signs, and labels to the pre-readers. Your older kids can help the kids reach things that are high.
Occasional find a relative, mommy's helper or babysitter to take charge of some kids while you focus on others.--Let your toddler stay at home with Grandpa while you take the big kids to Color Me Mine. Fingerpaint with that child later while the others visit a friend.
No matter how much you plan, things will still go wrong. Get in the right mindset to cope with these misadventures. This article might help.
Now, block out sections on your calendar for each day, listing different activities. These time blocks should be developmentally appropriate, given the attention spans I suggested at the previously.
Now here's the question some of you will ask: what if you have a toddler, a preschooler, and an elementary school aged kid? Consider the following options:
Group projects--The oldest kid cuts or measures, youngest pours the contents of measuring cups and spoons into the big bowl, middle kid colors stirs or kneads. The 8 year old who draws can have his or her picture colored by the 4 or 5 year old.
Vary activity by ability--One child draws own picture or colors coloring book. Oldest does so and even adds a sentence. Littlest scribbles. Put all of them in an envelope and send to Grandma, Bubbe or Savta.
Put the elder kids in charge of the younger ones.--Your readers can read books, signs, and labels to the pre-readers. Your older kids can help the kids reach things that are high.
Occasional find a relative, mommy's helper or babysitter to take charge of some kids while you focus on others.--Let your toddler stay at home with Grandpa while you take the big kids to Color Me Mine. Fingerpaint with that child later while the others visit a friend.
No matter how much you plan, things will still go wrong. Get in the right mindset to cope with these misadventures. This article might help.