50+ Ways to Save Your Summer Sanity

I could tell what kind of morning it was going to be the second they woke up.

Legos dumping, bed jumping, car zooming, and the mischievous laughter before 7am did not bode well for any sort of calm morning...despite my deep desire for it. 

I'm not sure how my kids wake up with more energy in one morning than I am alotted for the year, but one thing's for sure, that energy turns to CRAZY real fast if I'm not careful.

Too much freedom can lead to too much craziness in our home, and for me, it's a serious frustration trigger.

Rewind to having only 1 child (I now have 4), and I could already sense we needed some structure to the days that had no structure.

My oldest needed some gentle boundaries as he played or two things would happen...

1. He got CRAZY (and destroyed stuff)
OR
2. He got BORED (and destroyed stuff)

It's a lose lose...no matter their age, no matter how many there are.

Independent play time has always been important for me to instill in my children. As much as I LOVE to get down and play with my kids and believe that the INTENTIONAL time spent with them is incredibly important, I don't want to be seen as their only source of entertainment. I've got things to do too!!

I knew I needed a plan to save my sanity yet still entertain my kiddos (and back then, with one child, I had time to plan).

I knew I needed to step in and guide his "free play" to maximize the minutes in our day FOR GOOD, cut back on the craziness, cut back on the destruction, cut back on the discipline, and give him an environment to thrive!
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Snow days, Spring Break, Summer Break...whatever your need for some sanity saving activities, these 15 Minute Activity Stations will sure help break up the crazy and bring some sort of structure to your days.  

(This post contains affiliate links)

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Here's how it works.

• Choose 6-8 activities your kids enjoy (see our full list of ideas below)

• Break them into 3 categories:

          Quiet Stations (books, coloring pages)
          Movement Stations (Dance Party, Tag, Hopscotch) 
          Manipulative/Imagination Station (finger paint, play dough, puppets) 

• Schedule your stations either for the morning OR afternoon. Too many scheduled activities in one day may leave your kids (and you!) burnt out and frustrated.
• Order the activities. You will want to space out the quiet stations and mix in movement stations and manipulative/imagination stations to keep those busy bodies happy. (Example: quiet/independent station, group movement station, manipulative station, snack) ***Depending on the ages of your children, you may choose to have some stations done independently, and some done together/groups. For example, my 3 and 6 year old will read books separately, but then do a puzzle/game together.*** 
• Set up stations (if your kids are older, they can help out too)
• Explain your expectations for this activity, and possibly give a reward for their completion of all stations without complaint. I choose to use a show as incentive.

Helpful Tips:

• While they are doing one station, set up the next, OR if you want to set up ALL stations before you begin, you MAY get a 15 minute break every once in a while for yourself. (I am totally guilty of scheduling these stations so I get a breather. I'll listen to a podcast, read a chapter in a book, or flip through a magazine...you know, the luxurious things in life...just don't start something too in depth...15 minutes goes by quick)
• If your kids are older, you can experiment with longer station times. We aren't in that phase of life yet, so 15 minutes is about our limit with a 3 & 6 year old.

• Have kids clean up after each station. I have found that on days we implement stations, our house is MUCH cleaner at the end of the day. WIN WIN!

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TOP 3 ACTIVITIES: 

AGES 3-4
​Match It Games : There are endless versions of this game for all ages. Great for individual play or group play. It does require a bit of space, but my kids enjoy getting to sit on the "big table" (of course the floor is totally fine too!
Spelling, Math, Counting, Shapes, Rhymes, Categories, Sequencing

AGES 5-7
​Leap Frog Tag Pens : These are AWESOME! The books are interactive and the pen acts as the guide. The books are super educational, teaching everything from reading, writing, science,geography If your little one is into a specific character, the book choices vary from Nemo, Beauty and the Beast, Toy Story, Cars, & Dora (and SO many more)

Total honesty, we are on our 3rd pen. The first two we bought used, and those did NOT hold a very long life. ***I highly suggest buying the pens NEW. ***

AGES 8-10
Snap Circuit Building Kits : This came as a suggestion from a friend with older children. After looking into it, I can't wait for Christmas so we can add this to our collection! You can buy a basic kit, and add onto it as needed. Your child will be able to build anything from a working from a flashlight to a siren, with over 100 project ideas included!

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***Thank you to all the other mommies on our FACEBOOK PAGE (follow along here) who gave input for the 7-10 year old ranges. I may not be there with my kids yet, but I'm so thankful for the ideas they provided!!***

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Other Related Posts:
10 FREE Family Fun Night Ideas
10 Games to Play with Your Toddler
​20 Books For Your Busy Boys 
10 Rainy Day Activities