The Last Days of Summer Before School

Get the Kids in on it - Last Days Planning Activity

The thought of summer ending makes some kids downright unhappy and irritable. Most camps end in early August so there is little for kids to do prior to going back or starting school. To help with the transition have kids make up their own "Last Days" vacation activity list.  Call a family meeting and have the children make up a list of all the things they want to do prior to starting school.

Assist the children by pulling out the Calendar/Entertainment section in the newspaper. There are many family papers that contain events and activities especially for children published for different cities and towns. They can be found in the public library, doctors offices, or in areas around the city. Have younger children circle the events they want to attend in the paper. This helps foster critical thinking, planning, and enforces reading and writing skills. Don't forget to contact your church and school district to see if there are some back to school events to get kids motivated. Once the list is finished negotiate the chosen activities and require your older children to give a reason in writing why the choices are valid. The purpose is two fold, you are preparing the children for school work, (persuasive writing) and making them accountable for their own choices.  Plan in advance so that the activities can be done reasonably within the family budget and before school is in full swing. The goal is to make their last days the best so they can be ready to start the school year.