Tips for Organizing and Planning Summertime Activities

On this last day of the Month of May I would love to share my recent column from KV Style Magazine on the importance of planning and preparation for the upcoming Summer Break. You can read the article online or right here.

May is traditionally the unofficial start to summer. The time when we can get out into the garden and nurture relationships with plants we have not seen for months. When lazy days on the golf course and backyard bonfires become more than just a distant dream.

For most of us the end of the school year is a busy time with wrap up activities – dance performances, NB Music Festival, recitals…. How can you even think of the lazy days of summer when you are on a schedule like this? You really have to; once the spring activities are over the summer activities are right there in front of you. Summer is a special time of year and our Eastern Canadian ones are so short. You don’t want to miss out on all the fun things that you can do and see because you didn’t get organized and plan ahead of time.

Here are some helpful tips to get a jump start on organizing and planning your summer activities;

• Start with the big picture. Grab your June – September calendar and determine what time you have available to enjoy 2010 summer.

• Next you need to time block. What weeks have you booked for vacations? What weeks are the children booked for summer camps? Oops, have I opened a can of worms. If you haven’t booked the summer camps yet you need to do this sooner rather than later. The popular camps fill up early and you don’t want to be looking at last minute alternatives.

• Have a family meeting and ask the important question. What do you want to do this summer? What if Sara wants to play soccer and Brad wants to play baseball, but they both practice on Tuesday night—at different ends of town. Do you want to be running all over town all summer? Is car pooling a possibility? Make a plan.

• What about the actual summer vacation? Was there something that you wanted to do last year and just didn’t get around to it? Plan as a family, do some research online and make this a real family event from start to finish.

• Have you thought about summer childcare for when the wee ones are not in school? Are they under 12 and need all day supervision or are you going to be dealing with bored teenagers? There are many options from day camps to volunteer activities and summer jobs that can be investigated.

• Do you have a summer budget? This time of year can be a very costly yet with proper planning you will be able to manage your money as well as the expectations of your family. Take into account the cost of entertaining, special gatherings, summer camps and the overall cost of the Family Vacation.

Lastly, remember that Organizing Today Saves Time Tomorrow...it could also save you some money and add peace of mind this summer.