When my three kids were in early elementary school, their summers at home could get stressful.
They played together beautifully for the first couple of weeks of summer vacation. They were content with their toys and each other.
But then, the dreaded boredom set in! Fighting, fussing and civil discontent were rampant in the house.
I didn’t feel like a mom, I felt like the unpaid activity director to a restless mob of self-produced clients.
And, I thought I would lose my mind! I felt like the unpaid activity coordinator to a restless mob of self-produced clients.
But, it was during that crazy time of discontent that I borrowed an idea from my kids teacher. Centers!
Yes, You will need to put forth a bit of work in setting up “centers”! But, it is well worth your time and could save your sanity.
A Center schedule keeps kids busy with changing activity allows them to do things apart from their siblings, which reduces household tension.
The key to a successful center rotation is the inclusion of fun things with chores and learning activities. I advise that you keep the centers varied. In fact, I kept certain toy in the closet, only getting them down for center time, to keep them fresh and enjoyable!
Frequent centers in our house included: TV (the child gets to watch what they want for this block of time), Art, Play-Doh, Solo play in bedroom (great for kids who share their room), Gaming stations, Books, Light Bright, Etch-a-sketch, Legos, educational workbooks, magnet, special playsets, and chores. Keep in mind that it is a good thing to keep certain toys “put away” so that it’s special to get to play with them during rotations!
Keep in mind that it is a good thing to keep certain toys “put away” so that it’s special to get to play with them during rotations!
Here’s an example of a Morning Center Rotation.
Let’s say that the activities I plan to set up for my kids on this day include: TV watching, Quiet Play in bedroom, Play-Doh Station, Water Table Outside, Chores (pre-established by parent for each child), and Books.
Divide each station into a block of 30 minutes. Thirty minutes is probably the maximum attention span for most kids (it’s also the length of a single cartoon on TV). If you’re children are younger you may need to shorten the station time!
Here’s a chart example
Time Child A Child B Child C
9:oo TV Water Table Room
9:30 Chores Books TV
10:00 Water Table TV Chores
10:30 Books Chores Water Table
11:00 Play Doh Room Books
11:30 Room Water Table Play-Doh
After starting centers, our mornings ran like clock-work! Squabbling stopped! Complaints of boredom also ceased! And, best of all, separation all morning made the kids enjoy their together time when they played outside all afternoon.
This system worked great for our family! It made summers fun. Hopefully, it can be of help to you and your family too!
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