Summer Schedule Inspiration: Battling the ‘I’m Boreds’

As the oldest of three girls, a classic saying overheard in our house over the summers was “I’m bored.” So, my mom, to maintain her sanity and get us out of the house during those long, hot summer days, came up with a weekly schedule to keep us entertained and productive. She often took inspiration from Pinterest. Hopefully, these ideas will help inspire other Buzz families to minimize that classic phrase this summer.

“Make Something Monday”: Sophia French, age 3, proudly poses next to her rendition of the American flag for Make Something Monday in 2011.

Monday: Make Something Monday
My mom, Amy French, is super crafty and used to make homemade frames for her friends and family. Her craft supplies were plentiful. On Mondays, she would come up with a craft idea for us and we would spend our days crafting. For example, before July 4, we made flags on construction paper out of ribbons and buttons, or for Father’s Day, we would make a craft out of our handprints, and a go-to was friendship bracelets that we made for each other. It was an easy way to create keepsakes that my sisters and I still have. Here’s some other “Make Something Monday” ideas for this summer. 

“Time to Read Tuesday”: Jenna French, age 3, was tuckered out after her library adventure.

Tuesday: Time to Read Tuesday 
Every Tuesday, we would visit our local library and check out a new book. My love for reading grew out of those summer days. There was nothing better than coming home with a new book or continuing the series I was reading. When we came home, we would have silent reading time. These were the best days of the week. Sometimes, we would stick around if the library was hosting a story time. Here are some neighborhood story times and other fun events to get reading this summer:

• Bellaire Library Summer Calendar
• West University Branch Library events
• Houston Public Library, McGovern-Stella Link events
• Children’s Museum's Toddler Story Time 

“What’s Cooking Wednesday”: In the middle of baking, Natalie, age 7, poses to show off her apron and chef hat. 

Wednesday: What’s Cooking Wednesday 
When Wednesday came around, my mom, sisters, and I would whip something up in the kitchen and share with our neighbors or my dad’s coworkers. But of course, we would also keep some treats for ourselves. It was never overly complicated, but I loved baking alongside my family. Here’s a chocolate chip recipe that my family loves and is an easy go-to:

Mary’s Chocolate Chip Cookies 
3 sticks butter softened
1 ¼ cups of granulated sugar
1 ¼ cups of packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
4 cups all-purpose flour
24 oz semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350. Set aside two ungreased baking sheets.
In a large bowl, beat butter, sugars, vanilla and eggs with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Stir in baking soda and salt until thoroughly mixed, then add flour and stir until thick. Stir in chocolate chips. 
On an ungreased cookie sheet, drop dough with a medium cookie scoop or rounded tablespoons.
Bake for 11 to 13 minutes and cool for 1 to 2 minutes.

“Thankful Thursday”: One Thursday, sisters Natalie, Jenna, and Sophia made cards for those in the hospital with bandages as people and decorated them with hearts and stickers.

Thursday: Thankful Thursday 
Thankful Thursday was our day to give back to the community. Through Kids' Meals Inc., we would sometimes pack lunches for kids, or with a couple of families in the neighborhood, the moms would organize packing bags for the homeless. These care kits would include basic toiletries, like deodorant, a toothbrush and toothpaste, socks, trail mix or a granola bar, and a note of encouragement. You put them in your car, and when you see a homeless person, you hand them a bag. Other times, it was as simple as writing a kind note to one of our family members or friends. Here are some ideas to get your family involved in the community this summer: 

• Writing kind notes, or “just because” notes to your friends or family
• Random Acts of Kindness, a movement that inspires one random act of kindness a day to “make kindness the norm”
• Find more ideas for volunteering with kids in this 2017 article, Kids Can Volunteer: Big help from little ones by Angie Frederickson.

Fun Friday”: Sisters Natalie, age 8, Sophia, age 3, and Jenna, age 6 (pictured, from left), visited Froberg’s Farm in Alvin and shared their prized picks to eat on the way home in 2011.

Friday: Fun Friday 
This was the day that our family would usually visit our neighborhood pool and get an ice cream or popsicle treat from the concession stand. Sometimes, we would have dinner outside, and my dad would make pizza on the grill. If we were feeling adventurous, we would go pick strawberries at Froberg’s Farm in Alvin, Texas! Here are some other ideas:

• Movie nights
• Picking fruit or flowers
• Backyard camping