I don’t do schedules in the summer. What I do instead is a rhythm, and it has made our days so much easier.

For a long time, I thought what I needed was a better schedule. If I could just organize our days perfectly, everyone would be happier, there would be fewer meltdowns, and somehow motherhood would feel easier.

What I eventually realized was that I didn’t need a schedule. I needed a rhythm.

A rhythm gives shape to the day without requiring you to watch the clock. That’s especially helpful in summer when bedtimes drift a little later, park days happen spontaneously, and life feels less structured than the rest of the year.

Rhythm vs. Schedule

A schedule tells you what to do at a specific time, while a rhythm tells you what comes next.

Instead of:

• 10:00 Snack
• 10:30 Outdoor Play
• 11:15 Craft

A rhythm looks more like:

• Breakfast
• Outside Time
• Lunch
• Quiet Time
• Afternoon Play
• Dinner
• Bedtime

Why Toddlers Thrive on Rhythm

Toddlers love knowing what comes next.

When children know the general flow of the day, they spend less energy trying to figure out what’s happening and more energy participating in it.

It also helps moms.

You’re not constantly checking the time or feeling behind because the morning didn’t go exactly according to plan.

The day can stretch and contract naturally while still feeling predictable.

Our Simple Summer Rhythm

Here’s an example of our families rhythm with a 2 and 3 year old.

Morning

Our mornings are usually slow and fairly predictable. We wake up, eat breakfast, get dressed, and spend a little time together before heading out for the day.

Some mornings we read books on the couch. Some mornings we watercolor at the kitchen table. Other mornings everyone ends up outside before breakfast is even cleaned up. The activity changes depending on the day, but the general rhythm of just being together and having a slow start to our day in no rush stays the same. Having that familiar start to the morning helps the rest of the day feel a little smoother.

Outside Time

Outside time is probably the biggest anchor in our summer rhythm.

Most mornings you’ll find us at the park, the lake, a splash pad, on a neighborhood walk, or mostly just in the backyard with chalk, bubbles, water table and a sprinkler. I don’t worry too much about what we’re doing as long as we’re outside moving our bodies and getting some fresh air.

I’ve found that so many toddler struggles are easier to navigate after some outdoor time. Everyone seems calmer, happier, and more regulated when we’ve spent part of the morning outside.

Lunch

By lunchtime, we’re usually ready to come home and slow down a bit.

Lunch is simple. Snack plates, sandwiches, fruit, yogurt, leftovers, whatever gets everyone fed without turning the middle of the day into a big project for me to cook and clean. Sometimes we eat at the kitchen table or sometimes outside on a blanket.

Quiet Time

This is one of the most important parts of our day.

For younger toddlers, this may be a nap. For older toddlers, it might be books, coloring, audiobooks, or independent play in their room.

I try to use this time to reset too. Not catch up on chores or immediately turn on tv or scroll, but to slow down for a little while and hear myself think again after the busyness of the morning.

That said, my oldest is only three. Some days she happily plays on her own, and other days she wants me involved in everything she’s doing. If you’re in that stage too, don’t feel discouraged if quiet time doesn’t look like an uninterrupted hour to yourself while one child naps and the other quietly entertains themselves.

Sometimes it works beautifully. Sometimes you’re reading books on the couch while a toddler climbs all over you. It’s all coming together as it should. 

Afternoon Play

The pace of the day naturally starts to slow down. This is when books come out, forts get built, magnatiles are out, tea parties are happening, more art time, and everyone settles into their own thing for a little while.

Some afternoons we’ll bake cookies, refresh the sourdough, work on a craft, or spend time in the backyard. Other days are quieter. Music playing in the background, windows open, kids wandering in and out of play while I prep dinner or putter around the house.

Summer afternoons don’t need to be packed full to be memorable. In fact, some of our best afternoons are the ones with very little planned at all. Some days if I’m just exhausted from the sun and the day we will all sit on the couch and watch Toy Story or Monsters Inc before dinner… and it’s cozy and memorable still.

Evening

Evenings are usually pretty simple around here.

After dinner, everyone heads back outside for a little while. The heat starts to let up and my husband Kyle and I are in relax mode.

This is when the girls ride bikes in the driveway, draw with chalk, blow bubbles, water plants, or run around the backyard while we sit back in our chairs watching them and talking. Sometimes we take a neighborhood walk. Sometimes we eat popsicles outside for dessert. Most evenings it’s nothing special, just a little more time together before heading inside.

Eventually we come in for baths, books, and bedtime. We keep that part of the evening fairly predictable because it helps everyone wind down after the day.

I don’t think every hour of summer needs to be packed with activities. Some of our favorite evenings are the ones where we just stay outside a little longer than planned.

Final Thoughts

If you’re feeling overwhelmed trying to plan the perfect summer for your kids, I’d encourage you to start smaller than you think.

Some days will go exactly as planned and some won’t. There will be days when everyone sleeps in, the kitchen stays messy longer than you’d like, and the afternoon looks nothing like you imagined that morning.

The goal isn’t to create the perfect summer schedule. It’s just to create a rhythm that helps your family enjoy the season a little more. In my experience, children usually remember how summer felt far more than they remember what was planned.

Want More Summer Ideas?

If you’re trying to create a slower, simpler summer with your kids, I put together my 90’s Butter Mom Summer Guide.

It’s filled with easy summer activities, simple traditions, old school summer fun and ways to make summer feel a little more magical without spending a fortune or filling every day with plans.

[View the 90’s Butter Mom Summer Guide]