Summer’s here, and while our schedule is anything but slow—hello, travel plans and nonstop dance craziness—I’ve found that having a simple routine at home helps keep everyone on the same page because if you live with me, there is no time to be a couch potato. With two tween girls in the mix, I’ve gone back to the drawing board and created an all new Summer Chore Chart… perfect for their older ages, while also allowing them to help out a bit more around the house.
Even though their schedules are far more relaxed during the summer when it comes to what time they get up, what they have going on each day, etc, I still think it’s super important for them to help out around the house so that they can earn their keep = or at least help pay for all the things they consider necessities!
It’s nothing too intense [because after all it is summer and I want them to enjoy some downtime], but it does give them ownership over their space and helps things run more smoothly around the house, especially when we’re in and out so much. We’ve been using Greenlight Debit Cards for the past four years so they can learn to manage their weekly allowance, check their balance and have a bit more independence when it comes to what they can purchase using their money and it’s been such a great way to teach them about finances—earning it, saving it and even giving some of it back. Plus, it’s all tracked in the app, which means no more digging around for cash or trying to remember who I owe what all day everyday.
So, I took to Canva to create something cute and then had it laminated so we can easily use dry erase markers for the girls to check off their daily/weekly/one time chores and hoping this helps you with some fun and innovative/older kid responsibilities to institute in your home this summer, too. Be sure to scroll down to the bottom because I’ve created a blank version so you can make your very own version as well!
In stead of one big, and dare I say overwhelming chart, I decided to break these items down into three separate categories so let’s discuss each in a bit more detail:
daily tasks that keep us grounded
With the summer calendar full of chaos, our daily checklist keeps just enough routine in place to help the girls feel grounded—and let’s be honest, it helps me too! We kept it simple and age-appropriate, but made sure each task builds consistency and a sense of ownership for both Caroline and Carson.
One big priority? Reading. Both girls have assigned summer reading from school, and instead of cramming at the last minute [guilty as charged in summers past], we’re making it a daily habit so they can knock it out in a faster timeframe and not spend the last two weeks in their rooms reading 100 pages a day. Even just 30 minutes a day helps them stay sharp and grow in confidence with reading = something I love to see and a task we can all do together when we lounge on the couch in the evenings after dinner!
They’re also in charge of a few easy home responsibilities: making their beds, tidying up their rooms, unloading the dishwasher, watering flowers, and taking care of Tucker [our slightly spoiled pup]… None of these are huge time commitments, but all together, they set a tone of teamwork, help our days feel a little more structured, and (bonus!) keep me from having to ask a million times what’s been done.
weekly tasks that keep us on track
These are the little things that, if left unchecked, can pile up fast—so having a set of weekly responsibilities helps keep everything running smoothly [and gives the girls a sense of accomplishment too]. We’ve kept the list short and doable!!
First up: mudroom cubbies. Our drop zone for everything—bags, shoes, random hair ties—tends to get out of hand really quick with all the in-and-out this time of year. So a weekly reset helps keep it from turning into a mini mountain of clutter and keeps my crazy OCD self a bit more calm, cool and collected when everything is in its designated place.
They’re also working through summer math assignments that their school assigns online. Even if the assignments are light, it’s so important to keep their brains engaged during these months. A couple of lessons each week keeps the learning muscle working + helps with that back-to-school transition later on. Funny enough, Carson has already knocked hers out before I ever publish this blog post so she is DONE!
And with their new bathroom remodels, I’m leaning into the idea of stewardship… they both have such a fresh and pretty space, I want them to take pride in keeping it clean and tidy. So I’ve added a weekly deep clean of their bedrooms and bathrooms, along with tidying up their closets—because let’s be honest, that’s where everything gets stuffed when they “clean.”
one time tasks that encourage growth
Summer always feels like the perfect time for a little reset = not just for our spaces. These one-time tasks aren’t on a strict schedule, but they’re great things to tackle when we have pockets of time between our many commitments and this is the category I am most excited to work on these next few months.
First up: closet cleanouts. With growing girls and ever-changing styles, it’s the ideal moment to sort through what still fits, what needs to go, and what can be passed on to someone else. Bonus—it clears space for the next school year, and helps them practice decision-making [and letting go of things that no longer serve them]. I think it’s a great reset to also show them outfits they may have forgotten about!
I’ve also included a creative moment: creating a vision board for the upcoming school year. It’s such a fun way to talk about goals and get them thinking about what they want to focus on—from friendships and personal growth to academic and extracurricular dreams. Plus you know I am ALL for a vision board planning session! This could be something fun for us all to work on together for the second half of the year!
Another must-do: giving back to the community. That might look like donating gently-used clothes and toys, creating care kits for local shelters, or finding ways to volunteer as a family. It’s something I want our girls to grow up prioritizing and summer is the perfect time to lean into it. Nothing feels better than being able to help others and I think it’s so important to keep that at the forefront of our minds… we have been blessed and it is amazing to be able to bless others as well!
And lastly, I’ve added a little life skills moment—learning a basic task. Think learning to change a tire [something I would love to learn honestly], sewing on a button, or cooking a full meal from start to finish = maybe even mastering how to do their laundry ALL by themselves??? These small but mighty skills build confidence and independence—and give them something new to be proud of.
As promised, below is a blank summer chore chart that you can download and print off at home OR you can click this link for a version to edit through Canva as well! Let me know if you think of any other fun + original ideas to add to our latest and greatest summer chart…
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