School is close to letting out for the summer and kids are getting excited at the prospect of summer vacation. A little planning now will help make our summers run smoothly and keep ADD emotions, frustrations and disappointments to a minimum. Summer is a time where kids have less structure and that can cause problems for families where children have ADD or ADHD. Activities can be fun and inexpensive if you are aware of your local resources and do a little planning.

Start by obtaining a large calendar to write down ideas as the family finalizes them so everyone is aware of what is happening and when it will happen. Then get everyone together and discuss ideas of what is physically, financially, and geographically within reach throughout the summer. Remember to explain what a budget is and how to have fun without breaking the bank. Explain to children what free or low cost activities are available in your area. Then have everyone write down his or her top three summer outing ideas.

Make a summer fun jar and after approving an idea have each family member drop his or her idea into the jar and later during the summertime blues, when everyone is bored and you need a fast free summer outing take turns an idea out of the container. Additional summer fun jars for various activities of varying monetary amounts for under $10, $25, or $50 dollars might be something to consider depending on your financial situation and needs.

Check your local websites for fun free summer ideas. Remember to also check neighboring towns and cities that are reasonably close or in driving distances of 30 minutes to two hours and plan a day trip to a new zoo or park. When going to a park, pool, or zoo make a picnic lunch to carry along and bring your own water bottle to cut costs and make the day less stressful. This also cuts down on long lines to obtain a drink for thirsty or hungry little ones.

Be sure to bring along wet wipes and extra grocery bags to gather garbage and clean up sticky hands. Always wash hands with soap and water or use an alcohol based hand sanitizer before eating. Teach kids to leave an area cleaner than it was when you arrived and help pick up an extra piece of trash on your way out.

Choose one day a week for a trip to the library to obtain new books and return old ones. A weekly trip may help those who forget to renew books and incur fines. Read as a family by choosing a fun book and taking turns to read and discuss the book each day until finished. Shoot for reading three to five pages of a book with smaller children and 10 or 15 with older children. If your children are older, you can start your own book club, where everyone reads, and discusses a favorite book.

Swimming and outdoor parks help are great for getting rid of pent up energy. Do you have a trampoline? If an ADHD child is restless, send him or her out to jump on the trampoline for a few minutes. For more fun initiate a silly contest, and see if you can wash all the dishes before he jumps 50 times on the trampoline. Walking the dog as a family is good exercise for everyone. Riding bikes in the neighborhood or at a local school playground helps burn the afternoon away.

Be sure to wear appropriate weather protection if out in the sun use sunscreen and if in the grass or woods wear insect, especially tick repellent. Already in parts of Missouri, the ticks are already especially bad. Always check after the nightly bath for any critters that are hitching a ride home on you or your child.

Study about butterflies or bats as a family and build or buy a subsequent habitat for the critter of choice and place it in your yard to see who moves in. Take up bird watching or plant identification for your local surroundings. Humming bird feeders are especially great for apartment decks and balconies allowing nature to come to you, even if you live above the first floor.

Summer can be fun, inexpensive and successful with a little planning. Many local attractions have free or discounted activities when school is out, so check your local paper. Plan activities based on your local weather reports and have a backup plan if rained out.

Be sure to include all family members when hunting for ideas so no one feels left out. Teach children to have fun, be healthy and all on a low budget. Remember to teach or review safety plans for emergency situations including reviewing your address, mom or dad’s cell phone number and where to meet or how to find one another if separated.

Carry a digital camera to document the summer fun and get into a habit of taking a picture of each child as you leave the house to show what he or she looks like or is wearing in the event one of you gets lost. In the end be sure to talk about what you did and if things went well or can be improved for the next summer outing. Stay cool, drink water, and have a safe summer.