Countdown to Summer: What to Get Done Before School Ends
The May long weekend is often considered the unofficial kickoff to summer in Canada. But there’s still at least a month before school ends, so there are still tests, permission slips, and at least a week of “spirit days” standing between you and actual freedom.
Somehow this stretch between Victoria Day and the last day of school always feels both impossibly busy and surprisingly short. One minute we’re digging out patio cushions and buying watermelon again, and the next we’re panic-ordering teacher gifts and realizing camp starts in eight days.
If summer historically sneaks up on your family, here’s your gentle reminder: now is the perfect time for a little summer reset.
We don’t want or need an Insta-worthy life overhaul. But we can all appreciate a few simple ways to make the transition into summer smoother, calmer, and even a little more fun.
Things to Do Before School Ends:
Lock in all of your summer logistics now. Future You will be extremely grateful.
Book Anything That Requires Registration
If you haven’t finalized camps, swimming lessons, childcare, or summer activities yet, now is the time. June has a way of arriving at full speed.
Inspect Your Summer Gear
Take inventory before the first truly hot day. Nobody wants to kick off their summer discovering that every child has somehow outgrown everything overnight, so make sure swimwear and footwear still fits and see what needs replacing. Here’s a list of items for your summer inventory:
Figure Out Teen Summer Plans
If you have older kids, now is also a good time to discuss summer expectations before everyone slips into a nocturnal schedule fueled by iced coffee and screens.
Ease Into Some Summer Routines Now
You don’t need to wait until July for summer memories to start. Once the temperature finally rises you can start some summer living while school’s still in.
Eat Outside
Even if it’s pizza on the front porch or popsicles after dinner, outdoor meals instantly make things feel more summery.
Start a Summer Playlist
Let everyone add their summer songs. Yes, even the questionable choices.
Plan 1 Tiny Adventure
Not everyone can swing a huge summer vacation. But it’s always nice to have a family outing to look forward to. Kids often remember the smallest traditions the most. Here are some ideas:
- A beach day
- Mini golf
- A local festival
- Ice cream after sunset
- A family bike ride
- A drive with no destination
Stay Up Late One Night
The long weekend is a perfect excuse to stretch bedtime a little and watch a movie outside, catch a sunset, or just enjoy not rushing quite so much.
Prepare for the June Chaos
All parents know that June is basically December for school families except everyone is sweaty and there’s watermelon and popsicles instead of cookies.
So because a little advance planning goes a long way, now is a good time to mentally prepare for:
- Field trips
- School concerts
- Graduation ceremonies
- Teacher gifts
- Spirit days
- Volunteer requests
- Camp forms
- Last-minute bake sale reminders sent at 9:42 p.m.
Make a Low-Pressure Summer Bucket List
Not every summer moment needs to be magical or expensive to matter, so the key word here is low-pressure. And sometimes the best summer memories come from the least planned moments. Instead of creating a giant checklist, try focusing on a few simple summer goals:
- One new experience
- One outdoor tradition
- One local day trip
- One thing each family member wants to do
- Plenty of unscheduled downtime
Don’t Forget About You
Summer doesn’t have to be packed to be meaningful. But parents spend so much time organizing summer for everyone else that they often forget what they might want from the season.
Maybe your summer goals might include:
- Reading a book at the beach
- Drinking coffee while it’s still hot
- Gardening
- Taking evening walks
- Protecting quiet time
- Saying yes to more spontaneous plans
- Saying no to exhausting ones
Most kids probably won’t remember your most elaborate plans. But they will remember homemade popsicles, staying outside a little too late, road trip snacks, and feeling like everyone’s just a bit more relaxed.
