This post is all about Summer Homeschool Task Bags!
(This post has been updated for Summer 2022)
These Summer Homeschool Task Bags have been a game-changer in our home for the past few years. As homeschoolers, Summer is a time when we reflect on our past year, get organized for the new year, and refresh our mom-selves. But…what if your kid isn’t QUITE done with their math workbook? Or what if you want to prevent the dreaded summer brain drain? Trying to improve handwriting or geography? Summer Homeschool Task Bags to the rescue!! What if you’re not a homeschooler? You can still totally use these for extra work that your child’s school requires over the summer, or some things you would like for them to work on.
All you need are some plain cotton tote bags, iron on letters, storage clipboards, and some printable calendars.
Supplies
FREE Printable Calendars- Free download below!
FREE Task Sheet Printable- Free download below!
Even though I have a Silhouette vinyl cutter– which is amazing by the way- I decided to go with iron-on letters for this. They just seemed so retro and classic, plus it takes two seconds. I use an inexpensive iron to do any craft projects or DIY’s. I learned the hard way to NEVER use the same iron that touches my clothes! Sticky glue and glitter don’t come off of fabric once they’re accidentally ironed on.
I ironed on the first initial of my children’s names, but you can personalize these however you want!
Next you need storage clipboards. This is important because I don’t let the task bags get filled up with random markers and pens and pencils. They put a couple of their favorites in the clipboard and that’s it- easy peasy. Inside the clipboard is where the actual work goes.
I made it my rule that if it won’t fit in the clipboard, it’s too much for the summer.
You do you, but I want the amount of work to be do-able and not overwhelming. I want the kids to have plenty of time to enjoy the downtime of summer as well. I usually tear out the pages of their workbooks and staple or clip them together. You can put printouts, math puzzle pages, handwriting sheets- whatever you want your child to work on!
The magic of the Summer Homeschool Task Bags is in the printable calendars and task sheet.
First, cross off the days on the Blank Summer Calendars you DON’T want your kids to do any brain work- weekends, or days you’re going out of town, etc. Then count the days left in your summer. Decide on a realistic goal for your kids based on the realization that it IS Summer and things will come up and plans will change.
Let’s say you have 45 days that your kids “should” be able to complete their summer task bags. Set a goal for LESS than that- maybe 30 days. That way there’s plenty of wiggle room for unplanned summer stuff!
Next, grab your Task Sheet- this is where you fill in the expectations. Write down the things that need to be done daily: chores, exercise, schoolwork, etc. Don’t make the list too long! You want it to be doable! Then you’ll want to laminate the sheet in some way so it can be used over and over again.
I use THIS laminating machine with THESE sheets (by far the BEST homeschooling purchase I’ve made for SURE). If you don’t have a machine, you can just put the Task Sheet in a page protector. The kids will use dry erase markers to check off their list for the day.
Put any workbooks or worksheets in the storage clipboard, and clip the calendars and daily task sheets to the front.
Then set the reward. This is totally family specific! Some families might want to have a money reward, and others might want an experience reward. It could be a trip to a fun spot, or ice cream, or a new toy- this is totally up to you as the parent. You know your kid’s currency, and you have unique values in your home. But make it GOOD!
Put it in ACTION
Now that you have everything set up, your kids are ready to begin! Every day that they accomplish their entire task sheet, they mark their calendar. It could be stickers, or just a check mark. Every completed day that gets marked is one step closer to their reward. The bags can be toted anywhere, and you can make the requirements work for your family.
Do you want the kids to complete their daily work before noon? Before they get screen time? Make it work for YOU!
I’d love to see how it goes! Let me know how you used your Summer Task Bags!
If you need some help deciding if Homeschooling is right for you, grab the FREE CHECKLIST- 8 Things To Do Before You Start To Homeschool!
Happy Summer!
