Play Passports - Summertime

As a mother of three children ages 7 to 12, I find summer mornings hectic and chaotic. Everyone wakes up at different times….then there's breakfast…and everyone seems to have a different agenda. I still recall seeing my 3 year old son playing in the sandbox at 8 in the morning in his pajamas!!

Four summers ago I started making "Play Passports" for each one of my children and have never looked back. Here's how this simple concept works:

My children want to start "playing" as soon as they get up. The rule is "no playing until your passports are completed and checked by mom".

I use colored bristleboard cut into approximately 6 x 10" squares and decorated with stickers etc. Everyone gets his or her own passport. Each child's name goes on top saying "Jenny's Passport", for example. Then I make a graph with the days on one side and list all tasks to be completed before playing each day…or before they leave the house for their morning activity, lesson, or summer camp. The children put a checkmark in the appropriate box after completing each duty and I award them with a sticker once I check over their accomplishments.

I keep the duties age appropriate and of course they vary from child to child. For example, my 7 year old's might say; brush teeth, wash face and hands, get dressed, tidy room, make bed etc…..while my 12 year old will have all of the above plus garbage duty, or another extra responsibility.

This will be our fifth summer with the passports. They have helped us keep organized and simply become part of our routine. I'm sure my kids think this is a natural part of summertime. They really look forward to getting their passports completed each morning in order for the free-time to begin. Some mornings I open my eyes while still in bed only to see a completed passport 2 inches away from my face being held up by one of my anxious children ready and raring to begin a day of play!