With all the cold, rain, ice, snow, and sleet we’ve had lately, it’s hard to think about spring, let alone summer, but it will be here sooner than you think!

If you have children, you should begin making summer plans. The most popular camps fill up fast, so if you want to reserve a session or two, you should do that as soon as possible. Nowadays, there’s a camp for almost everything. You can do a traditional sleep-away camp or a day camp. There are camp sessions dedicated to almost every interest under the sun. They do tend to be very expensive. Look for camps that offer financial aid to families in need or camps offered through local non-profits. they tend to be less expensive.

If the kids will be at home all summer, now is a good time to start stockpiling craft supplies, games, and books.

Make a list of inexpensive (preferably free) local day trips (or partial day trips). Examples might include a picnic in a local park, a museum, a trip to a farmers’ market (if you go outside the very busy times, farmers are great about sharing recipes and ideas and will help teach your kids about healthy eating), physical activities outside the house, local festivals and fairs, etc.

If your kids are in their late teens, now is the time to start looking at summer jobs, internships, and volunteer opportunities.

Remember, it’s good to slow down and enjoy during the summer, but kids need at least some structure to balance free play time.