With summer break just around the corner, every family is beginning that period where you're registering for summer camp and summer classes and taking care of all the little things that are necessary before the kids are home all day, every day for weeks on end. A summer without this type of planning is every parent's nightmare. It can be difficult to come up with enough ideas to keep your kids busy and out of your hair if you're a stay-at-home parent, or to find enough activities to keep them cared for and occupied if you work away from home. There are lots of things to purchase ahead of time once you're registered for all the activities. Have you remembered everything?

If you live somewhere that outdoor activities just aren't a good idea in the summer because it's too hot, too humid or too smoggy, then you're considering art classes and dance classes and any other kind of summer camp or classes for your kids that are indoors. Pottery, painting, ballet, creative dance, gymnastics, anime cartoon drawing and many other arts forms are offered if you know where to look. Call local art studios or supply stores to see if they are offering classes for kids. Sometimes private or charter schools have summer programs for children outside their normal enrollment that can work for you. Consider talking to other parents from your child's current grade and together hiring a college student who is home for the summer that can teach basic painting techniques or a beginning ballet class.

If your kids are the outdoor type and enjoy sports, have you registered them for sports classes or teams for the summer? Check at your closest rec center to see what they're offering. Also, inquire at your local university or community college to see if they're offering their school facilities as a location for another group to coach at. The local Police Athletic League often has information on what's going on in the community and can be a helpful resource for you. Call your neighborhood public school and ask if any organizations have been in touch to recruit kids for their programs. Drive by the local park and if you see children being coached in an organized manner, don't be afraid to stop and ask the person in charge about adding your kids to their roster.

Just as you need to register your kids for summer activities, you also need to worry about making sure they have all the gear they need for these activities. Check that swim suits still fit from last year, that cleats and protective gear are the right size and that they've got the right uniform for team sports. About once a year, every kid has a major growth spurt. Has your child suddenly stretched out and those softball pants are too short, that baseball glove is too small or their volleyball knee pads don't fit anymore? Art supplies are a must-have for summer classes, dance classes often require leotards, tights and shoes in the right color and style, and any type of martial arts will require a specific uniform and belting system. These secondary supplies and wardrobe requirements can be just as vital as the registration fees you pay ahead of time for classes and camp.

In addition to planned activities, there are the family outings that happen during the summer months when kids are out of school that also require some purchase-ahead supplies. Many families go camping in the summer, and being out in the wild after you've unloaded your entire car and spent the day pitching camp is no time to find out that the batteries in your lantern are dead or you have lost all the utensils you need to prepare dinner. Equipment tends to get broken when you have kids around, so be sure to go through all your supplies and camping provisions before you head out for the weekend to make sure you haven't forgotten that someone snapped a tent pole last summer or that the rain tarp got ripped in a wind storm. Sometimes you've just gotten tired of something, and looking through everything before you use it can help you jog your memory and ensure you resupply and are able to plan ahead for your camping trip.

If you love to camp, chances are you also own or rent ATVs, UTVs, water craft or some sort of other motorized outdoor vehicle. Before you head out on the trail or on the water, check over your vehicles and make sure that they were winterized appropriately and then serviced in the right way to get ready for the summer season. Besides making sure they are fueled up, you may need to replace some parts, and if you do this ahead of time you can take advantage of finding wholesale ATV parts at a lower cost than at the shop at the beginning of the trail where they can charge what they want because you're stuck. Think back to the last season you used these vehicles, because you may have made a mental note then about purchasing new quad accessories for "next time", and now is the time to do it. When you're dealing with these type of vehicles, a faulty one can take you from a fun time to a dangerous situation very quickly, so taking the time to be sure about your vehicle is well worth the effort.

Getting ready for summer can be a labor of love, but it's worth the effort when you're in the middle of your kid's summer break and your kids are fully engaged in their classes, programs and camps and having a great time. Summer breaks can be some of your children's greatest memories, and making sure that their summer memories are full of good times is within your reach. Plan ahead thoroughly and you can make it great!