Chart the number of weeks summer daycare is in session. Remember to include the last day of summer daycare, before the center closes the school until the fall. Write the number of weeks down in a lesson plan book or planning sheet.
Study a number of themes to correspond with the number of sessions offered by the daycare center. If there are six weeks of summer daycare, planning should include six themes.
Choose categorical themes such as storybook titles, songs, animals or countries around the world. Themes like the song "Old MacDonald," work as a general monthly theme, along with a different farm animal each week.
Integrate outdoor activities to correspond with the theme. For example, using the Old MacDonald theme, set up an outdoor tie-dye art project, making farmer kerchiefs.
Schedule in a weekly walking outdoor field trip, such as to the library or nearby park.
Add water games such as "Catch the Wet Sponge," or bring thick pastel-colored chalk for the kids to dip in water and use to draw on the sidewalk. Use the public neighborhood sprinklers or kiddie wading pools, and extend the experience with imaginative games and lesson plans.
Consider adding a picnic with lunch or snack outdoors as part of the summer curriculum for socialization. Play "I Spy," instructing the children to "spy" only objects that are used in the summer. Enlist an older child to help.
Decide if there is to be a special celebration for the last day of school. Storytellers, puppeteers and magicians may be more readily available during the summer months.
Record the lessons plans in the lesson plan book for easy reference.