Summer is here and the kids are finally on their break from school. While this is a time when kids are all about hanging out with friends.

Luckily, a little load-balancing, planning and organization should help you balance other responsibilities while making time for fun activities with the kids. This Summer Survival Guide provides a few ideas for summer activities with kids:

1. Enroll your kids in summer classes.
Make summer more productive while still leaving room for fun! Kids spend several hours with most of their time and attention occupied by school, only for them to come home to a sudden lack of stimulation. Keep your kids sharp by enrolling them in sports clinics and summer workshops, preferably ones that will help them in their next grade level. Your kids will leave summer vacation with education (and an attitude of learning) still fresh in their mind.

2. Maintain a routine around the house.
Don't allow chaos to rule your household! Set up specific tasks and chores for children that they must accomplish by certain times of the day. This keeps them from getting bored and also helps build discipline. It also allows you to weave your own responsibilities around your daily schedule, with set points during the day that allow you some breathing room.

3. Plan your activities.
Keep a calendar of future activities that you've set up in advance. By knowing that a trip to an amusement park is due next week, or that a joint play date with your friends' kids is coming up a few days from now, you'll always be on top of things with supplies at hand, and there won't be any surprise changes to your schedule that you can't handle. It'll also give kids something to look forward to.

4. Explore!
Summer is always a great time to take your children out — whether it's just to play outdoors or walking over to the nearest park. When the kids are out and about and having a great time, you are also having a great time as well. Not only do you get to spend time with your kids, you also get to have a breather from being cooped up at home.

5. Involve the kids in the kitchen.
When you're doing your meal planning, include your children in the process. Getting them involved will make them more excited about meal times. To help in your meal planning, download the Del Monte Kitchenomics app or go to the Kitchenomics page for some easy and delicious kid-friendly recipes you can make together.