You did it, teacher friend.
You survived the field days, the glitter explosions, the mystery puddles, and the 47 questions about whether they really have to keep reading over the summer.
And now?
The school bags are zipped.
The laminator is cooling down.
The classroom plants are… well, let’s hope they’re not crispy.
It's officially summer break—that magical season where we reclaim our time and rediscover ourselves.
So if you’re like me—equal parts exhilarated and exhausted—you’re probably wondering what to do now that you can finally finish a cup of coffee while it’s still warm. 🌞
Well, pour that iced tea, throw on your favorite floppy sunhat, and dig into this list of the Top 10 Things Teachers Should Absolutely Do During the First Week of Summer Break.
1. Sleep Like a Sunflower
Face the light, and sleep for 12 hours straight. Teachers are chronically under-rested. No one sets 17 alarms to make it to the beach. I enjoy extra sleep the first week of summer.
Your mission: No alarms for at least 3 mornings. Let your body find its rhythm again.
🌼 Garden wisdom: Even flowers need dark nights to bloom bright days.
2. Read for You
Not for guided reading groups. Not to level books. Not to preview that 800-page professional development text your district ordered.
Pick a book just because it sounds good. Even better—cozy up and read with your own kids. Model that joy. Today we are heading to our local library to sign up for their summer reading program.
Bonus idea: Start a family read-aloud tradition or let each child start a "book garden" (aka a stack of favorites).
📖 Plant the seeds of literacy—watch imaginations grow wild.
3. Reset Your Wellness Roots
Let’s be honest. Teacher life doesn’t always leave room for health. (Remember that granola bar you called lunch in May?)
Take a walk in the woods. Try a new recipe. Dance around the kitchen. Stretch. Breathe...
Simple start: Swap one processed snack for something green and crunchy this week.
🍓 Health isn’t a sudden harvest—it’s a slow, steady sowing.
4. Tend to Your Inner Garden
Take stock. What parts of you felt wilted by June? What needs watering? Stillness? Sunlight? I love to journal, paint, and hike in the woods.
Jot down 3 things you loved about the school year and 3 things you want to do just for you this summer.
💚 The most important garden you grow is the one inside your soul.
5. Get Outside and Pollinate Joy
Nature is healing, y’all. Go somewhere green. Each summer we go on a few fun camping trips. Every morning we walk the dogs around our neighborhood. We try to hike at our local nature center often.
Lay in the grass. Watch clouds. Smell actual flowers that aren’t made of bulletin board paper.
Take your kids on a trail walk or pack a picnic to the park—even your backyard counts.
🌿 Bees don’t burn out. They buzz. So buzz around and breathe in the earth.
6. Try Something Just Because It’s Fun
Paint. Journal. Make something with your hands. Bake a pie. Build a fort with your kids. Do absolutely nothing productive. Visit places you haven't been. We love the zoo, nature centers, and local museums. You can sometimes get a free pass to visit these places at your local library.
Remember: you’re not on a clock.
🌼 Play is fertilizer for the creative soul.
7. Declutter Something Tiny
Before you Marie Kondo the whole house, start small: a junk drawer, a shelf, a single tote bag of mystery lanyards. I pick a new small spot to declutter each day the first week rather than taking on a whole room.
Why? Because clutter in our space can crowd our minds.
🧹 Pull one weed at a time—you don’t have to uproot the whole yard today.
8. Grow Something (Literally or Figuratively)
Start a garden, or plant a single tomato in a pot. We recently got an indoor grow light and my daughter has been thrilled growing flowers and strawberries indoors. I'd love to plant some pumpkins to enjoy in the fall.
Or grow something else: a new routine, a morning walk, a weekly library trip, a practice of journaling.
Growth doesn’t have to be flashy.
🌻 Some of the strongest roots grow in the quietest dirt.
9. Laugh More, Scroll Less
The memes are funny, but your kids’ knock-knock jokes are better. Your partner’s weird dance moves in the kitchen? Pure gold.
This is the season of real connection.
🎉 Less doomscrolling, more joyful rolling on the floor laughing.
10. Don’t Plan the Whole Summer. Yet.
Yes, the school supply aisle is already haunting you. (I actually love it.)
But don’t rush into back-to-school prep just yet.
Week one is for rest. For breath. For remembering who you are beyond the job.
Trust that the to-do list will still be there—and you’ll be stronger for it if you take the time to recharge.
🍃 Leave the calendar blank. Let the days grow wild.
Final Thoughts From the Garden Gate
You’re not just a teacher.
You’re a whole human being with roots, dreams, and blooms that need space and sunlight too.
This summer, let’s not just recover—let’s replant. Let’s reset. Let’s grow. 🌱
“The best teachers don’t just grow students—they remember to grow themselves.”
Tell me—what’s one way you’re resetting this week?
Drop it in the comments and let’s grow through this together 🌿💛
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