Let’s focus on creating positive and lasting family memories this year!
During the Spring, we are often waiting for the school year to end and looking forward to what summer has to offer! This makes it the perfect time to think about ways to enjoy time with our families! Family time does not always have to be huge celebrations or big vacations. It’s also the simple things in life that lead to family bonding and heartfelt memories.
Here are some suggestions for making those positive and lasting family memories this summer!
Summer Routines
Summer routines do not mean that you need to plan out every minute of every day all summer long. It can be as simple as Monday being library visit day, having water play Wednesdays, or visiting grandparents on Fridays. The idea is that it’s something special you and the kids can look forward to each week. Adding one or two special events to your weekly summer calendar is a great way to make memories and have some fun together.
Try some of these ideas to have fun and add memories to your summer!
- Story time at bedtime
- Sundeas on Sundays
- Playdates
- Library summer reading program
- Water Play Wednedays (Water balloon toss, wash the car, slip-n-slid, water table, bubbles, swim, splash park, etc..)
- Do small service projects (sweep a neighbor’s grass after they mow, make cards for nursing home patients, donate used/excess toys to a local shelter, etc…)
Visit New Places
Summer is a great time to visit new places! You may have the opportunity to take a vacation to explore things outside of your hometown or you may not. Either way, there is much to be explored.
Maybe you can explore a local park or walking trail or visit a nearby town.
What about trying new foods or restaurants or a new ice cream shop?
How about visiting a local historic landmark or National or State Park?
There are endless ways to explore your world, whether it’s close to home or far away. Summer is the best time to explore, learn, and have fun!
Fun Activities at Home
Fun activities do not always have to take place outside of the home. Special activities can easily be done at home! For example, have relay races in the backyard or basement. Have a water play activity, even if that just means filling a large tote with water and having small toys frozen in ice to play with.
You can do crafts at home or make cards for local nursing home residents. This may take some creative thinking, but it’s definitely worth the effort! You can even ask the kids what they might enjoy doing at home!
Here are Other Ways to Create Positive & Lasting Family Memories:
- Play dress-up
- Have a relay race
- Have the kids set up a relay race that YOU have to participate in
- Participate in an at-home dance party
- Cook a themed meal together as a family
- Make sidewalk art with chalk
- Have a movie night at home
- Eat breakfast for supper
- Eat supper for breakfast
- Plant or pot flowers
- Grab an umbrella and play in the rain
- Play a board or card game
- Bake a dessert
- Color
- Draw
- Paint
Learn Something New
Next, let’s broaden our lives and our worlds by learning something new! There are endless things you can learn! You can teach your children things, let your children teach you, and/or learn new things together! Options are truly endless!
How about trying at least one of these this summer!
- Learn ten words in another language
- Discover something about another country
- Explore a national park
- Visit a museum
- Try a new fruit or vegetable
- Try a new food from a different culture
- Paint a picture
- Paint a picture frame
- Grow a garden
- Learn to use a camera (not just a phone camera)
- Try a TikTok dance
- Learn how to address an envelope (and mail something to grandma or grandpa)
- Improve academic skills
Family Fun Days
No matter how you plan to spend your summer, make sure you have some time to enjoy your family. This can be more challenging if both parents work outside the home, but it is feasible! Again, you may need to be a little more creative at times, but the memories are worth the time and effort!
Another great way to make family memories this summer is to have special Family Fun Days. These can be as big as going to a local amusement park or they can be as easy as having a family pizza and movie night at home. This can be something you do daily (ex. storytime before bed) or something you do once a week (ex. playing a board or card game). You can even use some of the ideas discussed previously.
Some of my favorite summer family memories are at local (and not-so-local) amusement marks! I enjoy visiting the local theme park and water park, Holiday World, in Indiana where we live.
I also enjoy visiting Disney World with my kids, grandkids, and husband!
Whatever you choose to do, the goal is to do something that everyone in your family will enjoy. This allows the entire family to spend time together and have a fun shared experiences.
We hope you have an amazing summer and enjoy as much of it as possible with your family!
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Great ideas!
Thank you! I love being able to make memories with my kids and grandkids and I love sharing easy ways to do so! Enjoy!
These are excellent tips. I am a firm believer in routines; they are my saving grace.
Me too! Routines save my life!