The last couple months of the school year always fly by. For the past five years or so, I’ve enjoyed creating a Summer Fun List of family activities. Usually, I ask my daughters what they most want to do this summer. I include any camps or vacation plans we have made, and then I add some activities or experiences I think they’d enjoy. Your kids probably don’t love all the same things that my kids love. So I decided instead of a list of activities that I think are fun, I’d give you a quick list of resources for you to make your own Summer Fun List.
7 PLACES TO FIND IDEAS FOR YOUR SUMMER FUN LIST
Use the following list as places to search for idea to include on your summer fun list.
Local Library Programs
We always sign up for the summer reading program. Not only do the kids receive a free book, but our library system offers freebies like ice cream cones from a local restaurant, popcorn at a local theater, a ticket to a professional sports game, swim passes from parks and rec, and lots more! You could almost fill up a summer just with these activities.
Your Town or City’s Visitor Information
Your town or city’s website can be a useful resource for events and activities happening in your area. Make sure to also check out the websites for neighboring towns for information on local festivals, parades, and events.
Local Radio Station Websites
Your local radio station’s websites will obviously have concert information, but many of them will also provide information about summer camps, vacation Bible schools, outdoor fairs, and other fun summer activities.
Google Searches for Your Town or City
Another productive way to find things happening in your area is to search specifically for them: outdoor movies in your town, outdoor concerts in your town, best playgrounds in your town, best kid-friendly restaurants in your town, sports camps in your town. The options are truly endless.
Only in Your State Website
Visit onlyinyourstate.com for unique things to do and see in your state.
Local Social Media Groups
Local Facebook groups can provide information and recommendations for local events, restaurant openings, and suggestions for family activities both indoor and outside.
Parks and Recreation Departments
Local parks and recreation departments offer interesting camps, classes and activities during the summer. To find their websites, do a search for parks and rec in your town.
DO: Choose Some Simple Activities
Don’t forget to include simple activities your family would enjoy. For us this means sleeping outside under the stars, making homemade ice cream, bike rides, fun crafts, or maybe a sleepover at Grandma’s. The highlight of the summer for our kids is often a “backyard party”. We invite a bunch of friends and neighbors to come and bring a food dish to share, potluck style. We set up croquet, volleyball, horseshoes, ping-pong, cornhole, and anything else we can find that sounds fun. Sidewalk chalk and bubbles, paper covered tables for drawing or playing tic-tac-toe, lawn jenga…there are endless possibilities. They have so much fun running around with whoever shows up and consistently say it is their favorite thing they did all summer. If you’ve got the budget, there are super fun inflatables to rent for this type of thing too.
We love visiting a few local attractions (zoo, aquarium, museums, amusement parks, etc.), a state or county fair, and a couple of kid-friendly hiking trails. A trip to a farmer’s market or a u-pick farm for fresh fruit and veggies is always great fun.
DON’T: Make It a To-Do List
I used to approach my Summer Fun List as a checklist of summer plans, and felt disappointed when we weren’t able to do all the fun stuff on our list. Now I label it Summer Fun Ideas List, and consider it a list of fun ideas to consult, not a list of to-do’s. Don’t stress yourself out mamas. It should be a summer FUN list!
Aim for Making Memories
We want to enjoy the time we have with our kids; aim for making memories, not checking off everything on the list. I sometimes tell my kids that they don’t appreciate what they have because they have too much. I think as moms we fall into this trap too – we have too much mental clutter and busyness. We are better able to retain a long-lasting imprint of memorable family time if we have a little “white space” around it, so to speak. Let’s leave some summer time for the kids to get bored and make up their own fun!
Check out the 7 resources I suggested and make your own list of ideas for summertime fun. Include some tried-and-true favorites, and add something you’ve never done before.
We never get through our whole Summer Fun Ideas List – that just gives us a head start on making next year’s list!
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