Summer is a time for sun and relaxation, but also for many parents a time where it can feel like a lot of pressure to keep your kids occupied. This can especially be felt at this point in the season when the excitement of school being out has definitely worn off. Kids start to express their “I’m bored” or “I have nothing to do” complaints a little bit more it seems, especially if many of their friends might be at all-day camps or on extended vacations.
Without the structure that school provides, parents are left scrambling to fill the hours so their kids do not resort to their screens for hours on end. I can speak first hand about the creativity I feel compelled to find on a daily basis to keep my nine and twelve year old feeling as if their days are full of adventure and connection even though we took a break from a “big” family vacation this year.
School will be here again before you know it so take advantage of the good weather, these precious moments together and hopefully feel inspired with the following ten, low cost ideas, borrowed from my family to yours, to guarantee quality bonding with your children.
To quote Maya Angelou, 'I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Even though this list has a bunch of ideas for “doing,” it really is a list for helping you enjoy and appreciate one another in a new way.
Go back to simpler days when you were a kid and grab a deck of cards or a board game for Family Game Night. Have a rotation once per week of who picks the game, keep track of the winner and the person with the most tallied wins plans a Family Fun Day of their choice before heading back to school. My kids have absolutely loved taking the reins to plan out a full day of their choice and it has been eye opening to see how their days are also simple and just involve time together whether at a soccer field, pizza parlor, zoo, etc.
Pop some popcorn and get ready for Movie Night. This could also be on rotation once per week with each member getting a pick to share their current interest with the rest of the family. This summer our picks have ranged from Disney or Pixar, to old time classics, to documentaries about Olympians.
Pack a picnic and head to a local nature center, park or beach to enjoy the view together. Don’t forget a frisbee, baseball glove or tennis racket. The key is to model no phones and just be present.
Go on a bike ride or make daily walks part of your routine. Regular physical activity can improve mental health by reducing stress and releasing endorphins to boost everyone’s mood. To add some competition, see who has acquired the most steps on their Fitbit at the end of the night or have a family favorite destination like your local ice cream shop be the goal. A little sweet treat really does sweeten the deal every time. ;)
Head to a local Farmer’s Market and have each member pick a favorite goodie or travel to Michigan to pick fresh blueberries or cherries together. Eating farm to table somehow makes those fruits and veggies more appealing to even the pickiest eaters.
Pretend to be a tourist for the day and hit all the must-see spots. You could also simply peruse the museum, zoo, and/or aquarium. Take a different method of transportation (boat, train, etc) for an extra layer of fun.
Have your child pick out a recipe and get to baking together or better yet, both make the meal (leftovers are always appreciated) and play who cooked it better? Have another family member be the judge. The people not cooking have to do the dishes and then switch the following week. Building competency in the kitchen early on never hurts.
Grab your tent and some bug spray and have an adventure camping for the weekend. Hike, go kayaking and most importantly, don’t forget the S’Mores and campfire games.
Fill up some water balloons and have a family friendly fight in the yard that is sure to bring laughter. For added fun, get some prizes from the Dollar Store and make a treasure box they can pick from once all the pieces are picked up after. Invite the neighbors to join in for double the fun!
Blast some favorite family tunes and engage in some intense summer purging of no longer wanted toys, books, and clothes. You may just find a book that you forgot about in the process that you can all enjoy together in the evenings. Find a local organization or give to your neighbors by having a yard sale. Go old school and make a cookie and lemonade stand or sell homemade jewelry to keep the kids busy while you are managing the items to be given away. Giving to those in need feels good and helps us keep gratitude and kindness at the forefront of our minds.
The key is to commit fully to each of these ideas and put all distractions on hold. You could also get your own kids involved in adding to this list by inviting them to create an “end of summer bucket list” for some additional, family-friendly activities. My own two kids liked having this sense of control and just recently got to see their waterpark and amusement park ideas come to fruition.
I sincerely hope these ideas assist your family in creating fond memories together with what remains of this beautiful time of year.
Written By,
Janet Radziszewski, LCSW
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