How To Make the Most Of Summer
Warm summer days.
Long days on the beach, cookouts on the back porch, late nights socializing with friends, the quiet of the night looking at the stars, and the next day, repeating the process all over again.
This type of day may be a reality or a far-fetched dream. No matter what the case may be or where you live, it is probably safe to assume that you will feel like summer is going to fly by. Before you know it, it will be time to start the back to school mission. It is easy to just live each day and each week, doing the mundane (such as cleaning the house) and letting the days go by without making the most out of each day. Then all of a sudden school rolls around and you regrettably say adios to summer.
So how do you make the most of summer? Here are 7 practical and tangible ways that you can make this the best summer ever!
Tour Your Own Town. One of the easiest places to forget about when you are looking for something to do is your own hometown. Pretend you are a vacationer in your town. What would you see? Where you would you eat? Is there anything particularly interesting that sets your town apart from others? Traveling to your town’s visitor center (if they have one) or talking with the locals about what there is to do, is the best way for your family to make the most out of where they live.
Think Water. If you are from the north, this idea is a must because for only half a year, you get to enjoy the great waters of your state. Take the time to go to a waterpark, skip stones across a lake, river, or creek, go swimming at the local pool, soak in some rays at the beach, or create your own slip and slide outside. Summer is really the only time to take full advantage of these activities, so don’t miss out on them! You will be longing for them in the winter and wish you had done more.
Go Camping. To make it even easier, camp in your BACKYARD. Sometimes the thought of packing up the whole family to go camping may seem like a daunting task, but why not set up a tent in your backyard? You can have all of the joys of camping (sitting around a fire, lawn games, etc.), all in the comforts of your own backyard.
Throw Your To-Do List Out The Window. Families are known to have a long laundry list of house projects they want to get done in the summer. For some, that is THE only time they have a shot at even getting remotely close to getting your to-do list accomplished. Yet, it’s the to-do lists that keep one from enjoying the most of summer. If you have a long list of to-dos, throw it out. Save it for a rainy day. Save it for a day when there is nothing else to do. Don’t get caught up with today’s to-dos that could be done tomorrow (or 1 month from now).
Spend Time Outdoors. Taking time to go outside in the summer is a necessity! Time outdoors not only keeps one active, but can also help every one release some stress by getting a breath of fresh air. Outdoor games such as bocce ball, basketball, bean bag toss, take a hike, or even going to a town softball game, are all ways to stay active. Taking time to even read outside or lying in the grass looking at the stars, are bonuses that won’t last forever because winter will be right around the corner before we know it!
Eat Outside. Whether you have a picnic table, chairs, or just a blanket to sit on, eating outside can end up being one of the most enjoyable meals of the week. The food tends to just taste better when you eat it outside. Take this idea a step further and grill! Grilling meats, veggies, and even pizzas on the grill are ways to spice up the menu in summer!
What do your kids want to do? It is easy to plan out each day with activities that the parents think are best. What if parents allowed their kids to make the choice of what they want to do in a day? The last thing you want to hear from your kids at the end of summer is how “boring” it was. Let them choose 1 or 2 activities for the week and let THEM make the most out of their summer.
Make the most of your summer. Don’t let the days of summer fly by, leaving you wondering where summer went, wishing you had only done more!
Great post!