Summer Family Time Ideas

Summer BBQ
Summer BBQ

Summer sure is funny. One minute you’re thinking, “What a great 4th of July! Glorious summer days ahead.” and before you know it, it’s time for back-to-school shopping. Nobody really knows how the days in between whiz by so fast.

Between summer camps and family obligations, don’t overlook the many opportunities these months provide to bond with your kids. That’s what summer breaks are for, after all. Your fondest memories of childhood are probably those of summer breaks. Today, kids barely need the company or want the supervision of adults as they fiddle with their gadgets – text-ing, IM-ing, tweeting and downloading.  So do you ever wonder how you can put the magic back into summer?

It’s easy. Try doing as many of these as possible. Feel free to add to the list and share your ideas for a great family summer time.

  1. Get out with your kids more. Take a walk. Go swimming, hiking or biking. Take them to the park, museum, library or a picnic spot. Shoot some hoops. Drive around. Stop to admire scenic views. Just do the things that you always put off doing. Plan to spend at least a few minutes with your kids outdoors everyday.
  2. Do crafts or other projects together. It could be as simple as going through your CD collection with your kids, listening to some of your favorite songs and organizing your media cabinet. (See how many birds you kill with that one?) Or, start a summer blog that you and your kids can update, describing the places you visit and things you do, adding photos and videos – a great way for you to get up to speed on the latest web technology. Create a scrap book or photo album. Use our free printable cards section and encourage kids to make personalized cards for grandma, grandpa or other relatives you may be visiting.
  3. Organize ‘No reason’ parties. Why wait until a birthday to get all your friends and family together? Just pick a convenient day and invite everyone for a picnic in the park, a backyard BBQ or a pool party. Remember that sleepover you promised your kids, but have been postponing? You won’t find a better time than now. Or how about a neighborhood camp-out night in your yard? Imagine a dozen kids and grown ups lying on their backs, trying to identify constellations! Somehow, fun multiples when shared. With our Twitter Party Invite, you can send word to everybody within minutes. It doesn’t get any simpler. So go ahead and throw that summer party for absolutely no reason, other than to make memories with your kids.

Whatever you do, just don’t let the summer slip by without doing at least one new thing with your kids.

Share with us – how will you be spending time with your family this summer?