For some, summer is the time to take family vacations and make new memories in places you’ve never been before or have a tradition of visiting every year. For others, summer is the perfect time to stay home, relax, and unwind. Summer vacation will look a lot different this year for many families. If you will be spending most of your summer at home this year, I have compiled a short “at home bucket list” guide the whole family can enjoy.
- Backyard camp out! If you have a tent, set it up in the backyard! Get out the sleeping bags, and get ready for a night outside. If you have a grill or back yard fire pit, make sure you’ve got all the supplies for s’mores. Stay up late and look at the stars using a paper towel roll telescope – instructions on how to make one here!
- Drive-in movie. Sort through the Amazon box pile in your garage for a box big enough for each one of your children to sit in. During the day, have your children decorate their box to look like a car! You could even use paper plates to attach a steering wheel and tires. Pick a classic family movie and park the cars in front of your “theater” screen! Each child can watch the movie inside their car, and you can have the couch all to yourself.
- Plant a garden together. This is a great project for the whole family, and it’s not too late to get started for some plants. Basil, sunflowers, and zinnias are all plants that can still be planted. I was surprised how interested my son was in planting flowers, and it felt good to accomplish something new as a family.
- Outdoor obstacle course. This one is easy to make to fit the needs of each age of child. If you don’t have a lot of equipment to use, grab some chalk and write an action like “jump 10 times” or “spin in a circle” on each sidewalk square in front of your house. If you have outdoor play equipment or supplies like lumber for a balance beam or pool noodles for a ring toss, add those in! Turn on the water sprinkler for an extra layer of fun. To get older children in charge, have them build the course for younger siblings!
- Scavenger Hunt. A scavenger hunt could be things you can find in your own backyard without leaving the house at all, things you could find on a walk around the neighborhood, or things you could find while driving around your local city. There are tons of scavenger hunt ideas online! Click here for a scavenger hunt you can do in your neighborhood, and click here for a more general outdoor scavenger hunt. Make it even more exciting by breaking your family up into teams and seeing who can complete the hunt first. Happy hunting!
- Family Dance Party. Crank up some music and let loose! This is a great stress reliever and family bonding activity!
Wherever you decide to spend your summer this year, I hope you have a great time and make a lot of fun family memories!