Family Time Activities

Summer is quickly coming to a close, leaving fewer opportunities to create seasonal memories with your family. If you’ve been struggling to find activities that excite everyone, you are not alone. In a world so connected to devices, and with so many entertaining distractions, it can be a challenge to create meaningful time and memories together. Here are a few ideas to round out the summer season with connection and fun:

Refresh Traditions. Find out what activities your family members have enjoyed most in the past, and repeat them! If they were from a different season, get creative on how to make them work now. A few examples include: making “summer cottages” instead of gingerbread houses, ice blocking instead of sledding, or pressing flowers instead of fall leaves.

Get Outdoors. August and September evenings are some of the best times to head outside – when it’s still warm, but not too warm. Take a walk on a new path, ride bikes, have a hot dog roast or picnic, play Frisbee, go swimming, watch an outdoor movie. It doesn’t have to take long; great memories that last can be made in an hour. Be spontaneous and flexible.

Find Local Events. Check your local news and city websites for what’s happening near you. For example, many cities offer free outdoor summer concerts, local competitions, farmers markets, and community productions.  The end of summer also hosts numerous County Fairs. You don’t want to miss these iconic summer family activities.

Become a Tourist. It’s easy to forget that your city, town, and state are visited by crowds of tourists each year – whether for a local destination point, or just passing through. Find out what your local tourism departments advertise, and go see the sights! Get to know and appreciate your area even more. Then, next time you have visitors, you can help them enjoy these local interest points.

Don’t let the last days of summer go by without making a few more memories with your family. How are you spending the rest of the season? Tell us in the comments below!