Nanny to Mommy

Though it may seem like 2018 just began not too long ago, here we are already into the summer season! School is out, the kids are home, and that means there will be plenty of opportunities to spend time as a family. Here are some fun ideas that you can do at home as a family this summer!

The sun is shining, the backyard is freshly mowed, and something most associated with summer is always at your fingertips- the backyard barbecue. The 4th of July doesn’t have to be the only reason to fire up the grill in the summer, and even though it is easy to grab fast food on the way home the payoff of a homecooked meal outside on a nice weather day is a great family bonding experience. Let the kids get crafty beforehand and make their own fun, custom aprons for Dad to wear while cooking, for mom to use while tending to the garden, or for themselves!

With technology changing the way we live our day to day lives, have your kids actually experienced what many would call staple activities of childhood? When was the last time you flew a kite yourself, let alone with your kids? Go old-school and fly a kite, toss a frisbee, blow bubbles, set up a backyard scavenger hunt, and more! Not only are these fun classic activities fun, but they are usually inexpensive to do! This is the perfect time to tell the kiddos “When I was your age…” and then they can make some of the same childhood memories that you had growing up!

When the sun goes down, the fun is just getting started. We’ve talked about our families love of camping before, but you can always make the authentic camping experience right at home by popping up the tents and setting up your own perfect backyard camping experience! Play games around the campfire, try to catch fireflies, run through the dark with sparklers, and enjoy the delicious camping treat of s’mores! Try some of these outside the box s’mores ideas to make it a camping “trip” the family will remember (and want to repeat)!

Another thing the kids will love this summer is letting them stay up past their normal bedtimes. Set up a family slumber party for a night of love and laughter, and don’t forget to wear your comfiest pajamas! Pop some popcorn and cuddle up on the couch (or lay out pillows on the floor for ultimate comfort), and revisit one of the family’s favorite movies on DVD, or stream wholesome, family-friendly Christian movies with Pureflix!

Summer is bound to have some rainy days where all the fun outdoor activities will have to be pushed off for another day. However, there are a few things you can do with the whole family when those days do come. Baking and decorating cookies is an activity that kids can help with, and enjoying the fruits of their efforts is a great reward at the end! It can get messy, so maybe you can break out those custom decorated aprons again, and have fun cutting out fun cookie shapes. Don’t forget to get a nice variety of colorings, sprinkles and other fixings to let your sweet tooth guide your creativity! Listening to some music or reading a short story is a good way for the family to pass the time while the cookies bake as well!

Another rainy day go-to is to play board games with the family. In today’s digital and connected world, some old-fashioned tabletop games show their timeless nature. There is a reason that a lot of the board games from parent’s childhoods and earlier have withstood the test of time, so whether it is a classic game of Twister, Monopoly, or Jenga, or some of the new favorites of today, board games provide a ton of variety for the family, friendly competition, and helps build problem solving skills.

This is the tip of the summer activities iceberg, but it is important for families to find activities they can do together and hopefully set up traditions that they can look forward to every summer. What are some of your families’ favorite summer activities?