It’s officially summer and I could not be more excited about these next few weeks and months ahead of us. Everything is always more fun in the summer…minus the heat, and there is always so much to do! If you are worried about staying busy and having fun, I have a list of things that you should do this summer to keep yourself and your kids active, thriving, and making the most out of each day.
Here are a few things to do this summer to help you with that –
1 – Explore your city
If you have not taken the time to have a stay-cation yet, go for it. Exploring your own city is so much fun and I’m sure you will find so many hidden gems that you didn’t know about before staying in your own city. Go all in and stay at a fun hotel or resort, go out to eat, and do the typical “tourist” stay. It will be so much fun! Plus, you and your kids will gain a heightened appreciation for your hometown and hopefully learn some new things along the way.
2 – Spend quality time with the ones you love
We all share the experience of living in this hectic reality and I know how difficult it can be to schedule family time. Many families accept the compromise solution and focus on the major holidays. But we all know that’s not enough, because exactly the small moments of joy and quality time spent together is what helps us nurture our relationship and deepen our bond. There are so many ways to spend quality time with the ones you love – everything from doing things together like cooking together, cleaning and doing yard work together, and more. You can turn all of that into quality time.
I mean, for example: dinner. Cooking and eating is something we do on a daily basis. Depending on the amount of free time, we might choose to experiment with gourmet dishes that take hours to prepare or just boil some pasta, add a simple dressing, and call it a day. In both cases there is a way to make it more fun: prepare and eat a meal together with your family. A longitudinal study conducted in 2017 in Canada revealed that families who eat together in a calm and mindful environment tend to be healthier, both physically and mentally. This is not simply due to consuming healthier, home-made food — it’s also about connecting, communicating, and de-stressing.
Aside from the basic “chores” of everyday life (like cooking, cleaning, etc.) spending quality time together could also look like a pool day, hiking, or a special outing. Or if your relatives live far from you, summertime is the perfect time for a road-trip to go visit them!!
3 – Declutter
With more time this summer, use it to declutter your home, whenever possible! Decluttering can definitely help you free up space in your home, it can help you save money if you are selling items, and it can also help you spend less time cleaning and organizing in the long-run, since you will be left with less things! Decluttering is always great – for small things AND large things. If you need a space to store anything, check out Texans Movers. They are known for residential moving, commercial moving, and Houston labor moving, but they can also help with storage solutions too, which is always great! I don’t know about you, but decluttering and organizing always makes me feel happy and calm. It’s one of my favorite summer bucket list items each year! There’s just something amazing about opening an organized pantry or having extra elbow room because we got rid of a few things.
4 – Start a garden
Starting a garden is a GREAT skill to learn and to have. With a recession in the minds of a lot of people, starting is a garden can be an easy way to make it a little more comfortable for your family (food-wise), but it also has so many benefits like bringing you joy, boosting your feelings of happiness (this is proven!), and more. Plus, gardening can be a fabulous family activity, too! It’s a wonderful way to teach kids valuable science lessons while instilling a positive work ethic with a tangible reward for their efforts. Admittedly, with the Texas heat, a new garden might be a challenging thing to do this summer. So, consider starting a small countertop herb garden indoors or simply plan together for a fall garden when things slow down. Container gardens might be a good way to go, too!
5 – Learn a new skill
If there is anything that life has taught me over the years, it is that you absolutely need to be focused on the things that you love doing…and sometimes, you might need to learn a skill to get there. If so, go for it. Jump in and put all of your energy into making your dreams a reality. Learn how to sew, how to play guitar, or how to research family history. Whatever you do, put your whole heart into it! Being a continual learner adds spice and curiosity into your life and sets a great example for kids that you can learn at any age. You could also begin a family project and learn something new together. Summer is the perfect time to jump in and get started!
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So what are you going to do this summer?
Summertime freedom offers so many opportunities to try new things, doesn’t it? Sometimes it can be helpful to have the kids on a summer routine, but the freedom from time constraints also offers up some tantalizing possibilities for summer fun! So, plan a few fun things to do this summer and make some memories!
