Now that winter is over, I’m looking forward to summertime with kids! It has always been my favorite season. I’m assuming
it’s partially because my birthday is in June, and also because it was always a time away from school when I could be with my friends and grandparents (who were in town from Florida for the warmer months) and be carefree.
As an adult and a mom, I’ve found that summer is still my favorite time of the year. I look forward to activities, taking my kids out to enjoy fun in the sun and enjoying Pinterest summer activities, too. Here are a few of my favorite things to do during the summertime with kids:
Summertime With Kids
Visit the local lakes.
I grew up in Northern Indiana, where there are as many lakes (over 70!) as cornfields. My grandpa had a fishing boat and nearly every friend I had lived on or near a lake. Every weekend was spent boating, tubing, at a sand bar
or at the public beach. My swimsuits got a lot of use! Today, I live a couple hours south of my hometown area – but we still found a lake just a couple miles away with public beach access. The kids love playing in the water and building sandcastles – and so do I!
Enjoy the abundance of festivals.
Nearly every weekend during the spring and summer months, there is a festival of some sort near our suburban Indianapolis home. Last summer, one of our favorites was a 4th of July fest. It sold the normal snow cones and elephant ears, had a small petting zoo, a sand volleyball court, and was complete with a bucking bronco one could pay a few dollars to ride. My husband and the kids and I had a blast celebrating our country’s freedom in the sunshine! There is nothing like the sweet smells of cotton candy and popcorn — and the warm sunshine on your back.
Play at the park.
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| The kids ready for summer fun! |
I love parks! It’s so fun giving the kids the “go ahead” to run around, use those outdoor voices, and burn off energy outside. We live in an area that is saturated with parks and splash pads, and I take the kids out to play pretty much every day in the summer. It is the perfect way to get in some exercise and explore; children need outdoor play. I think every visit to the park gives me an opportunity to teach them something – from how to pump their legs while swinging to watching squirrels collect nuts to taking turns on the slide. Our neighborhood has a park in walking distance, too, and it has been a great way to meet lots of neighbors and new friends.
Run in the sprinkler.
I think this is one of my favorites – even the smell of the sprinkler on a hot sunny day flashes me back to summer days spent at my grandparent’s house, days that were carefree when I enjoyed the simplest things in life. Our backyard is the perfect spot to pull the sprinkler out, invite some neighbors over, and enjoy hours of laughs (and squeals – that water is cold!).
Watch for the ice cream truck.
Who doesn’t love hearing the ice cream truck driving slowly through the neighborhood? We hear the tune “Do Your Ears Hang Low?” and we scramble to find some money before the truck pulls onto our street.
I love summertime with the kids. The memories we create are ones that they will always cherish, quite similar to my fond memories of summers growing up in my hometown. There is just something about the great outdoors!
What is your favorite season and how do you spend it with your children? What ideas do you have for summertime with kids?
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