Summer With The Kids
Summer with kids is the best time ever! I seriously love being busy and watching them enjoy so many of the summer activities and things I enjoyed so much as a kid. With the sun coming up early and setting late, it is hard to keep the kiddos on a normal schedule but not if I keep them busy with lots of fun activities throughout the day. We are soaking up all of this beautiful Utah summer weather while we can before it gets cold again and I’ve made a bucket list so that we can make sure we aren’t missing a beat this summer. What’s your favorite family summer activity or tradition? Let me know on my latest Instagram post so that we can share ideas!
Things to Do With Kids In Summer
Treasure Hunt at Grandma and Grandpa’s House: I can’t even tell you guys how much we are loving living closer to our families now. It has been such a blessing to be able to easily spend time with them and more often. Tru and Tate love their grandparents and so one thing on our bucket list is having a treasure hunt! You can really create a treasure hunt anywhere but I think we will do ours at Sid’s parents’ house this year as they have such an awesome backyard with lots of great hiding places. This is a really fun opportunity to include the family in doing something interactive and playing outside.
Picnic at a Park
I love this activity because it’s so simple and fun. We’re lucky to have so many great local parks in our area. Major bonus points for picnics at a National Park!
Ice Cream Date
These are the best on 100 degree days. We have a Baked Bear near our house that serves homemade ice cream sandwiches and you can choose the flavor of cookies and ice cream. YUM!
Water Balloon Fight
Have you seen the water balloons that attach to your hose and fill up like 30 at a time? Game changer, you guys. (here)
Drive In Movie
I love this because sometimes my kiddos are night owls if they take a nap during the day and what better way to make it to bedtime than a good drive in movie? Make sure you pack snacks, bubble wands, and glow sticks for an extra fun night.
Visit the Farmer’s Market
I love waking up early on Saturday mornings and hitting the farmer’s market with the kids. Some of the booths are so kid friendly and I love to support local farmers when I need produce and other household items. Our double stroller gets some good use on these days.
Movie In a Fort
We are such homebodies! I love getting out and doing fun things during the summer but I think I love being home, with my people, in my pajamas even more. Make a movie night special by creating a fort around your television, gathering comfy blankets and pillows, and popping some yummy popcorn. These are the nights your kids won’t forget.
Sidewalk Chalk
One of my childhood faves! It’s so fun to make cool drawings and to see what the kids create. I also love including learning whenever I can so we will practice numbers and letters while we’re at it.
Take a Staycation
We just took a little staycation in Park City, Utah and it was so good for the soul. Depending on where you stay, some hotels will offer free activities for children and even have S’Mores areas. The best memories!
Dinner at a Food Truck
You may be able to knock this activity out when you visit the farmer’s market! I love a good food truck taco. What’s your fave?
Family Bike Ride
We took a family bike ride on our trip to Newport Beach and there’s nothing better. The smell of the ocean on a bike ride is just too good to pass up. Many tourist areas will rent bikes and bike trailers for the littles to ride in!
Baseball Game
I love a good baseball hot dog and Sid loves a good game so baseball games are a win win in our house. Many stadiums will have parks or kid friendly activities if your kids are younger and get a little stir crazy. Bonus: Sometimes they will have fireworks at the end! Check the schedule for your local team.
Visit a Lemonade Stand
My kids are too young to have their own lemonade stands this year but anytime we see one we stop because how can you not? So cute!
Outdoor Concert
If you can find a family friendly band, these are such a fun way to wind down at the end of the night. Mix in a good snow cone and you’re set!
Visit the Zoo
We are lucky to have a really great zoo in our city and it’s such a fun day when we can make it there. We try to go on overcast or cooler days so that we all stay happy and the animals are usually a little more active.
Ride a Roller Coaster
All the roller coasters! We have season passes to our local amusement park and we absolutely love it because we can go for a few hours at a time and not feel bad about not spending the whole day.
Star Gazing
Whenever we’re out of big city areas at night, I love to fit in a good star gazing session. It is so sweet to hear Tru’s imagination go wild finding constellations and his favorite stars.
Check out my downloadable family summer bucket list and let me know what you try or if I missed anything. We’re always adding and crossing things off our list. Stay safe and enjoy summer with your family!
