Unlock the Magic of Summer:15 Exciting Activities to Start Planning Now
Summer is almost here, and it's time we moms start preparing for the inevitable “I’m borrrrrreeeeeedddd” moments. I keep my kids busy for the most part while also giving them their own time to hang out with their neighborhood friends, play video games, or sleep till noon if they so please. And more often than not, it's not just my four kids tagging along; I tend to have a whole crew joining in on the fun. Surprisingly, the more kids, the less I find myself running around, allowing me to kick back and relax with a good book while they soak up the excitement with their friends.
So, here's a rundown of some of the activities we've enjoyed throughout the summers. While this list is tailored to kids aged 8-13, I'm confident that moms with younger ones can easily adapt most of these ideas too! Aim for a couple of outings each week, and reserve the remaining days for home-based adventures. Trust me, you won't regret it.
Family Camping Trip: Pitch a tent, roast marshmallows, and share stories under the stars at a nearby campground. We spend the first weekend of summer at Peanut Island and its usually a nice start to the summer with snorkeling, the beach, and relaxing with the sound of the waves in the background.
Family Bike Ride: Hit the trails for a family bike ride adventure. Explore your surroundings and enjoy the fresh air together. We took our kids this past summer to hang out with my mom and dad at the campground they were parked at, and brought all of our bikes to ride. It was fun because my girls hadn’t really had a chance to ride a bike anywhere (we’ve been living in apartments for years). So they learned how to ride! We rode to the docks and let the kids fish and swim for a bit before we went back to the RV to munch on fried chicken and mac n cheese.
Bowling: Lace up your bowling shoes and hit the lanes for some friendly competition. It's a fun indoor activity that's perfect for a summer day. The bowling alley here in Jupiter is a lot of fun for our gamer kids because it has a two sided arcade as well as the alley. And, its perfect for mom and dad, too, as it has a pretty decent array of liquor options behind the bar!
Beach Day with Ice Cream: Spend a day at the beach building sandcastles, swimming in the ocean, and soaking up the sun. End the day with a delicious ice cream treat! We like to hit up Kilwin’s after jumping waves for a couple of hours. It’s the perfect ending to the perfect day.
Kayaking or Paddleboarding: Explore the calm waters of a nearby lake or river with a kayaking or paddleboarding excursion. It's a great way to stay active and cool off on a hot day. Plus, I find it quite hilarious, the whole thing. No one starts off with any kind of balance, there’s a lot of screaming and laughter, and by the end we’ve adventured off the path a couple of times, so we see some neat things.
Fishing Trip: Head to a nearby lake, canal, or boardwalk for a day of fishing fun. See who can reel in the biggest catch of the day! Honestly, we didn’t see any catches during our trip, but we had fun laughing at each other as each of us caught a nice mound of seaweed each!
Aquarium Adventure: Dive into the wonders of the ocean at a local aquarium. Explore underwater exhibits and learn about fascinating marine life together. Now, I’m not a fan of aquariums, and the one we have locally is starting to lose a grip a bit, but perhaps your local aquarium is better than ours. We had fun petting sharks and riding around on these crazy ride on things this past summer.
Concerts in the Park: Check out local concerts or outdoor music festivals for a fun evening of live music and dancing under the stars. We took our kids to a mini rave with glow sticks and everything (but without the drugs). It was pretty neat.
Karaoke Night: Host a family karaoke night and sing your hearts out to your favorite tunes. Now, when I say sing, I say it loosely. My kids tend to scream it at the top of their lungs. But regardless, it’s a good time.
Top Golf or Drive Shack: Tee off for a day of golfing fun at Top Golf or Drive Shack. Drive shack has all the neat games you can play. I prefer the monster hunt because it gives even the newest player a chance at winning. If you go, get the cookies and ice cream. It’s incredible.
Ax Throwing: Channel your inner lumberjack with a thrilling ax-throwing session. Our kids LOVE this. It’s fun and easier than you think. Plus, it usually has great music, someone who hangs out with you while you play so that they can give you pointers and tips, and a bar. This is a night time after dinner things for our family.
Pool Days: Beat the heat with relaxing pool days. Splash around, soak up the sun, and cool off with refreshing dips in the water. Our family likes to play speedball, water volleyball, and the ever famous, marco polo. It’s competitive, it gets us moving, and usually comes with burgers and fries or BBQ (if dad is home).
Water Park: Our town has a huge water park that isn’t too far from us and that sells an annual pass that goes on sale right before the summer. Now, honestly, I hate water parks violently, but I do love sending my crazies off with a big group to ride the rides while I chill at a check point where they can unload their towels and bags and run off for the day. I will eventually ride one or two rides with each set of kids just to appease them, but water rides give me heebie jeebies.
Manhunt at the Park: Round up the kids and their friends for an exciting game of manhunt at the park. It's a thrilling outdoor activity that's sure to keep everyone entertained. We group up and run. Sugar Sand Park in Boca is this local castle park that is ginormous. So the kids, though they are older, can still run it and it’s not too babyish. This past summer, we ended up having to play in the rain (If you live in Florida, you know that it is sunny in the morning, and rainy in the afternoons every damn day during the summer.) The kids can play this ENDLESSLY and though I’m usually out of breath, I love playing, too.
Theme Park Thrills: Take a trip to a nearby theme park for a day of roller coasters, carnival games, and live shows. Get your adrenaline pumping and make unforgettable memories together. We are HUGE fans of Universal Studios and Disney, but we aren’t huge fans of the crowds. So I’d say wait to do this during the off season, but it’s still an option!
