Around this time of year, everywhere we go—the grocery store, the library, the dentist—people ask us the same question: What are your plans for the summer? There’s nothing wrong with the question, of course. It usually sparks some good conversation. But I realized that there’s usually an expectation about how my kids and I will answer. People usually seem slightly amazed if I answer something like, “We’re doing absolutely nothing!” or “We’re doing nothing different than the rest of the year.”
Over the years, there have been times when, if that was my answer, it made me feel guilty and inadequate. In those moments, I felt I should have something more remarkable to say. Maybe you, too, have felt an unspoken pressure to “make every summer magical.” We’ve all heard how “we’ve only got 18 of them, so we really have to make them count!”
But there’s something I’ve found that erases that pressure completely—simple ideas for gentle invitations (not to-do’s) that spark joy, connection, and curiosity even through the summer months. The best learning actually happens when education and life blend seamlessly. So, let’s just live simply this summer, and make beautiful memories by taking delight in the little things.
Here are 24 ideas to inspire you:
- ☁️ Watch clouds and name the shapes
I remember doing this for what seemed like hours when I was a kid. I would lie on the grass right in front of our house, side by side with a friend, and we would stare up at the sky, telling stories about the cloud pictures we saw.
- 🐦 Learn one new bird call
Last summer, we learned that the Red-winged blackbird has the sweetest morning song that sounds like a musical trill. It’s so distinct, and we started to recognize it everywhere.
- 📖 Start a family story jar
This is a shared story sparked by items curated in a jar: words or phrases printed on slips of paper, objects, sensory material, etc. Anything that fits in the jar is fair game.
- 🍦 Make ice cream or popsicles
Our favorite is coconut milk ice cream made right in the ice cream machine. This recipe from Minimalist Baker has minimal ingredients and a delicious taste. My son also loves to make smoothies in the blender and then pour them into popsicle molds. Perfect for a hot, summer day!
- 🌳 Sketch something in nature each week
Definitely don’t overthink this. It could be anything! A rock, a leaf, a flower, a tree, a pond, a frog, a blade of grass, a butterfly…you get the idea.
- 🎶 Make a backyard concert with real or homemade instruments
If you are a musical family with your own instruments, bring them outside and create some tunes! But equally fun is creating instruments from anything you can find…cans or a pail for a drum, dirt or sand-filled bottles for maracas, a box and elastic band guitar, a flute made with cut straws of different lengths, etc.
- 🔭 Count stars and name constellations
Noticing the night sky and how it changes can spark a lot of wonder and curiosity. For us, it has led to the study of so many interesting and related things. I love that we are all always looking up, noticing things when the sun goes down.
- 🧺 Plan and pack a picnic entirely chosen by your kids
Yes, entirely. Let them organize it all from soup to nuts (My kids tell me I use the funniest idioms. To them, I probably sound ancient, but I think they’re fun!)
- 🐚 Collect and sort natural treasures (leaves, rocks, shells)
A day at the beach? Enjoy collecting and sorting your finds! Once, on a walk through a garden, my son asked me to take photos of the different flowers. Later on, we categorized the plants by sorting through the photos.
- 🧂 Make a recipe from a different culture and learn about it
This is one of my favorite things to do. And when kids learn a little about what they are making, it enriches their experiences in the kitchen. It’s a hands-on connection to new information that makes a big difference.
- 🪵 Build something simple with scrap wood or recyclables
Wood is a great material, but paper towel and toilet paper rolls count too. So does cardboard and empty cans. Let your imagination run wild!
- 🐾 Go on a silent nature walk and record what you hear
Staying silent the entire time might be difficult. But you can always set a timer and have a quiet time goal.
- 📸 Create a family photo scavenger hunt
Use cameras to capture specific items, scenes, or moments outlined on a list. Create a list that makes sense for the type of challenge you are seeking.
- 🧶 Learn a handcraft together (like finger knitting or weaving)
If you do an internet search for “fiber art handicrafts,” you’ll find lots of ideas to inspire you. But there are a host of other handcrafts that you can try as well.
- 🔥 Tell stories around a backyard fire or under fairy lights
Perhaps you can combine this one with the family story jar! Take turns removing an object from the jar and adding to the story a little at a time.
- 💌 Write and mail a letter to someone you admire
Who says the handwritten note is dead? I love making the act more enticing with cut paper collage notecards, fun writing instruments, and even a wax sealer.
- 🗺️ Let your child plan a “mini adventure” within 10 miles
You might need to help them figure out what’s within a 10-mile radius. What a great opportunity to pull out a map and see it visually!
- 📚 Trade books with a friend or host a mini book club
One summer, after reading the book Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman, we were inspired to hide books in public places for friends to find.
- 🌧️ Dance in the rain
Have you ever read Come on, Rain! by Karen Hesse? To this day, I still read that book and get teary because it reminds me so much of dancing in the rain with my mom when I was little. Those are cherished memories.
- 🪞Spend one afternoon doing absolutely nothing planned, and observe what unfolds
That’s right, a day of NOTHING. Sounds lovely, doesn’t it?
- 💦 Have a water balloon fight
I’m not sure which my kids think is more fun—filling the water balloons or having the actual water balloon fight. Both are enjoyable!
- 🎲 Have a family game night
We have tried to commit to doing this once a week. It’s a great way to build meaningful connection with your loved ones. One summer, we played so much of the game Play Nine that I never had to explicitly teach how to add and subtract positive and negative integers. Family game night for the win!
- 🌿 Grow herbs on your windowsill
Just choose your favorite, gather your supplies, and start planting! This is easy to do, and the herbs can be used for your summer meals.
- 🌅 Wake up early to watch the sun rise
Sleepy silence is a bonus. Awe doesn’t need any words.
Here’s to a lovely summer!
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