50 Things to do and see this summer
50 things to do and see this summer
Summer is here, finally! And despite the long and lazy days they're supposed to be, our lives are still full. We're still rushing to get to work and camp and wherever else life takes us. Sometimes when we do slow down, despite all that surrounds us, we're often looking for something to do. Sometimes we need to shake it up a little and break out of our ruts.
I find that summer gets harder as the children get older. Not only do they need structure and to keep busy, but the long lazy days of building sandcastles at the beach and running through sprinklers eventually lose their magic. As odd as it may seem, it is often harder to keep children interested and busy as they get older. As parents it's our obligation to make sure that their heads are not buried in their electronic devices all day. I love to take excursions with my children - both long and short and I love these adventures to be both entertaining and informative. There's no reason why all learning has to be tossed to the side when the school year is over. We're huge fans or museums, nature centers, botanical gardens and other areas where culture abounds. We are also fans of simply having fun for the sake of having fun.
I'm fortunate in that I divide my time between Newport, Rhode Island and Southeastern Connecticut. My children will also be in Maine for part of their summers. But there are down days and there are weeks when I purposely have nothing planned (camp, etc) so that I can enjoy my children and we can experience some things together. Time flies. Life is fleeting. My oldest will be leaving the nest in 2 years and 2 years later my middle one follows. I'm holding on to them and their time with me for as long as I can.
Below are some of the things I would like to do this summer - both with and without the children. Some of the items below are things we do every year and some are things that I've been wanting to do or try but haven't as of yet. When September comes I want the children to feel as though they've seen, learned and accomplished a great deal. I want them to look back on a summer with fondness that will be long remembered. I'd love to know what you would add to this list.
- Try paddleboarding
- Watch the sunrise on the beach
- Have dinner on the beach with friends and a bottle of wine
- Catch fireflies with the kids
- Spend an afternoon unplugged playing board games
- Take a nap on the porch
- Make ice cream
- Go strawberry or blueberry picking
- Make homemade jam from freshly picked berries
- Take a couple of road trips an hour away
- Take a couple of trips 2+ hours away
- Visit a vineyard
- Swim in the ocean
- Eat a lobster roll (or two or three or four or more!)
- Try kayaking
- Try paddleboarding
- Ride a horse
- Read 10 new books
- Revisit one of the classic books
- Visit the New York Aquarium
- Walk the High Line (have drinks afterwards!)
- Visit the New York Botanical Gardens
- Visit New Hyde Park
- Go to a flea market
- Shop the Farmer's Market
- Find a Drive-In
- Go to an outdoor concert
- Play Mini Golf - Go out for ice cream afterwards!
- Pay it forward - Do something kind for a stranger
- Enjoy a movie marathon on a rainy or really hot and humid weekend
- Collect sea glass and sea shells
- Try geocaching with the kids
- Try a new kind of exercise
- Start a container garden
- Go Geocaching
- Visit a new ice cream place every week during the summer
- Stay at a local hotel - the ultimate staycation - order room service
- Go for a hike or a long walk on the beach, on a trail, in the mountains
- Take a ride on a ferry or sailboat
- Rent a convertible for a day
- Have a bonfire on the beach complete with s'mores and sparklers
- Visit an arcade on a rainy day
- Go to a bookstore and stock up on summer reads
- Make a Summer Playlist
- Visit a museum
- Go to a carnival
- Visit a country fair
- Explore a new town
- Take an innertube ride on a lazy river
- Take a painting or photography class
*Image via New England Prepster, Tumblr