Help Yourself to Some Fresh Summer Pleasures
By Sandy Schroeder
Summer has always been my favorite time of the year. I have many wonderful memories of being a kid on my bike, swinging in my rope swing, and eating the most scrumptious homemade fried chicken and apricot jam.
If your memories have stayed with you too, it may be time to make a few new ones with your kids.
RealSimple did their best to come up with some great ones. See what you think.
Laugh a Lot
- Blow bubbles
- Go to a drive-in movie
- Play tag or kick-the-can
- Play miniature golf with your kids
- Go to a county fair and eat cotton candy
- Ride a roller coaster
- Catch fireflies in a bottle in the evening
- Pick berries from a berry patch and make jam
- Make lemonade from scratch and help your kids set up a lemonade stand
- Eat corn on the cob and slices of watermelon
- Nap in a hammock
- Sit and talk on a porch swing
Just Relax
- Look at the sky at night while lying on the grass or the sand
- Roll up your pants and go wading
- Pack a picnic and sit on a blanket to enjoy an outdoor concert
- Fill a basket with wildflowers
- Go fishing with your family
- Rent bikes and go riding with your kids
- Camp out by a lake and cook s’mores over the fire
- Go canoeing or kayaking
- Gather seashells at the beach or leaves in the park
- Walk barefoot in the grass
- Sleep with the windows open
- Smell fresh-cut grass
- Walk in the summer rain or watch a lightning storm
- Sit and read under a tree
- Have a family potluck reunion
- Grow some tomatoes
- Take an early morning walk and listen to the birds
Enjoy the Moment
- Play in the sprinklers
- Watch for a rainbow
- Use chalk to draw a hopscotch board on the sidewalk
- Make homemade ice cream
- Build a fort with blankets inside or cardboard boxes outside
- Make some playdough creations
- Play croquet on the lawn
- Have a garage sale
- Climb trees
- Camp in your backyard
- Fly a kite
- Have a squirt gun fight
- Create your own popsicles from pineapple or cranberry juice
- Play Marco Polo in the pool
- Drive to a national park
If these work for you, see what your family thinks, and keep looking for more ways to enjoy the summer with simple pleasures. It will be good for your family, your relationships, and your mental health.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Houston, Tex.