10 ideas & activities to have an epic summer
Summertime is my favorite. Hands down, no contest, 100% the best season ever. Why does it always seem to go by so fast though? Before we know it the leaves are turning and usually I didn’t get near as many fun things done as I wanted. Today I thought I’d share my plan to have an epic summer. Hopefully it’ll give you some ideas, and I’d love to hear any and all suggestions you have in the comments! Let’s get started!
Epic Summer Ideas:
1. Stick to a schedule
Hear me out here. I sat down and planned a whole summer schedule. No, we aren’t cemented to doing it 100%, but I’m using it as a guide to make sure we get out, have fun, but still keep the house and life in general in order weekly.
The kids have their schedule and I have mine. My “adult” schedule outlines what days I’ll typically try to get laundry done, clean the bathrooms, weed the yard, etc. I also plan out easy summertime dinners on Sundays so I know what to remove from the freezer to thaw, when to grab the crockpot, or make sure we have enough propane if we’re BBQing.
2. Watch Shark Week, Returning this July
You guys, you know I loooooove with a fierce passion Shark Week. It’s my goal one day be involved in some way. I’d feel my life was complete after an experience like that. The ocean is a passion of mine. In another life (and if I was a little more book smart 😉 ) I’d have been an oceanographer. This is my post from last year, where I include live streaming links to the Georgia Aquarium and their Whale Sharks!
3. Complete a 5k, 10k, half marathon or full
This makes me super giddy! You all know my goal is not one but two half marathons this fall. But you can train for anything. Find a 5k, 10k, a tough mudder or maybe a local color or foam run.
Last year was race free for yours truly because I was still recovering (and scared of re-injury) from running the Seattle Rock N’ Roll marathon, dealing with a knee issue, and treating my Morton’s Neuroma. This year I’m much better equipped to handle my ongoing knee problems and as far as Morton’s Neuroma, it still hurts, (and always will) but after my last injection over two years ago now it seems to be maintaining at a pain level of around 4, which is totally workable.
Need help training? Check out my:
Running with kids: Half marathon training for parents
Training for a half or full marathon after baby
4. Swimming once a week or more
I’ve made it a goal to get the kids to the lake (or pool) at least once a week. Tyrion is a little fish and Evelyn is always saying “I go swimming!”. This is Tyrion’s second year of taking swim lessons and I don’t want him to forget everything he just learned, so we’ll be frequenting our favorite lakes often to just get out and relax. It’s good to adventure away from home, especially for me, because if I’m home I can always find something to clean or work on, and being away really allows me to detach from wife duty and be silly and fun with the kids. Plus reading a good book on the beach is always enjoyable.
5. Crafting with the kids
The kids and I searched Pinterest and picked out about 10 crafts they really wanted to do. I made a list of supplies and headed off to Hobby Lobby where we purchased all the goodies to construct said crafts. We’ll work on these bigger projects about once a week, with plenty of coloring, painting, playdough, and more on all the other days.
6. Adventures
I want us to be outside as much as possible, so adventuring we will go! What is your town or area known for? Lots of lakes? Beautiful mountains? An epic zoo or water park? Make a list of the places/things you want to do that are outdoors, and commit to crossing one activity & place off each week. The app AllTrails is great for helping you to find kid friendly walking and hiking trails in your area.
This is a fun book for my local readers.
7. Go paddleboard or canoeing
This is a great adventure for the family! Find rental location in your area, and then head to a calm local lake or lazy river. We tried (unsuccessfully) last year to make it out paddleboarding and we also have a canoe we’ve never used! Not okay! I want to head out this year with the kids and show them there’s more to do on the water than just swimming.
8. Spend a night outdoors
This could be as big as heading out on a camping trip or as small as pitching a tent in the backyard. But how fun for the kids. Any night mine don’t have to sleep in their beds but can sleep “somewhere cool” is a win in their books. So pitch the tent and make a fun summer night of it. The memories made will almost make their summer. Promise.
9. Print out a star map and head out one night to stargaze.
Find the darkest area of your town on a super clear night and find the big dipper, little dipper, and more. Click here for a list of the common constellations.
10. Host a backyard BBQ & S’mores
Get your friends together for a chill BBQ with s’mores for dessert. Nothing says summertime like kids running through the sprinkler, the grill giving off an amazing smell, and a warm night with plump marshmallows turning brown in the flames. Yep, that’s when you know summertime has arrived. Keep it relaxed as you want or make it an event and rent or purchase a outdoor movie kit.
This is the projector we have and this is the screen. We love our set.
That’s our families plan to make summer memorable. What have you done, or are doing, this summer to make it an epic summer?
