It’s summer! The kids are off from school and looking for excitement! I wanted to be able to give my son lasting summer memories without even leaving our house. Aside from the usual summer fun of taking trips, swimming at the lake, and playing with friends, I wanted to be sure to devote time to family togetherness. We love to take family vacations & special outings as a way to connect, but that is not always an option, especially not super frequently. Everyday, affordable activities can be just as special and memorable!
We have been making it a point to do something special together each day, even it’s only for 20 minutes, without distractions of phones or technology. If you play up the little moments you can really get your kids excited over something that may otherwise be just an ordinary task.
Here are our top affordable family togetherness activities we’ve had on repeat this summer!
- Movie Night! It really can be as simple as turning on a movie and having some special snacks. If you make it an event to look forward to, it will feel exciting. We break out the special popcorn cups and snack caddies on Movie Nights for a little bit of extra pizzaz! We like to pop microwaveable popcorn and my son really gets excited about picking a few pieces of candy from his never-ending Halloween candy bucket. We can watch movies all week long, but once it is called “Movie Night” and we all gather together as a family it becomes special. Week after week, my son still gets so excited for Movie Night & I hope we can always enjoy this easy family tradition as he grows!
- Deck Pops. It’s exactly what it sounds like. We eat popsicles on the deck & it has evolved into a magical activity. This is now our go-to after nap activity, so it’s usually just my son and me since my husband is still working. I’ve committed to letting my son have a popsicle every single day, but it’s summertime and we’re making memories! We sit outside and enjoy the weather, popsicles and conversation. Half the fun for him is picking out new popsicles every week at the grocery store, we’ve been loving trying new kinds every week. This can also help your grocery shopping trips go a little smoother! (And if you'd like to try to make your own, check out the blog post here.)
- S’mores! The classic summer treat. My son has really been wanting to go camping, but that’s just not something we are prepared to do this summer. We can bring some camping fun to our yard though! With just 3 simple ingredients, we make a fire in our fire pit and enjoy making s’mores together. We like to play the game iSpy while we are sitting outside enjoying our treats. You can also use the microwave to make s’mores if that better fits your needs!
I’d love to hear about how you are making memories this summer! What are your favorite at-home or affordable family activities?
Leave a comment