I honesty can’t believe in less than one month kids in South Florida will be starting school again. The summer is FLYING by. While the summer days are exciting, I want to make sure we are using our days to their full advantage. There are still tons of things I want to make sure I do with my kids before we get back into the school routine.
Here are a few of the things I’m adding to our family summer bucket list. Most of them are low cost or no cost options, which makes it even better.
Picnic
Did you know July is National Picnic month? At the beach, at the park, after a morning at the park or honestly just a back yard dinner. Something about a picnic is special.
I fell in love with this Mickey Picnic Backpack Set. It is so easy to take on our travels with us and has an insulated back pocket to keep things cool on those warm Florida days. It also comes with plates, utensils, glasses and adorable matching blanket. Picnic Time will replace or repair your bags if they ever get damaged…so feel free to live your life. 🙂
They have a ton of other options too! Check their website to see what would be perfect for your family. This one can also be found on Amazon.
Random Act of Kindness
It doesn’t matter what time of year it is, teaching and showing your kids to be kind is one of the most important things we can do as parents.
Think about all of the workers that spend their day in the summer heat. Mail carriers, garbage collectors, lawn services. How can you make their day a little less hot? Think about putting together a small thank you basket and make sure to include ice cold drinks for them.
Also, take a look around your kids rooms. Have them select toys that they no longer play with but still have a lot of life left in them. Attach a note for another child and leave them at a park or playground where they know someone will find them. Have them stay to see the joy on another child’s face from their simply action.
If you haven’t used Canva yet to print fun cards and signs try it out. I absolutely love it, and it’s super easy to learn.
Home Made Ice Cream
Summer for me is all about homemade ice cream. Almost every summer memory has some sort of cold treat, and peach ice cream always reminds me of being young.
This ice cream maker was at Walmart for less than $20 and I had to grab it. They last forever and the possibilities are endless.
Grab some yummy summer fruit too. Cherries are super affordable right now, so I can’t wait for the boys to make our own Cherry Ice Cream. Create new family recipes you can make every year.
Movie Day or week or summer…
It rains. Everyday. If you aren’t in Florida that might be a surprise. People don’t think of Florida as being rainy… but it is. On those days you need a plan.
Our plan has been to work our way through the Marvel movies. That’s a BIG task.
It could honestly be any movies though. Pinterest has a bunch available. Here is a similar Marvel list. I think creating a 80’s movie list would be fun for older kids or Star Wars.
Explore Your City
Palm Beach County has amazing low cost educational resources that are perfect for kids and families.
The Schoolhouse Children’s Museum and Learning Center
– check my recent post about The School House Children’s Museum here.
Visit Your Library or Bookstore
Summer slide for your kids is a real thing. If they aren’t reading everyday over the summer, it’s really going to delay them at the start of school. Start now. Get back into the routine of reading.
The awesome thing about NatGeo Books is that they have something for every reading level. From beginners all the way to adults. Help guide your kids to the books they will be interested in. Create a goal of how many books they will read a week. Make it a game for the WHOLE family.
Think about what you can do this summer with your family to make memories. Take a minute to watch my WPTV segment and see what you might be inspired to do before school starts.
I do have to say I absolutely love visiting the station each month. Thank you for coming along on my journey.
This Florida Mom 