Summer officially arrives today, making this the longest day of the year. So how do you plan to enjoy Summer 2011? The possibilities are endless, and the warm outdoors beckon…so consider one, some, or all of the following options and then let the fun begin:
- Have a picnic
- Host an outdoor party with grilled items featured on the menu
- Make s’mores
- Go to the beach
- Build a sandcastle
- Add to your seashell collection
- Install a hammock, then enjoy it
- Go berry picking
- Head out on a hike
- Make homemade ice cream
- Make a homemade fruit pie: berry, cherry, rhubarb, peach, nectarine…
- Go camping
- Go to the pool
- Visit the zoo
- Sign-up for a road race (and, of course, train for it)
- Enjoy a bicycle ride
- Make homemade lemonade
- Grow herbs, tomatoes, and other vegetables for use all summer long (and beyond, if you preserve them)
- Check out some great summer reads at your local library
- Enjoy an outdoor play or concert
- Stop by a local art gallery
- Window shop, just because it’s warm enough outside and you can
- Visit a small, nearby town and discover all that it has to offer
- Shop at your local farmer’s market. It’s okay to be thrilled about doing this all summer long.
- Use your melon ball scooper (Now is the time! After all, how many times a year can you actually use this item on fresh fruit?!)
- Get out your slip-n-slide, invite your neighbors over, and let the fun begin
- Run through the sprinklers…skipping and singing is optional
- Enjoy iced food items (think: frozen grapes, homemade popsicles, chocolate-covered frozen bananas, and of course, ice cream sandwiches)
- Go to a lake, pond, or the local swimming hole
- Join a local dog-walking group
- Take an outdoor art class
- Send the kids to a day camp (or an overnight camp)
- Go to a baseball game, or set-up your own baseball or softball game with family or friends
- Play golf, soccer, and any sport that you can’t play outdoors in January
- Go waterskiing, boogie-boarding, surfing, wakeboarding…
- Go on vacation
- Enjoy a staycation
- Create a backyard or beach volleyball league…athletic skills are optional
- Carve out some time each day for reflection, prayer, contemplation, or quiet. Moments of stillness are always a good idea…year-round.
Have a favorite summer activity not mentioned above? Share it with us and it could appear in a future blog post!
* Photo by Stephanie Berghaeuser