The last days of summer are getting closer, and many of us are already starting to feel autumn’s chill in the early evening air. But summer isn’t over yet! Most schoolchildren are still enjoying their summer break, our summertime themed Jim Shore figurines are still in stock, and the sun is still shining. Don’t start thinking about autumn yet, when there are still ice creams to eat and beaches to enjoy.
To help you keep living in the summertime moment, are five ways to make the most of your last days of summer with your family:
Set Your Alarms Early
If your kids like to laze around in bed during the summer holidays then you may feel like you don’t get to spend much time with them, even though they aren’t at school for six weeks. Shake them out of bed and break those lazy morning habits by setting an early alarm for a few days. Get your children out of bed and get out the house. Waking up early will give you longer days to spend together, and can even mean you have the time to plan fun activities or family days out together.
If your kids are reluctant early risers then why not plan an early morning jog, bike ride or walk in the park together? This will get their endorphins flowing and wake them up, leaving them full of energy and ready for a full day of family fun. Spending the whole day together is a great way to enjoy the last days of summer, and squeeze in as much time together as you possibly can.
Pick a Souvenir
A great way to remember the happy days of summer is to buy your children a souvenir to remind them of all the fun that you have had together. If you buy them one souvenir every summer, then they will have a wonderful collection of memories and visual reminders by the time they leave school.
Why not start a themed collection, such as a collection of Jim Shore figurines or, if you spend your summers abroad, of foreign coins to give this new souvenir collection a sense of fun and cohesion? These are the kinds of objects that most kids will treasure forever.
Play in the Park
If you have younger children then you have no doubt spent plenty of your days in the park this summer. But how many of those days have you actually spent playing in the park? Many parents watch their children play in the park but are too self-conscious to play alongside them. Why not make some magic memories by heading to the park together and embracing the fun?
Your children will be amazed and delighted to see you play with them in the park, particularly if this impromptu display of fun is unexpected. By giving your kids your undivided attention in this way, you will create shared memories of playing together in the park, rather than memories of mum taking them to the park.
Throw an Impromptu Party
What better way to celebrate the end of summer than by throwing a back to school party for your kids? Get all of their friends together and celebrate summer! The celebration doesn’t have to be flamboyant or expensive, but your kids will love the decadence of having a party when it isn’t their birthday. Why not throw a barbeque, make ice cream sundaes, or ask the kids to arrive in their swimwear and throw a big water fight? Carefree, exciting, and fun for all the family, this is one of the very best ways to enjoy the last days of summer with your family.
Take Time to Look Back
Finally, the summer holidays go on for such a long time that it’s easy to feel like you’ve wasted them, but you’ve probably done much more together than you think. Sit down with your kids and take the time to look back at and reflect on the fun of their school holidays. If you have taken any photos then share these, as many kids find a visual aid helpful.
Ask your children to share their favourite day out or moment of the summer holidays. The memories that they treasure might surprise you! This is a great bonding experience, and a wonderful way to spend one of the last evenings of summer.
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