10 Summer Activities to Keep your Family Busy

                                                         

Well it's hard to believe but SUMMER is here! The end of this school year was really weird... It still feels a little incomplete as you weren't able to have your typical celebrations that you normally would with your class and you weren't able to give your kids a proper good bye. But that will not stop us from having a good summer. COVID - 19 may have added some restrictions on what we can and cannot do, so I have come up with 10 ideas of things that we are able to do while also adhering to social distancing guidelines.

1. Walk, bike, hike, etc. We have a walking path that is about 8 km down the path and back to our house. My oldest son loves to ride his bike now that he is able to and is always wanting to join me on my morning adventures. My youngest also loves to come along for the ride, as he is in the stroller and gets to snack along the way. Whether you have a walking path or not, getting out and enjoying the beautiful summer weather, while also ensuring you are adhering to social distancing guidelines. 

                                                         

2. Outdoor movie night! I love this idea and cannot wait to try it this summer. We unfortunately do not have a drive in Movie, which seems to be making a new comeback and that is just awesome!! So, what can we do for an outdoor movie? Well my plan is to get a small projector that I can hook up to my phone, set up a white bed sheet on our fence and then close up our Gazebo (as the mosquitoes in Northwestern Ontario are horrendous!) and curl up with snack and watch a good movie. I think my oldest son will love this and maybe my husband and I can also enjoy a movie night out in the gazebo too. 

3. Fishing/boat adventures. Both of our boys love to fish. They love being outdoors and just cant get enough of being out in the boat and heading out on an adventure. 

                                                            

4. Beach. Nothing can beat a beach adventure. Whether it's a beach that you can walk/drive to or a more private beach of your own or that you boat to. A beach adventure is always a lot of fun. The boys love to run and jump in the water, play with trucks in the sand and of course enjoy some snacks on the beach. We just had a beach day today to celebrate the first day of summer holidays and it was a much needed day of fun!

                                                            

5. Camping. We went camping as a family last year to Lilac Resort (just east of Winnipeg, MB) and it was a blast. This year we were on the fence about whether we wanted to go again because of COVID - 19 but have decided that we really are all to ourselves and that it will be safe to go. Camping is a great way to feel like you've been on a vacation while also ensuring that you are social distancing. Camping is also a great way to build family memories. My oldest son still talks about last years camping trip and is so excited to go again. 

                                                  

6. Picnic. This is a simple task but really is a lot of fun for the entire family. This usually involves some special snacks and foods that adds to the excitement. You can also add it onto a boat ride or a hike which makes it that much more exciting for everyone. 

                                                     

7. Back yard fun! You can have a lot of fun without even leaving your yard. Water activities like swimming in a small pool, water balloon fights, water gun fights. sprinklers, slip and slide or Bonfires and Yard Games. Your backyard can turn into an EPIC place to relax and also have a lot of fun with different activities. 

                                                      

8. Cooking together as a family. My boys both love to help out in the kitchen. They love to push a stool over to wherever I am working and see what they can do to help out. I love that they love to be in the kitchen helping out as this is a great way for us to make memories and bond together as a family. 

                                                 

9. Gardening. We love to grow our own veggies and some fruit. My boys love to go out and pick off the plants and enjoy the freshly grown fruits and veggies. This not only promotes healthy eating but they also love the growing process of watching the plants grow from seed to helping with the watering and weeding of the gardens. 

                                                     

10. Ice cream dates or build your own ice cream bar. We love ice cream in this house! We have a little corner shop that we like to walk to and grab a cone or a bowl to enjoy. We also have ice cream in the freezer regularly and I think it would be a lot of fun to create a build your own sundae bar. Have different types of ice cream, with different toppings to enjoy. Maybe this will have to be added onto a movie night out in the gazebo?

            

Here are lots of options of different activities to try. Remember to get out as it is easy to feel cooped up during this time but also ensure that you are adhering to social distancing guidelines to have a safe and fun summer break!