Counselor's Corner     

Summer Fun: Ideas and Links to Planning a 

Fun, Family Centered Summer.  

Someone once said, “We only have 18 summers with our kids so cherish the time we have with them.”  This doesn’t mean you have to break the bank and plan a lavish, exotic trip or quit your job to spend every waking moment "entertaining" your child or children.  However, with a little planning and preparation you can help your child fill their heart with summer memories that last a lifetime.  Here are some fun ideas you can try with your family.

First, start by having your children help create a list of fun summer activites or things to do.  Then try crossing one off every week.  Take a photo at each event you do, even if it is in your house, then print it out the following day.  Then, have your child write a little journal entry beside each picture.  Get creative and add to  it after each activity completed.  This is a great way for kids to practice their writing skills.  By the end of summer they will have also created a wonderful memory book filled with summer fun and family memories.  Here are 30 ideas to get you started:

1. Grab an ice cream at the Meadowlark Dairy on a hot summer night.

2. Attend an outside Concert in the Park.

3. Go on a picnic.

4. Go to the beach.

5. Plan a fun water day (sprinklers, water balloons, splash pad, etc.)

6. Go to a park in the evening and play until it starts to get dark.

7. Go on a hike.

8. Build a bird feeder out of old supplies or recyclable items.

9. Gather some empty delivery boxes and have your child build a robot, a hideout, or something creative.  

10.  Start a 1000 piece summer themed puzzle and spend 15-20 minutes everyday adding to it.  

11. Plant something in your garden or in a pot on your balcony such as tomatoes or a family favorite herb.  Encourage your child to care for it all summer long and try using it in a recipe with them.   

12. Bake something together.

13. Write a letter to or draw a picture for a family member that lives far away.

14. Get some bubbles and see who can blow the biggest bubble or whose bubble can last or go the highest outside.  

15. Have a scavenger hunt - try this one, or this one, or maybe this one.   

16. Watch fireworks (or play with fireworks) on July 4th.

17.  Go for a night walk around the neighborhood.

18.  Hold a family movie night.  

19.  Have a play date with a friend or two. 

20.  Participate in the summer reading program at the Pleasanton Library.  

21.  Have a family game night.

22.  Visit a museum.

23.  Go on a bike ride.

24.  Eat dinner outside.

25.  Attend a Movie in the Park night.

26.  Go to a farmers market.  

27.  Go Bowling. Earl Anthony’s in Dublin has kids bowl free days/nights throughout the summer. 

28.  Visit a lake and try fishing or renting a boat for the day.    

29.  Make homemade popsicles.  

30.  Have a family camp out in your backyard or in your living room complete with flashlights, sleeping bags and s'mores.