I’m going to be completely honest. Summer, overall, is not my favorite time of year. In Texas it’s hot. And I mean fry an egg, get burned if you’re out for a few seconds, wish I could be naked hot. Did I mention it’s hot?
So when it comes to the summer in Texas, I really only look forward to one thing – the Fourth of July. It is my absolute favorite holiday. I would melt into a puddle of sweat just to celebrate that holiday. I watch the movie 1776 every year on that day. To me, this holiday is the only redeeming factor about summer.
Maybe that means I should live somewhere up north where the temperatures aren’t in the blistering three digits. But let’s be real – I’m a wimp about the cold, too, so that wouldn’t work either.
When it comes to traditions during the summer, these were the hardest to come up with. Plans change yearly based on vacations and camps. Kids are out of school, but the weather is often too brutal to do much outside. There just seems to be less consistency and less that is inherently summer.
Sure, there are things we do every summer. We get out our swimsuits and jump back in the pool. We…
Ok, we spend a lot of time by the pool. I feel like, when I think about it, that’s almost exclusively what we do. Have an empty weekend? Might as well throw on our swimsuits and jump in the pool! My husband will often mow the lawn and do yard work in his swim trunks just so he can immediately jump in the pool to cool off afterwards.
Have I mentioned the blistering heat, yet?
Regardless, I am all about traditions. Something about the consistency, the knowing that we will have certain activities that we do every year, no matter what, brings me peace. It’s probably my Type A personality, but I’m ok with that because my kids love all the things we do. Some are centered around the holidays, but some are just fun things to do in the summer.
Traditions are important to a family’s well-being. Traditions create a bond within a family, strengthening relationships. Traditions create a foundation for memories. They create consistency for little ones, consistency that they will depend on.
Many things make up a tradition. The dictionary defines tradition as the handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, information, etc. Amy Griswold from the University of Illinois even wrote that traditions help reinforce to our children what our family values. Traditions may change as a family changes and grows, but the underlying value will remain. No matter whether the tradition is created based on religion, custom, or culture, the shared family experience will be the most important and memorable part for your children.
Here are some of my favorite summer traditions that your family can do, too!
Go Berry Picking
This is a bit of an overlap from spring because some berries aren’t even ready for picking until the summer, like blackberries and blueberries!
We started this last year and it was seriously one of the most fun things we have ever done. We had to drive about an hour to hour and a half north, almost to the Oklahoma border, to find the berry farm, but we made a day trip out of it and it was so fun, we are making it a tradition!
We found a farm that had blackberry, blueberry, and peaches to pick, but also a food truck – perfect for lunch – catfish pond, hay ride, giant slide, and more. Not only did we get to pick bucketfuls of blackberries and blueberries, but we purchased what we picked and added them to our lunch and snacks for days to come. Nothing is quite like a freshly picked blackberry and blueberry!
There are also local strawberry farms that will allow you to pick their fields. I have to say – there is nothing quite like the smell of a ripe, red, fresh strawberry.
This is such a unique experience and even young ones will enjoy seeing where the fruit come from and picking what they get to eat. Definitely check your local area to see what fresh fruit farms are nearby and have hours for picking.
Fourth of July Parade, 1776, and Fireworks Display
I mentioned above that the Fourth of July is my favorite holiday, but let me just reiterate – THE FOURTH OF JULY IS MY FAVORITE HOLIDAY! I love this holiday. Partially because the Revolutionary War is one of my favorite historical time periods to study but also because I love patriotism. I love cheering on our country. I love the beautiful colors of fireworks. I love apple and cherry pie. I love hamburgers. I would celebrate this holiday every day during the summer if I could. So needless to say, we have certain traditions every year surrounding this holiday.
On the Fourth of July, first thing in the morning, we get up and go to the Fourth of July parade. It’s not a huge parade in our city – no bands or anything like that – but it’s fun nonetheless to sit on the curb, wave our flags at the paraders, and cheer on our country. There are a few parades in our area and chances are there is one close to you as well. It’s worth it to check out the parades and local businesses that will create floats, even if it’s just a chance to wave an American flag.
Next, we go home and have a lunch cookout complete with hamburgers, baked beans, potato salad, fruit, and ice cream and pie for dessert. We swim, have some fun in the sun, eat until we are stuffed, and then dry off and go inside for mid-afternoon naps. That is one thing – the sun sure can make you tired.
During the afternoon, some of the kids will nap and we will watch one of my all-time favorite movies – 1776. It’s a movie adaptation of the musical about the writing and signing of the Declaration of Independence. The movie stars some well-known actors including William Daniels (you may know him as Mr. Feeny from Boy Meets World) and Blythe Danner. The songs are catchy and will definite-LEE get stuck in your head. (You’ll get that joke when you watch the movie.)
Finally, we head towards our fireworks viewing area. We used to go to my dad’s house at the lake for the Fourth of July. If you live near a lake or have the chance to experience fireworks over the lake, it truly is an awe-inspiring experience. At the lake where my dad lives, houses and communities from all around the lake will shoot off fireworks displays over the lake. Because of this, viewers who go out on the lake in their boats are treated a 360 degree view of spectacular, colorful fireworks. Boaters will let their boats float and enjoy the displays.
Nowadays, we stay at home and go to our city’s display. They have food trucks available, and we pitch our little tent for the kids to stay under while it’s sunny, keeping them from getting burned. We bring bubble wands and snacks and watch the fireworks with friends nearby. It may not be on a boat, but it’s still incredibly magical.
Family Vacations
Kids are out of school and families take vacations. It’s just the easiest time to figure out when to travel because you don’t have to worry about missing school. Whether you are traveling to see family, sending the kids to a relative’s house so you can get a few free minutes without them barging in on you while you go to the bathroom, or going somewhere exciting, family vacations can be a tradition.
We have a tradition on how to choose the location. After going to Disney World last year, we had so much fun that we decided every other year would be a Disney year. That means that it could be anything from Disneyland, Disney World, a Disney cruise or more! As long as it’s Disney themed, it’s on the table.
On the non-Disney years, our family will come up with three to five destinations we would like to go to. Then, one member of our family on a rotating basis will draw our family vacation from those choices out of a hat. Of course my husband and I pre-approve all of the choices that go into the hat to begin with to ensure that the choices are within our budget. It’s a nice way to keep the family involved in the choice and to explore different places. I imagine, as the kids get older, that we will have little presentations from the person making the location suggestion as to why it is a place that should be considered for the family vacation.
Wherever you plan to travel, whoever you plan to see, vacations can hold some of the best memories for kids. I know some of my fondest memories are from my travels with my family.
Grill Outside and Roast S’mores
When the temperatures start rising, doing a little more outdoor living just comes naturally. So dust off that patio furniture and fire up the grill! I love getting the kids involved in some of the prep work and they love watching their dad grill the food. With the larger area outside, I think it’s much easier to get kids involved in working as a family on dinner when it comes to grilling.
One of my kids’ favorite things to do is to roast s’mores over the grill. You can get a little table top grill or you can do it over the larger grill. Remove one of the grates so that you have access to the flame. Get some long skewers or straighten some wire hangers, add marshmallows, and you have the start to creating s’mores without the need of a fire pit (although bonus points if you have a fire pit).
It may just be dinner and s’mores, but grilling outside is something that is uniquely summer to me. The gathering of family, playing games in the backyard, and laughing at stories while roasting in the heat just screams summertime to me. Just make sure you wear plenty of sunscreen and mosquito repellent!
Go to Baseball Games
We are a baseball family, which may be surprising since we are from Texas, the land of football and we live solidly in Cowboy country. But we just can’t help but root, root, root for the home team. Every year we try to go to at least a couple of Texas Rangers games as well as several games for the local minor league team, the Rough Riders.
Major league games are awesome. They have big star players, big sound systems, and huge stadiums that can make the players look like little ants. There is something about the electricity that buzzes through you when you go to a major league game. There is something about watching a baseball game with family and friends that enhances the experience.
With that being said, if you haven’t ever gotten a chance to check out your local minor league, this is a must. The stadiums are much smaller, the players are usually unknown unless one of the major league players is healing and has been sent down to recuperate, but the atmosphere is just as electric. There are fun games and dances. There are prizes and competitions held on the field. My family loves to sit on the lawn and watch for home runs. Last year there was even one that came straight for us! I dove to cover our children, but the ball landed just behind us! The lawn seats are especially great for young kids because they can easily get up and move around without bothering others around them.
The boys of summer are the sport to watch during the hottest months. It’s America’s pastime! So practice your rendition of Take Me Out to the Ballgame and grab your glove for any fly balls that come your way and head out to cheer on the boys.
Camps… All the Camps
There are so many camp offerings during the summer. And I’m not even just talking about outdoor, hike-till-you-drop, pitch a tent camps. There are science camps, art camps, Vacation Bible School, and more! Nowadays it seems as though there is a camp for every kind of interest, including the kind outdoors.
Beyond Vacation Bible School and camps through Scouts, one of the best ways to discover the options is to check out your local recreation center. Every year, our city sends out a booklet with all of the city camps that are going to be available. These are often inexpensive options that provide a variety of interests in short week- or two-long camps. Your kids can explore all kinds of interests without breaking the bank.
There are larger sleep-away camps all across the country. I know, as a kid, I personally always thought going to a camp like what I saw in The Parent Trap would be amazing. And then I realized I didn’t really like camping in the outdoors, so maybe that wasn’t my cup of tea anyways. Whatever type of camp your child is interested in, it’s out there. You just have to do a little searching.
Summer may be brutally hot, but there are still plenty of opportunities to create lasting family traditions. Some may take place indoors as a retreat from the heat while others are required outdoor living. Some focus on celebrating our country while others focus on celebrating our family time. No matter how you choose to spend the summer, cherish that time when the kids are home from school and try to not let them make you too crazy by August!