I've posted earlier about things that are going on in London during the summer - there are lots of great festivals and fun activities for the family to do. And while I am very compelled to constantly be planning something to do, I also feel like I want to sit back and smell the proverbial roses this summer and just let summer "be." I want to be able to feel zero guilt if I decide to laze on my hammock while my kids happily play in the yard. And you know what? I want to laze on my hammock even if the kids are complaining about being bored, and whining about how hot it is outside. Yup. It's hot kids. Go turn on the sprinkler because we don't have a pool and mama's not getting out of the hammock right now to take you to one - is this wrong? I don't think so. I've provided my munchkins with lots to do in our pool-less backyard (giant playhouse included) and I don't see why they can't figure out some fun and cool things to do without me constantly planning for them and getting them more stuff that will amuse them for some outside summer fun.
That being said, I'm going to, sort of, go back on my word of not telling kids what to play by compiling a list of things that bring us back to a "slower" time. A time when summer would stretch out endlessly between that last, glorious day of school to the dreaded 7AM wake up call, the first day back. To defend myself, this list uses as many things from home as possible - no need to whip out to the store to buy stuff. So here are a few things that I think kids and adults alike can enjoy and do for the sake of "doing," instead of planning. As always, feel free to add in the comments below. I'd love to hear about your sweet memories of fun!
- Impromoptu campout: Grab that playtent and let the kids (and yourself, if they are small) spend a night outside. Forgot to buy the ingredients for smores? Don't have a sleeping bag? Grab any snack from the cupboard, blankets from the couch and bring them into the tent - just being outside at a weird time of day makes anything seem extraordinary!
- Make a fort outside: Blankets, pillows, tarps, ropes, beach umbrella... grab anything that could create a fun play space for the kids. Bonus if you have trees with boughs low enough that the kids could attach their blankets to them.
- Beachball soccer: Have the kids kick as hard as they can and the ball still won't be turfed into the neighbours lawn. Even more fun if you throw a sprinkler into the mix - watch for slippery grass though, no need for accidents!
- Sidewalk chalk: Not just for sidewalks! If you're cool with it, have the kids decorate your shed, fence, side of the house. lawn chairs, or interlocking brick and create graffiti style fun all over! Make sure the chalk washes off easily afterwards with a hose since I've had some interesting results of "sidewalk chalk" NOT coming off, even after the most torrential downpour.
- Picnics: Take lunch outside or maybe into that fort you created.
- Arts'n'Crafts picnic: Throw down a blanket and take outside whatever craft your kiddo is into. Lego, playdough, cut and paste, beads, anything goes and always seems more fun under a tree or in an outdoor fort. Throw on some music, and have snacks in bowls for them to munch on while working away. Tidy up is simple by tucking the corners of the blanket in and gathering the mess in the middle.
- Watch the sunset : Grab a bowl of popcorn and have a seat as the sun goes down - especially if you have a great western view. You'd be surprised at how many great conversations can pop up as day slowly turns into dusk.
- Dance party: Bring some tunes outside, invite the neighbourhood kids and have a great time dancing! If you want to fancy-it-up, throw some balloons and streamers into the mix. Throw around some water balloons or turn on the trusty sprinkler for some cooling-off dancing. Again - watch for slippery grass!
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| Photo courtesy of CC Lewis |
There are so many options for enjoying summer in your own backyard. Take the time to sit back and literally, relax. It does wonders for making a person feel great. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go and enjoy my hammock whilst doing nothing at all.
Have a great day, London.
Disclaimer: Locally Urban Mom is not responsible for any harm that may come to individuals partaking in the abovementioned activities, or damages that may be incurred to property. As always, the opinions expressed are solely those of the Locally Urban Mom's. Locally Urban Mom does urge you to get out there, stay safe and have some fun :)
Thank you for your summertime post Locally Urban Mom.
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother used to send us out in the backyard with nothing but a shovel while she watched her shows. She’d hand us a spade and tell us to go and dig some holes, which we did . . . You may want to call Ontario One and request a locate before you let your kids play with shovels in the city of London; otherwise, it’s hours of fun, of planning, and of dreaming. Oh the projects we’d come up with armed with nothing but a shovel and our dreaming minds.
My neighbors have a movie night in the backyard each summer. They string up a sheet and project a movie onto it. We did this on holiday in PEI once, and it’s supper fun. It’s something I’d like to do more often. Who doesn’t love a movie outside? It’s like a drive-in without the cars. And . . . in urban Londontown there aren’t a lot of bugs to contend with, which is a great bonus.
My favourite week of the summer is the last week of summer. It’s my staycation with the kids. The kids have already done the daycamps, the camping trips, the swimming, the boating, the cottage thing . . . It’s all been done. We have nothing left to do, and we have five long glorious days to get it all done. There’s something magical about just hanging out with no particular purpose. It’s like when it rains at the cottage, and you’re stuck inside with nothing to do. Some of my favourite memories are created when there’s ‘nothing to do’.
Perhaps I’ll get a hammock for the last week of August and create some new memories. Now that sounds just about perfect. Thanks for the inspiration . . .