Five family quest ideas for the summer

Summer is our family’s favorite season. With the kids out of school and longer daylight hours, it is the perfect time to explore our neighborhood and spend lots of time outdoors soaking in the sunshine. It is when we feel like we can fully take advantage of all our city has to offer. All the options can be overwhelming for the person in charge of planning family activities though. These are the five quests that have worked for our family this summer.

Visit 5 different splash pads or swimming pools

My kids are not very tolerant of hot weather. So, one of the most popular activities for us in the summer is visiting splash pads or swimming pools where they can cool off. A visit to either, combined with a stop at an ice cream shop after, is the perfect summer day in my kids’ book.

Explore 6 different hikes with water features

Hiking holds a special place in my heart. I think that hikes on trails with play-friendly water features, such as streams and waterfalls, are the ideal family adventure. Even on hot summer days, shaded trails often make the heat more tolerable, and water features can provide a welcome cool-off. Of course, we always check online to make sure that the water is safe for the kids to play in.

Attend 4 different local festivals and events

We are very fortunate to live in a city where there are lots of local festivals and events happening in the summer. Personally, I am not a huge fan of the crowds that such events tend to draw. However, my older child thrives on the energy of a crowd, so we do try to go to a few family-friendly festivals every summer. Despite my dislike of crowds, it is always a fun time for us.

Play at 3 different playgrounds that are new to us

When school is in session and all the kids’ extracurricular activities are in full swing, we typically only visit the two playgrounds closest to our home. They are both wonderful playgrounds and one of the main reasons we go is that they are low commitment, and we can always count on having a few neighborhood kids there. Most recently, my older child has started complaining that playgrounds are boring and that they are now “too old for playgrounds.” I think part of the reason was that the playground equipment in our regular neighborhood playgrounds no longer challenges or interests them. This summer, we have made it a point to try different playgrounds that are farther from home but have more equipment designed for older children. It turns out that my older child is not “too old” for playgrounds after all.

Have a picnic at 5 different parks

One of my younger child’s favorite activities is to pack a picnic and find a park where we can lay out a picnic blanket and spend the afternoon eating, playing, and relaxing together. This is a particularly fun activity to do with another family or grandparents on a nice summer day when it is not too hot out. Lawn games make it even better. My favorite is a slackline that you can set up between two trees.

As for us, the next quest is already chosen: five zoos before the summer ends.