Tired of the Beach?
Ideas for varying summer activities
By Debbie Swanson

School’s out; the calendar’s stretching before you. You’ve been to the beaches, now everyone is itching to do something different. Here are twenty ideas to pull out next time you’re surrounded by “I’m bored!”

1. Have a suppertime picnic. If your favorite beach or park is a bit crowded during the day, it may be one of the most peaceful spots in town once 5:00 arrives. Pick up a pizza, pack some gear and have a suppertime picnic. Let your working spouse know where to meet you!
2. Is your hometown just a drive away? Kids love to hear what your childhood was like. Take them for a drive down memory lane. Stop at your old school(s), walk along the street where you once, and go looking for your favorite ice cream shop.
3. Be a local tourist. Take advantage of some of the cultural activities.
4. Go ice skating. Many rinks offer public skating hours over the summer. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by the lack of crowds, not to mention the instant air conditioning.
5. Go hiking. Ask at the library or town hall for a map of walking or hiking areas.
6. Volunteer. Does your town have a soup kitchen, animal shelter, or hospital? Regular volunteers are often away for the summer, leaving these places in need of extra hands.
7. Use your backyard! Choose a day to keep free of plans. Right after breakfast, set up your backyard as the place to be. Pull out the sprinklers, yard toys, and sports equipment. Give in to that messy craft the kids have been begging to do. Paint the girls’ nails, snip the boys’ hair – take every advantage of being outside.
8. Tie-Die. This timeless activity lends itself to summer. Many craft stores sell an all-inclusive tie-die kit, just add white clothing. Set up outside, using a plastic pool and hose for water.
9. Pack up a full-blown, old-fashioned picnic spread and visit a loved one at work.
10. Work out a swap program with some dependable friends. This can be as simple as an occasional play-date swap, or a more organized weekly arts and crafts or sports-themed swap.
11. Make ice cream! Find two, resealable containers that fit inside each other with room to spare. A large coffee can works well for the outer, and a small plastic container, or zipper-seal bag, works well for the inner. In the smaller container, add: 1 cup of Half & Half, 2 TBL sugar, and a dash of vanilla or your favorite extract. Seal firmly (reinforce with duct tape if in doubt) and place it inside the larger container. Fill the space between the two with ice cubes and 1/3 – 1/2 cup of salt. Place the lid on the outer container, then get mixing: roll it back and forth on the driveway, toss it around a circle, or simply take turns shaking. After 10 minutes, it should have the consistency of soft serve.
12. Exercise the vacationing brain. Let the kids choose a fun project to work on over the summer – studying birds, insects, or the night sky. Get a good identification book or web site, and a blank log book.
13. Travel “abroad”. Particularly fitting for a rainy day (or week), choose a country and become armchair explorers. Get library books, make some simple recipes or get take out, explore the music. Learn a few simple words or phrases.
14. Do you have family or friends a distance away? Have a letter-writing/ picture-making/photo-posing blitz. Put older children to work writing a family newsletter, and have the little ones provide the artwork. Gather your results in a sturdy box, toss in a few goodies, and surprise your loved ones with a mid-summer care package.
15. Go out for art. Pay-as-you go art studios are popping up all over, such as ceramics and plaster studios, bear or doll making, and others. Look for locations near you.
16. Form a book club, either as a family or a small group of similarly-age friends. Read a book, talk about it, and make a book-inspired snack or craft. Rent the movie on the next rainy day.
17. Visit the library. Most hold a summer reading program, offering small rewards for books read. Many also offer discount passes to local museums and attractions. If you’re a regular at your town’s library, explore a nearby town’s library for a change of pace; your card may grant borrowing privileges.
18. Clean the garage, basement, or other catch-all room. It may not sound fun, but once you get going you’ll be surprised at what you pull out. Likely you’ll find a combination of things for the trash or donation, plus things that may prove entertaining, even for just a short time. You’ll end up with a clean room as your reward.
19. Want the kids to organize their collections, or are they looking to take up a new one? Check out the Guinness Book of World Records from the library. Read through it together for enjoyment, or start your own family records and collections!
20. Brighten someone’s day. Pack up goody bags for the children’s hall of the hospital, make a gift basket of toiletries for a shelter, or collect towels, food and treats to bring to the animal hospital.

Some days it may seem like an endless summer, but before you know it your family will be caught up in the hustle and bustle of back to school. Set aside a few days to have fun and enjoy some time together!