Make the Most of the Last Days of Summer With Your Kids Before School Starts

Every year, it happens the same way.

By the end of July, I’m usually looking forward to a little more routine. The house has been loud for weeks, bedtime has become more of a suggestion than a rule, and I can’t even tell you how many popsicles we’ve gone through.

Then suddenly, school is right around the corner.

Before I know it, we’re shopping for school supplies, trying on clothes to see what still fits, and wondering how summer disappeared so quickly.

As a mom of six, I’ve realized that the last few days before school aren’t really about squeezing in one more big vacation or spending a bunch of money. They’re about slowing down long enough to enjoy each other before life gets busy again.

Homework will be here soon enough. So will early mornings, packed lunches, sports practices, and all the running around that comes with a new school year.

Before all of that starts, here are a few simple ways to make these last days of summer count.

Let Each Child Pick One Special Activity

If your kids are anything like mine, they’ve probably spent all summer saying things like, “Can we go to the park?” or “Can we make cookies?” or “Can we have a movie night?”

Now’s the perfect time to let each child choose one activity they’ve really been hoping to do before summer ends.

It doesn’t have to be expensive or elaborate.

Maybe it’s feeding the ducks, getting ice cream, going to the splash pad, visiting the library, or having a picnic at your favorite park.

Giving each child a chance to choose something reminds them that their ideas matter, and it often ends up being just as much fun for everyone else, too.

Stay Up Late Just Once

Normally, I’m counting down the minutes until bedtime.

But before school starts, I love making one exception.

Stay outside after dark.

Watch the stars come out.

Catch fireflies if you have them where you live.

Make popcorn and watch a movie in the backyard.

Or just sit on the porch together and talk.

Those late summer evenings have a different kind of magic, and they’re gone before you know it.

Watch One More Sunset Together

This sounds so simple, but it’s one of my favorite ideas.

Bring a blanket outside, pack a few snacks, and simply watch the sun go down together.

No phones.

No rushing.

No checking the clock.

Sometimes it’s nice to just sit and enjoy the moment.

You could even ask everyone to share their favorite memory from the summer while you’re there.

Have a Backyard Campout

You don’t have to drive hours into the woods to make camping exciting.

Pitch a tent in the backyard if you have one.

Roast marshmallows.

Tell funny stories.

Use flashlights to read books.

Even if everyone eventually wanders back inside to sleep in their own beds (which has definitely happened at our house), your kids will still think it was an adventure.

Let Your Kids Plan the Day

Every once in a while, I like asking my kids one simple question.

“If you could plan the perfect summer day, what would we do?”

Sometimes their answers surprise me.

It usually isn’t anything extravagant.

They might want pancakes for breakfast, bike rides after lunch, a trip to the playground, pizza for dinner, and a movie before bed.

Giving them the chance to plan the day makes them feel important, and it’s fun seeing what they come up with.

Visit Somewhere New

You don’t have to travel across the country to find an adventure.

Visit a park you’ve never explored.

Take a walk on a new nature trail.

Check out a local museum.

Find a nearby beach or lake.

Sometimes simply going somewhere different is enough to make an ordinary day feel special.

Eat Dinner Outside

One of my favorite parts of summer is eating outside.

Spread a blanket in the backyard.

Take dinner to the park.

Eat on the porch.

Or pack sandwiches and have a picnic.

For some reason, even the simplest meal feels a little more memorable when you eat it outside.

Make One More Summer Treat Together

Summer just isn’t complete without a few favorite treats.

Make homemade lemonade.

Blend up milkshakes.

Build giant ice cream sundaes.

Slice up a watermelon.

Bake cookies together.

It’s not really about the food.

It’s about slowing down long enough to enjoy making something together.

Let Them Make a Mess

Summer is a great time to worry a little less about keeping everything spotless.

Pull out the paint.

Fill up the water balloons.

Play with sidewalk chalk.

Dig in the garden.

Bake something messy.

Make slime.

There will be plenty of time for neat and tidy once school starts again.

Take Pictures of the Ordinary Moments

Of course you’ll probably take first day of school pictures.

But don’t forget to capture the moments in between.

Bare feet running through the grass.

Sticky popsicle hands.

Kids covered in sunscreen after swimming.

Family game nights.

Reading books on the couch.

Years from now, those everyday moments might end up meaning the most.

Spend Some One-on-One Time Together

With six kids, I know firsthand how meaningful individual time can be.

It doesn’t have to be a big outing.

Take one child to get ice cream.

Go for a walk.

Browse the bookstore together.

Run errands with just the two of you.

Sometimes those quiet conversations happen when there’s no one else competing for your attention.

Ask a Few Fun Questions

One evening around the dinner table, ask everyone a few simple questions.

What was your favorite memory from this summer?

What made you laugh the hardest?

What was something new you tried?

What are you most excited about this school year?

You’ll probably hear stories you’d already forgotten about, and it’s a fun way to reflect on everything you’ve done together.

Read Together One More Time

Summer reading doesn’t have to end just because school is about to begin.

Visit your local library.

Let everyone choose a few books.

Pile onto the couch together before bed.

Even older kids often enjoy listening to a great chapter book.

It’s a simple way to wind down and enjoy a little extra family time.

Tell Them What You Love About Them

This one might be the easiest thing on the list, but it could also be the most important.

Before the school year begins, take a minute to tell each child something specific you love about them.

Maybe they’re thoughtful.

Maybe they’re creative.

Maybe they always know how to make everyone laugh.

Maybe they’re the first one to help a younger sibling.

Those little words of encouragement stay with our kids longer than we realize.

Start a Back to School Tradition

The transition back to school doesn’t have to feel sad.

Start a tradition your family can look forward to every year.

Maybe it’s homemade pizza the night before school starts.

A family movie night.

Ice cream after everyone picks out their school supplies.

A backyard campfire.

Or breakfast out on the first day of school.

It doesn’t have to be fancy to become something your kids remember for years.

Don’t Worry About Making It Perfect

As moms, it’s easy to feel like we have to cram every last bit of fun into those final days before school starts.

But your kids probably aren’t keeping score.

They aren’t going to remember whether you made it to every local attraction or crossed every item off a summer bucket list.

They’re going to remember feeling loved.

They’re going to remember laughing together.

They’re going to remember that one evening you stayed outside until it got dark, or the day everyone ate popsicles for dessert, or the picnic that ended with everyone chasing each other around the park.

Those little moments are what childhood is made of.

So if summer feels like it’s slipping away a little too quickly, don’t stress about making it perfect.

Just be together.

Because before you know it, backpacks will be packed, alarms will be set, and another school year will be underway.

And these sweet, ordinary summer days will be the ones you miss the most.