School Starting

It’s hard to believe, but summer break is quickly drawing to a close. School starts up soon, and fall will be upon us before we know it! Because we homeschool, our first day of school is technically today. We always start on August 1st. So today, we set up our homeschool room and got everything ready so we can kick off a great week of school next week.

Fitting In Family Fun

With that in mind, we decided to make the best of the last week of our summer break. On Wednesday morning, we surprised the kids and told them to pack for an overnight in Lancaster, PA. I am not a very spontaneous person, by nature. I have to work at it, but every once in a while I can be. A few summers ago, we did something similar with our kids.

We had an awesome night away in Lancaster. We got to swim in the outdoor pool, go to a park, visit a used bookstore and Barnes and Noble, go to an orchard for fresh cherries and cherry cider, and more.

Then on Friday, our last day before school, we headed about an hour away to a great park. We grabbed lunch and took it with us to the park. The kids played for a while. After they got tired and hot, we sat at the table and played card games together.

We had a great summer, but just taking these last few days and adding some extra special time together as a family set us up for being ready to start back with school. The kids are excited for a new year.

10 Family Fun Ideas

If you’re looking to fit in some family fun in the next few weeks before school, here are ten family fun ideas to try before school starts.

1. Grill out and eat outside. We got Matt a grill for Father’s Day and cooked out almost every night of the week this summer. Each night, we would fill the cooler with ice and put in drinks. Then we just sat on the back deck and talked while the kids played and Matt grilled.
2. Plan a day trip away. Pack up for a day away without telling the kids where you’re going.
3. Surprise your spouse or your kids with an overnight. A change of place and pace can be just what we need to relax and enjoy time together as a family before school starts up.
4. Take lunch to the park. It doesn’t have to be something fancy. Our kids just love doing picnics at the park, whether that’s homemade PB and J sandwiches or a box of chicken nuggets from McDonald’s. Food always tastes better at the park.
5. Take each of your kids on a back-to-school date. We do this each year before school. Each kid gets a day away with me. They pick where to go for lunch. Then we go shopping for school supplies and a new backpack. We finish off the day with a special treat somewhere, usually ice cream.
6. Plan a movie night. Movie nights are always a sure thing. It can be as simple or as elaborate as you want it to be. Our go-to is popcorn popped in our popcorn maker with butter and some shaker kettle corn seasoning on it.
7. Fit in a last trip to the beach or to a lake nearby or a splash park. Getting wet is the best part of summer!
8. Take a walk or a bike ride together in the evening, just for the fun of it. The other night when it started cooling down a little, we went to the park. The kids played on the equipment for a little bit; then we threw a football around. There was a light breeze blowing; it was so nice and peaceful.
9. Surprise the kids by taking them out for ice cream or water ice instead of getting ready for bed. I’ll be honest, we don’t do that very often. When we have though, the kids think it’s the most amazing thing ever! Once or twice, they have been in pj’s when Matt told them to get shoes on and head to the car.
10. Plan a family game night. Our kids love playing games. Occasionally, I will set the table with a fun tablecloth, put some snacks in bowls, put out juice boxes, and stack our games on the table. Some of our favorite family games are Uno, Skipbo, Dutch Blitz, Ultimate Werewolf, Codenames, Guess Who Cards, and Ticket to Ride.

Hopefully, this list got you thinking about some ideas. What are some things that your family does before the kids head back to school?