Hello, Summer!

Welcome to Day 1 of Summer Vacation!

The lazy days of summer are the perfect time to unwind and enjoy the beautiful sunny weather, but every parent knows how hard it is to get the family to spend time together without having a fall-out, tantrum, an accident or incessant bickering. So, what can be done to try and break the summertime boredom and make that time a bit more enjoyable so that everyone gets some time to bond with each other?

First things first, an electronics ban is a good idea. Depending on the current rules and the age of the kids, this could cause a huge drama and bring negative association to family time. Sometimes, it helps to trick them into thinking it isn’t actually a ban but a precaution, so they don’t “fry their brains”, smash their precious phone or drop it into water.

Four Ways to Make Family Time More Fun This Summer

Paddle Boarding

Summer in Florida means lots of water based sports. This is a great way to rope in the older kids who are missing their virtual toys. If your kids are younger, try something a bit more suitable such as canoeing. Water sports hare the perfect way to engage kids at all ages and get outdoors for the day.

Cycling

Getting out on bikes is a fantastic way to see the world, and you can stop off at various spots along the way; maybe taking a picnic so you can all sit down together and talk about what you saw along the way. For the younger ages, you can buy a seat to fit on the back of your bike so they can come along too. There are loads of great routes that you can find through various bike route planning websites that will find you safer routes as well and ones that consist of only cycle paths. Check out my list of my family’s favorite bike trails in Tampa Bay.

Road Trip

Of course, the Run DMT family has a few road trips and one tank trips planned this summer. The idea of road trips can be boring for some kids, but if you have a child that is learning to drive (like this Mom), you could practice on some quieter roads where there is a lesser risk of potential accidents. Did you also know that you can access free mock tests to practice? Check this site out to find out more, and hopefully help your kids pass their driving tests quicker so that you can be relieved of your taxi duties!

Cruising with the tops down in the 2018 Audi A5.

Game Night

Summertime afternoon showers in Florida can really put a damper on fun. That’s why my family always keeps a deck of cards on hand when we travel for an impromptu game night.

Since kids love games, planning a weekly game night during the summer  months brings the family together is a fun way. The beauty of a family game night is that everyone can get to choose a game of their choice. So, if that means you have to shoot aliens on the Xbox (You’ll have to lift the electronics ban for this one.), then so be it. As soon as the kids realize that you are prepared to make a fool of yourself on their games, they might be more willing to take part in board games and more traditional family games.

Spending time as a family is really important whatever age your kids are. When they grow up and leave home, you may look back and wish that you had made more time and made more effort to get everyone together for some fun.

How will you fill the longer summer days with your family?