It’s almost here. One of just a few summers we get with our children before they spring forth into adulthood and go off to live out their dreams. One of just a few summers where our driveways are covered in sidewalk chalk, sprinklers serve a higher purpose of spraying kids in the face as they run through, and hands sticky from popsicles leave prints on everything in the house. 

1. Do what suits you and your family. There is no one perfect way to have the best summer ever. Some families like to have their schedules jam-packed with trips and activities. Others prefer slow, lazy days throughout the season. One big key to enjoying summer is to do it your way without guilt. If your family needs a slow summer, you shouldn’t feel bad when you scroll through all those beach and Disney photos. If you’re that family that’s busy doing something every week, there’s no need to feel like you’re stripping your kids of a slow and relaxed vacation! You know your family best, and you know what they need and what makes them happy, so just design the best summer for your family and don’t worry about what anyone else is doing. 

2. Connection is what’s really important. Whether you’re on the go or purposefully slow, the main ingredient to a summer to remember is connection. Being present and engaged with your children is going to fill their cup, and the joyful memories you make together will feel that much more special to them because they feel so very loved and connected to you. There are countless ways to connect, and it’s useful to know your child’s love language so that you can really speak directly to their hearts. Here are some ideas: Offer lots of hugs and cuddles. Make up a special secret handshake. Give lots of verbal affirmations.  Write notes, cards, or letters to them. Read aloud. Play together. Send them mail. Commit to at least 30 minutes per day to give your child distraction-free attention and watch the relationship blossom.

3. Read great books together. Reading aloud provides key benefits that prepare children for reading and learning. The greatest amount of brain growth occurs between birth and age 5, but older kids benefit, too! My family loves piling in together and listening to audiobooks. Even if you don’t take any trips this summer, your children can visit all sorts of places and live through many characters with books. Encourage your child to start a series and set aside reading time daily. It helps to create a special reading nook with pillows, blankets, and lights! There are tons of reading lists online to give you some ideas! Try readingrockets.org for lists divided by ages.

4. Pick one epic thing you’ve never done before. Have you ever camped out in the backyard? Have you gone to the zoo? Have you hiked all the trails in your area? Pick one thing that will make you child say, “Oh, that was the summer we
” This defining moment will make this summer stick out in their minds as one of the best ever. Need some ideas? Visit a nearby waterfall. Try out a trampoline park. Give ice skating a whirl. Host an incredible sleepover. Find a local carnival or festival. Search for free outdoor concerts. Watch a drive-in movie.

4. Pick one epic thing you’ve never done before. Have you ever camped out in the backyard? Have you gone to the zoo? Have you hiked all the trails in your area? Pick one thing that will make you child say, “Oh, that was the summer we
” This defining moment will make this summer stick out in their minds as one of the best ever. Need some ideas? Visit a nearby waterfall. Try out a trampoline park. Give ice skating a whirl. Host an incredible sleepover. Find a local carnival or festival. Search for free outdoor concerts. Watch a drive-in movie. 

5. Don’t throw away your routines. Sure, you can adjust for summer and be a little more lax, but if the routines just disappear completely, you may see more meltdowns out of your kids. Dr. Laura Markham of ahaparenting.com says that routines give children a sense of security and help them learn self-discipline. Setting up a good summer routine will help you and your child feel more structured and allows you have a little more control over the chaos of summer break.

The best tip of all is to just enjoy your summer with your family. We don’t get that many, so cherish this time and dwell in gratitude.