Summertime Family Bonding Activities

Summertime doesn’t have to mean complaints of boredom. In fact, the less structured months of summer allow for a more relaxed environment that creates the perfect time to truly connect. Taking the time to enjoy some summertime family bonding activities is a great way to not only stave off the complaints of boredom but also strengthen your family relationships.

This year more than ever, we need to find ways for kids to not give in to boredom. I’m a huge believer in the fact that boredom can lead to creativity if we allow our kids to self-discover their own solutions.

Don’t tell kids what to do. Instead ask them what they can do. Encourage them to try new things. Set them outside and ask them to find five things they’ve never seen before. Boredom doesn’t have to be boring!

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That said, there are times when moms (and dads) can get outside with the kids… or, even set down together around the table to spend time doing family bonding activities.

Summertime Family Bonding Activities to Help you Connect

There are assorted types of activities that you can engage in with your family this summer. You want to ensure that you are not only creative with your choices but that you are choosing activities that truly help to strengthen your family bond. 

Learn Something New Together

Education doesn’t just take place in a schooling environment. In fact, it always begins at home. Connecting through learning something with your family is a great way to create a deeper appreciation for one another and strengthen your bond.

Choose activities that promote learning like going to a new fitness class together, participating in a new sport, or simply visiting a museum. A family that learns together, stays together.

As different businesses begin opening up. Choose 1 or 2 to visit each month. Set aside a specific day and make it a priority to try this new activity together.

Get Back to Nature as a Family 

There is nothing quite like getting back to nature as a family. Not only does the great outdoors provide a relaxing backdrop for family bonding, but it can provide several opportunities to truly connect.

Whether you chose to take a walk, visit a local nature park, go for a hike or even sleep under the stars on a camping trip, getting back to nature is a great summertime family bonding activity. 

Now, it’ s so important to get outdoors and breathe in the fresh air. If we aren’t careful we’ll all become couch potatoes! So be sure to use this extra time with family to explore some local parks.

Create Something Together

The warm weather the summer brings is perfect for completing outdoor projects. Create something together as a family. You can choose to create gardens and plant plants together, paint the fence or build a gazebo.

No matter what you choose, you will have to work together to complete it. Encouraging teamwork within your family is a fantastic way to bond, especially when you are working together toward a common goal. 

Document Your Summer Adventures

The memories created when you participate in summertime family bonding activities can last a lifetime. Especially if you take the time to document them. Kids get a kick out of being the designated photographer or videographer, so let them take turns being in charge of the camera.

Not only will your family be able to reflect on your summer adventures, but some of them will be seen through the eyes of your children. The videos can be compiled into a fun documentary and the photos can be used to create a summer scrapbook. 

This not only creates a wonderful family keepsake, it also helps your kids learn, or develop specific skills.

Do a Summertime Family Read Aloud

Grab your favorite classic book and engage together in a read aloud. Family members can take turns. Or, each person take a character and be the voice of that character passing the book back and forth. If you do it this way, choose one person to be narrator for all of the non-spoken parts.

Another great way to do a read aloud is by using an audio book. I recently found the entire Chronicles of Narnia series (all SEVEN books) as a boxed set on Audible. Which means I was able to get it for ONE credit. That’s such an amazing deal.

I plan to use this audio recorded version to set aside family time for a family read aloud. I’m so excited about this idea.

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There are many summertime family bonding activities that can make this summer the best one yet. Just remember to get creative, learn something new together, get back to nature, work together on a project and document your summer adventures or read together as a family.

Which one do you think is the most doable idea for your summer? Share your pick in comments, or let me know of another fantastic way to incorporate family bonding this summer.