Guest Post ∣ Summer Adventure Series Part 1 – Capture a Playful Summer

By: Shawn Ledington Fink of Awesomely Awake

I’m taking a bit of time off this summer to truly relish in some summer magic with my family (and myself!). Beach vacations, business trips cross country, family staycations, adventure passports, and other bits of fun that will help us stay connected and making memories all summer long. While I’m away I’ve lined up a series of posts aimed at helping you make the same magic with your own family. Enjoy! xo. Beryl.

Summer is green with golden highlights.

It’s orange like steaming hot Maryland Blue Crabs, just like what I grew up eating as a child.

It’s brown like the creek bottoms we love to wade in so long that our feet become nearly frozen.

It’s sunshiney yellow like the tall sunflowers that grace the fields on a hot afternoon.

Summer is magical. You really don’t have to add anything to it to make it more perfect.

But, then again, I’m going into this summer with a bit of a romanticized view. I want it to be as easy as simply waking up and noticing how the sunshine hits the tops of the trees or the way the water glistens as it ripples along. And chasing fireflies and drinking lemonade and making ice cream and eating s’mores.

Is this a pipe dream, especially when kids who drop the B-word stand in the way of our perfect summer view?

If you read Pinterest you would think not. Anti-boredom kits galore. 100 things to do every which way you turn.

Boredom is just our chance, as parents, to show kids how to really live, how to really explore, how to really experience the beauty of a season.

At our house, there is a huge pile of books and art supplies growing tall in one corner of our dining room, which also serves as our art room. We’ll spend half our days creating things — planned and unplanned.

The rest of the time, other than an unplugged beach vacation and a drama camp my girls are signed up for, the most exciting our days will get will be roaming the woods and fields at local parks, swimming in our pool and going to a few $1 movies.

And, it feels like we’ve hit the jackpot, honestly.

But, I also know that to really have a magical summer, we have to plan ahead and be ready for just about anything.

Here’s 3 Tips to Capture a Playful Summer:

Create a summer moments list — Keep it short and simple. It doesn’t have to be a bucket. It just has to be a list of the most important summer moments you expect to have. Make sure everyone gets a chance to add a moment or two. And make sure it all happens. Don’t add anything you know just will not happen. Catching fireflies and drinking a glass of cold lemonade by the pool or lake are summer moments.

Get out early — Summers are hot. They can actually be pretty miserable. So plan to get outside early or stay up late and catch fireflies. Magic happens when the sun rises and when it sets.

Create theme days — You can create days like Move it Monday, when you all try out a new sport, or Try it Tuesday, when you all try something new together. This is one of the best ways to work in consistency and play during a hot, busy summer.

Get more ideas on how to fully enjoy this summer by signing up for The Playful Family Adventure, an e-course designed to get you living a more playful life as a parent.

http://awesomelyawake.com/the-playful-family-adventure/

Sign up in the next 24 hours and save 20% using the code CAPTURE2013