We’ve all heard the cliché that parents dread summer vacation just as much as their kids look forward to it. But it doesn’t have to be that way! Managing the kids’ extra free time is all about finding activities that you all enjoy doing. This helps keep everyone occupied and organized, and lets you come together and enjoy good, clean summer family fun.

Benefits of Summer Family Fun

Here are just some of the benefits of taking the time to have family fun:

• Families develop stronger relationships: Spending one-on-one time with each of your children builds trust and creates lifelong memories.
• Children feel loved and important: Feeling valued builds self-esteem and self-worth and can lead to a more fulfilling life.
• Parents become role models: Time with your kids means opportunities to model good behavior, habits, and morals that you want to instill.
• Children are more comfortable with you: Growing up means going through a lot of changes, and most of them can be confusing for kids. Being in a close-knit environment where they feel comfortable enough to voice their thoughts and feelings can make all the difference.
• Parents can help children grow: Helping kids reach their full potential comes from the ability to learn children’s strengths and discover areas for improvement.

And finding that quality time can be simple! Here are five ways to have good summer family fun.

Five Ideas for Summer Break Fun

Go Camping 

Some families have their own camper and campsite that they frequent in the summer months, but even if that’s not you, camping as a family doesn’t have to go any further than your own backyard. Set up a tent or sleep under the stars right behind your house. OUTDOORSGEEK rents out tents of all kinds and ships nationwide.

Meal Prep 

Sit down together and pick out meals that the whole family will enjoy. You can do the planning, shopping, and cooking together as a family a few times a week. This isn’t only fun, but it teaches your kids some new life skills. You can even find an inexpensive menu planner for the fridge.

Pizza & Movie Night 

Take a break from meal planning with a scheduled pizza night once a week. Routines like this are fun to look forward to for kids and everyone loves pizza paired with a family-friendly movie.

Book Club 

Depending on the age of your kids, you can all read a book together or do read-aloud time for younger kids. The important part is to be reading every day. If you need some tips, read this article: How to Start a Family Book Club.

Get Active 

Go for a walk, take a bike ride, go swimming. Pick any activity that the whole family can participate in and have a good time with. Physical activity is good for the body and mind, and it’s a great way to spend the summer.

As important as this family time is, don’t be afraid to take some time for yourself! Get a babysitter and go on a date. The kids will love having someone else around and you’ll get to relax for the night—win-win!