10 Summer Activities to do Before Going Back to School!

What– it’s August already!?!

It’s the beginning of August, and although I know that I still have 4 weeks before I go back to work, this is the time of year that I sit down and go over what I still want to accomplish before the END of the summer.  Especially for my kids, I find August to be the more exciting month of summer.  Normally, this is the month that I’m trying to jam everything in, making the end of summer count and “feeling” like the best summer ever!  For this reason, this means doing as many summer activities as possible!

My goal for the final 4 weeks is to complete at least 2 summer activities per week- besides all the “other” August things that need to happen such as back to school shopping, planning for classes, setting up classroom, and other day to day chores.

Here are 10 end of summer activities that I want to do yet that will finish the summer on a high note!  These are must-do’s of any summer with kids!

10 End of Summer Activities–

1.  Campfire:

August is when the nights start cooling down.  We love to enjoy one of these cooler nights sitting around the fire, relaxing and listening to the crackling sound of the wood.  This is the time that we get to reflect on our summer, enjoy some family time, and of course roast some marshmallows!  Preparing for this evening is simple- chairs, blankets, fire, marshmallows, graham crackers, and lots of chocolate!

2.  Breakfast out:

Once school is back in session, this won’t happen for either the kids or myself.  So, this is definitely a must-do before summer ends.  There is the perfect spot in my town that has the best pancake options too!

3.  Going out for ice cream:

I know, I know, this is an obvious one- everyone needs to go out for ice cream in the summer time.  But this is just an added reminder that summer is coming to an end and going out for “one more” ice cream is the added bonus!

4.  Matinee movie:

Again, when is the next time that a matinee movie can happen?  Why not spend a rainy day at the movie theater catching the latest flick.  I’m hoping to take the kids to go and see the new Christopher Robin movie before school starts back up!

5.  Mini-golf:

My kids are big fans of mini-golf!  They like the challenge of putting the golf balls into the cups and how each hole is different.  It’s funny to watch their strategies- my oldest son likes to play by the rules while my youngest son just keeps hitting the ball until it gets into the cup- hahaha! We have a great mini-golf place close by with pirate ships and waterfalls- very entertaining!

6.  Beach Day:

This one requires some planning for the day– where to go, what to bring, snacks, sunscreen and beach activities!  A day where nothing else is important and spending hours at the beach is the priority.  At the beach, the family can play games in the water, build sand castles, bury each other in the sand, or collect shells on the beach!  What a great day!

7.  PJ Day/ Lazy Day:

My favorite kind of day! Lounge around all day in pajamas, be lazy, watch re-runs, play board games, eat whenever and don’t do any kind of chore all day long!  (or at least until late in the day 🙂 )

8.  BBQ Get Togethers:

In the final few weeks, make plans to have get togethers with friends and family.  Once school starts up, life gets busy and making time is a bit more difficult to do.  So, why not invite groups of people over, serve up some delicious bbq foods and enjoy each other’s company before the school rush begins!

9. Festivals:

Fill up the final summer weekends with some local festivals that include fun activities, face painting, live music, yummy food, and of course entertainment!

10.  Final Mini-Getaway:

Just before the chaos begins, get away– plan a mini-vacation for you, you and your spouse, or entire family!  This is just another way to have a couple of days to enjoy some time together and have some fun.  Here are some of my favorite mini-getaway ideas–

• Go to a water park resort such as Kalahari
• Head to a big city and enjoy the sites- museums, towers, parks, etc
• Amusement park getaway for a couple of days
• Golf getaway- lots of golf and dinners out
• Have a spa getaway
• Stay at a Bed & Breakfast
• Check out some wineries and stay in that area
• Go camping