Everyone loves summertime, right? Books, songs and movies speak poetically about the long, lazy days this time of year. We remember our own summers fondly. But I talk with many parents who have a less rosy view of summertime. Kids are home underfoot and rattling around complaining about being bored. Or, kids are home alone while parents go to work distracted by worry about the kids.

I experienced this worry one recent morning as I left my three to head to the office. I left them a hopeful note with chores for each (little brother: put away all the dishes and reload the washer, sister in the middle: mow the grass, big brother: sort the laundry). I reminded them of all the healthy leftovers in the fridge to munch on. In a feeble attempt to keep them away from too much screen time, I added reading suggestions. As I drove away I envisioned a Utopian day filled with cleaning, reading and sibling harmony. Instead by the end of the day I was reminded of Erma Bombeck’s humor:

Being a child at home alone in the summer is a high-risk occupation. If you call your mother at work thirteen times an hour, she can hurt you.

So what’s a parent to do? Throughout the school year, our kids learn about fitness and nutrition. They work their minds and bodies. How do we keep our kids active and healthy during the summertime? I find it helps me to think like a child; it helps to think back to what I enjoyed in the summer as a kid. Here are some ideas (inspired by my childhood memories of summertime) that my family has enjoyed this summer:

1. Swing. The other evening, I was watching TV with my youngest child. In one scene, a character was swinging her child at the park. I remarked to my son that I missed swinging. He paused the show, looked at me and said “Let’s go!” So we did! Remember the floating feeling of swinging? Head to the park and try it with your kids.
2. Play outdoor games. What games did you play as a kid? I needed to look up the rules to some but, we have found the old-fashioned ones are still a hit. Try kick the can or can of sardines. My favorite as a child was ghost in the graveyard. Can your kids teach you how to play flashlight tag?
3. Grow. Kids love to grow a garden and we like to see them eat their veggies. It’s a match made in heaven that most parents can facilitate. Even in the smallest backyard you can grow some food. Try radishes first - they are fast and fun! In a city kitchen you can grow some sprouts for salads.
4. Cook. Head to the kitchen to cook inspired by your garden harvest. It makes for a great chance to talk about what foods are healthy for us and which ones should be eaten in moderation. If you find that your garden produced too many zucchini, here’s a great recipe for zucchini bread. Or try these fun smoothies and let your kids choose what to throw in the blender.
5. Fly. When I was a kid, my dad and I made a box kite once. It was an elaborate and fragile thing made of paper and balsa wood. This summer, my son and I tried this far easier version of a simple kite made of things you already have at home. Then we had fun for days flying it. Took a lot of running to get that kite up!
6. Watch. After running that kite for a while, my son and I collapsed in the grass and lay there watching the clouds. As we did a rabbit, a scary big-jawed fish and a palm tree floated by.
7. Create. There are endless art projects to enjoy in the summer. One we have had fun with was making mobiles. The kids and I read The Calder Game by Blue Balliett then looked up information about the artist Alexander Calder. Inspired by his art, we searched at the park for things to balance for our own mobiles.
8. Imagine. Reminiscing about my childhood summer times inspired my son to imagine the future. He is building a time capsule; a box filled with tidbits from our time to bury for people to dig up one day in the future.
9. Build. Take all the blankets stored for winter and let the kids use them to make a blanket fort. If it is hot outside make it under a table. Nice day? Tie them to a tree branch. Then sneak a few healthy snacks and books under the edge and let your kids relax.
10. Hunt. Not for deer. Make your kids a scavenger hunt using a list of things found at the park or in your house or yard. Or better yet, have them make one for each other.

The summers of my memories were endless days of exploration and fun. I remember eating summer veggies from the garden and drinking lemonade. I roamed and read. I think I was bored but my mother had the wisdom to let that boredom be the opportunity for me to create my own fun. It is indeed wise to let our kids relax into their summertime to find their own adventures. It is also fun to join in and fly a kite or sit under a blanket fort with them!