Summer is soon coming to an end but there’s still time to enjoy some summer fun. What was on your summer wish list that you haven’t quite accomplished yet? Here are some last minute ideas for soaking up the end of summer!
We’ve got 30 ideas below that will help you get the most out of those final days of summer. Choose your favorites and have some fun!
Soaking Up the End of Summer
1) Get all wrapped up in a book you can’t put down. Even better, read it outside in the hammock or lying on the beach!
2) All too soon it will be time for having your feet all encased in thick socks and boots so why not go get a pedicure now and show it off while you can?
3) Ride a roller coaster! I don’t know about where you live, but here, most of our amusement parks like Canada’s Wonderland shut down on Thanksgiving weekend – that’s Canadian Thanksgiving not American which means the second weekend of October. There’s still a little time left to get in some fun!
4) Do something different and fun! I’ve always wanted to ride one of those “bicycles built for two”. When I was on Centre Island in Toronto, I noticed that they have bicycles built for up to about 6 people! Or how about trying axe throwing? Or going lawn bowling? What else can you think of?
5) How about doing something child-like? Blowing bubbles, drawing on the sidewalk with chalk, making a sand castle, playing hopscotch, or seeing if you can still hula hoop. (Confession: I can’t. I’ve tried.)
6) How about being a tourist in your own city? Go do something that maybe you’ve never done or haven’t done in ages! Or just spend a night or two hunkered down in a hotel room.
7) Do you still have a drive in theatre near you? We do and it’s always good for some summer fun! They stay open pretty much until the weather is just too cold for it! No drive in? Some places (local libraries for example) will rent out movie projectors and you can set up your own “drive in” in your backyard! Or, our city holds its own outdoor movies. Take a blanket and a picnic of goodies.
8) Put some holes in a jar lid and get out there and catch some fireflies! This is such a fun activity and is mesmerizing for kids and adults alike.
9) Have an end of summer barbecue! Check out these delicious grilling options here.
10) Go stargazing. I never did get to see the Perseid meteor shower this year…weather didn’t cooperate. But on a clear night, those summer stars sure are pretty aren’t they?
11) Get something from your local neighbourhood ice cream truck! Or, set up a serve yourself ice cream bar. You can put bowls of ice cream over bowls of ice or serve the ice cream from the freezer – either way, have a bunch of dishes of ice cream toppings so everyone can make their own sundaes.
12) Check out the local fair. Some of ours are spring and summer fairs but others occur in early fall. The one here in my city, The Western Fair, begins the weekend after Labour Day.
13) Road trip! Take a drive…even just a day trip to someplace special you’ve always wanted to see or maybe just let yourself wander to wherever the urge takes you!
14) Take some field guides out and check out the creatures living in your backyard…or the neighbourhood park…or a local conservation area. Some will be getting ready for winter! It can be fun to see what you can at this time of year and then go back in, say, November to see what animals are around then. How has it changed? How has their habitat changed?
15) Make a collection of stuff and create “Summer in a Jar” – if you had a beachy vacation, this could be a base of sand with shells, a beach craft you made, and some photos of your time there, for example. Or make some drawings, print out some photos, and write down your favorite summer memories to create a summer scrapbook.
16) Make a time capsule and bury it in your backyard (now, before the ground is frozen!)
18) Have a bonfire (check local ordinances and make sure you are having one in a place and manner that is both legal and safe) and sing around it. Make s’mores!
19) Check out a few of the last yard sales of the summer!
20) Go explore an outdoor farmer’s market and buy some fresh foods to try.
21) Walk barefoot on the beach! There’s no feeling that compares to that is there? Even better, walk barefoot on the beach at sunset.
22) Press the last of the summer flowers. Or do some flower pounding. Both of these can result in some beautiful home decor.
23) Make use of the last of the hot summer sun and make solar prints. They sell special solar print paper at specialty shops (often science museums sell them) but you can make a version of this by simply using a dark colour of construction paper. Lay some objects on the paper and leave it out in the sun. The sun will bleach the paper that’s exposed, leaving the shapes of the objects in the darker, original colour of the paper.
24) Enjoy the last of those lovely comfortable mornings and go outside to do your morning yoga or other workout routine. How about some Tai Chi? Or just go outside and stretch all over while you enjoy the feeling of the sun’s warmth on your skin. Or another lovely activity to engage in out in the fresh summer air is prayer or meditation. Not spiritual? How about just sitting outside and focusing on nature for a while. There’s lots to see when you pay attention!
25) Maybe there are some chores that would be easier to take care of now while the weather’s nice. Washing windows, cleaning the siding, even putting up the Christmas lights (SO much easier when it’s not icy out and you don’t have to turn them on until the holidays begin) are all possibilities.
26) Use the power of the sun while it’s still visible and strong to make something delicious. How about some sun tea? Or maybe making some hotdogs or something similar in a solar oven? Kids love to do this!
27) Engage in some water play. Labor Day weekend is the last weekend to enjoy the wading pools, swimming pools, and splash pads in our city before they close for the season. You could also head to the beach or to your own backyard kiddie pool or sprinklers to have some fun before it’s too chilly. A water park is another possibility.
28) Attend one last summer festival or outdoor concert.
29) Do some tie dyeing! It can get messy so doing it outside while the weather is still nice enough is a really smart idea. Plus, you can get a head start on some holiday gifts and make tie dyed items for everyone.
30) Give a goodbye toast to summer with a bottle of bubbly, some lemonade, or iced tea! I’m fond of mojitos in the summer – they’re so refreshing! Or try one of these delicious summer drinks.
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