Summer is here, finally! And despite the long and lazy days they're supposed to be, our lives are still full. We're still rushing to get to work and camp and wherever else life takes us. Sometimes when we do slow down, despite all that surrounds us, we're often looking for something to do. Sometimes we need to shake it up a little and break out of our ruts.

I find that summer gets harder as the children get older. Not only do they need structure and to keep busy, but the long lazy days of building sandcastles at the beach and running through sprinklers eventually lose their magic. As odd as it may seem, it is often harder to keep children interested and busy as they get older. As parents it's our obligation to make sure that their heads are not buried in their electronic devices all day. I love to take excursions with my children - both long and short and I love these adventures to be both entertaining and informative. There's no reason why all learning has to be tossed to the side when the school year is over. We're huge fans or museums, nature centers, botanical gardens and other areas where culture abounds. We are also fans of simply having fun for the sake of having fun.

I'm fortunate in that I divide my time between Newport, Rhode Island and Southeastern Connecticut. My children will also be in Maine for part of their summers. But there are down days and there are weeks when I purposely have nothing planned (camp, etc) so that I can enjoy my children and we can experience some things together. Time flies. Life is fleeting. My oldest will be leaving the nest in 2 years and 2 years later my middle one follows. I'm holding on to them and their time with me for as long as I can.

Below are some of the things I would like to do this summer -  both with and without the children. Some of the items below are things we do every year and some are things that I've been wanting to do or try but haven't as of yet. When September comes I want the children to feel as though they've seen, learned and accomplished a great deal. I want them to look back on a summer with fondness that will be long remembered.  I'd love to know what you  would add to this list.

1. Try paddleboarding
2. Watch the sunrise on the beach
3. Have dinner on the beach with friends and a bottle of wine
4. Catch fireflies with the kids
5. Spend an afternoon unplugged playing board games
6. Take a nap on the porch
7. Make ice cream
8. Go strawberry or blueberry picking
9. Make homemade jam from freshly picked berries
10. Take a couple of road trips an hour away
11. Take a couple of trips 2+ hours away
12. Visit a vineyard
13. Swim in the ocean
14. Eat a lobster roll (or two or three or four or more!)
15. Try kayaking
16. Try paddleboarding
17. Ride a horse
18. Read 10 new books
19. Revisit one of the classic books
20. Visit the New York Aquarium
21. Walk the High Line (have drinks afterwards!)
22. Visit the New York Botanical Gardens
23. Visit New Hyde Park
24. Go to a flea market
25. Shop the Farmer's Market
26. Find a Drive-In
27. Go to an outdoor concert
28. Play Mini Golf - Go out for ice cream afterwards!
29. Pay it forward - Do something kind for a stranger
30. Enjoy a movie marathon on a rainy or really hot and humid weekend
31. Collect sea glass and sea shells
32. Try geocaching with the kids
33. Try a new kind of exercise
34. Start a container garden
35. Go Geocaching 
36. Visit a new ice cream place every week during the summer 
37. Stay at a local hotel - the ultimate staycation - order room service
38. Go for a hike or a long walk on the beach, on a trail, in the mountains
39. Take a ride on a ferry or sailboat
40. Rent a convertible for a day
41. Have a bonfire on the beach complete with s'mores and sparklers
42. Visit an arcade on a rainy day
43. Go to a bookstore and stock up on summer reads
44. Make a Summer Playlist 
45. Visit a museum
46. Go to a carnival
47. Visit a country fair
48. Explore a new town
49. Take an innertube ride on a lazy river
50. Take a painting or photography class 

*Image via New England Prepster, Tumblr