This time of year can be a little tough for parents and kids. Most camps are finishing up, but there are still a few more weeks before school starts. If you’re home and most of your kids’ friends are away on vacation, playdates can be few and far between. Plus, if you’re like us, this time of the year also brings out that feeling to “make the most” of summer before it’s gone. Here are some easy ways some of the moms that make up The Local Moms Network will be beating summer boredom with their kids and making memories over the next few weeks.
The sandbox! It’s actually really fun to play in the sand with my son in our backyard and make sand castles, roll his trucks through them, and do the things I did when I was little! — Stefanie Horn, Stamford Moms
We love a day down the shore and pizza on the boardwalk for dinner. I have such amazing childhood memories with my cousins on all of the rides, that seeing my kids have the same excitement makes everything come full circle for me. — Melissa DeSanti, Mendham Moms
Turn the sprinklers on! It’s amazing how much fun they have…. followed by Popsicles. Raining? Forts in the living room, with as many blankets and pillows as you can find. — Dani Nylen, South Shore Moms
My kiddos love water gun fights—it gets them tired, keeps them from overheating and is the perfect way to spend a few hours on a late summer day! — Megan Sullivan, Greenwich Moms
We do family parties for full moons where we go swimming in the moonlight, eat moon pies, and listen to a music mix about the moon: think “dancing in the moonlight…” We also do family travel dinners: pick a place we would like to visit. Recently it was China, and we ordered Chinese takeout, listened to Chinese music, got out a map and watched some YouTube or anything else I could find on the area. — Briana Beaty, Palm Beach Moms
We love heading to the splash pad. We get to cool down from the Texas heat and burn some energy. — Ana Stewart, North Austin Moms
With two toddlers, we make sure to hit the playground and/or pool early on in the day, before it gets too hot. By midday, you’ll find us in (air-conditioned) kid-friendly indoor places, like local museums, the public library and play spaces! – Amy Weber, The Local Moms Network
This story originally appeared on The Local Moms Network.