Best Tips for an Old Fashioned Summer With Your Kids

There’s something beautifully nostalgic about a slow, old-fashioned summer. Long days spent outside, kids barefoot in the grass, the distant hum of cicadas. The simple joy of staying out past sunset with nothing but the lightening bugs and the stars to light your way. You know the feeling. As modern mothers and homemakers, many of us long to offer our children the kind of summers we remember—free from screens, jam-packed schedules, and the fast pace of modern life.

Let this be your gentle guide to creating a screen-free, memory-filled summer for children of all ages—from toddlers to teens. It’s for the mom who wants a simpler pace, less tech, and more nature. The mom trying to bring back the magic that comes from letting summer unfold naturally! Let’s get back to the way it used to be – or at least give it our best shot. You with me?

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Why Slower Summers Matter

Before cell phones and tablets, summers felt like an open canvas. Children weren’t rushed from one activity to the next—they had long, uninterrupted days to simply be. Those days taught us how to get along with our siblings, entertain ourselves, and explore the world without an agenda.

During a school break such as summer vacation, older kids have the chance to create their own schedules. This unprecedented option for traditionally schooled children encourages them to develop patience, use their imagination, and even have time to listen to their own thoughts, uninterrupted. As long as they don’t spend their entire day in front of a screen, I mean. They’ll learn the joy of doing “nothing,” which is often when the best ideas, the most memorable play, and the deepest rest emerge.

For mothers, this pace provides the chance to reconnect with your children and with yourself. You can give yourself time to linger over breakfast or sit on the porch with a cup of iced tea. Give yourself the opportunity breathe more deeply and live more intentionally.

See also: 5 Tips for Romanticizing Your Life as a Stay at Home Mom

Old-fashioned summers aren’t just a nostalgic dream. They provide real benefits for both children and parents alike! Below are just a few benefits to be reaped from having an old fashioned summer with your kids. It’s not in your head, those days really were wonderful. Let’s try and take them back!

Link to our inflatable here!

Summertime Essentials

The Great Outdoors

Getting outside improves physical and mental health for every single human being on this beautiful planet. There is absolutely no questioning this – it is good for the mind, body, and soul, indeed! Outdoor activities needn’t be overly planned! Just have a consistent routine of getting outdoors and let nature do the entertaining. It really takes the pressure off of moms, let me tell ya. 

Boredom 

Boredom gets a bad rap, but in moderation can be quite wonderful for the mind. It sparks creativity and problem-solving. These critical thinking skills are not being taught in schools anymore, folks. Our kids have to jump from one planned event to the next so often that they don’t even know what to do with themselves if they have 5 minutes without constant stimulation. Let those kids get bored. Let them whine a little about it if they must. Don’t be too quick to offer a fun solution!

For Older Kids

Just hand them a book or a list of chores – my bet is that they’ll quickly learn how to entertain themselves. This really only applies to school-aged kids of course, not applicable to kinder or younger.

Bonus: their ideas will be much better suited to their individual interests and thus, more likely to hold their attention. Plus, you may learn something new about your kiddo in the process. Do they have a hidden talent for creating puppet dragons, for example? Or maybe you’ll find them building their dream home out of cardboard scraps. Or perhaps they’ll create a pretend movie theater fort in the upstairs loft, complete with concession stand. (All real life examples stemming from a small dose of boredom).

Little Ones

If you have younger kids, our beautiful world is still so fresh to them, it seems boredom really isn’t much of an issue. If your littles are struggling a bit, this may be a good time to utilize “play invitations”. A play invitation is where you set out a simple activity for them to explore on their own and let them do what they will with it. Think, bubble solution and wands or a chalk bucket on the sidewalk. Maybe even draw a hopscotch course and show them how it’s done! My littles are fascinated with hopscotch. It’s a timeless kids activity for a reason!

Unstructured days 

These rare days of little structure will encourage your kids to discover their own interests. Your flexible summer schedule is the perfect opportunity for them to flex those creative muscles and find what truly interests them. Allow your kids to experience the true freedom of summer by not over scheduling or micromanaging their days. 

Old Fashioned Summer Tips

Embracing slower rhythms during this time of year will lower stress and promote connection. Now’s the time to let your hair down a bit and rest before the last half of the year hits us all like a ton of bricks. Back to school season, Fall and the holidays draw nearer every day! Enjoy this slower season to the fullest. 

Let’s create space for firefly chasing, lemonade sipping, and porch-sitting this summer. You with me?

1. Make Outside Time Your #1 Priority

One of the most important gifts we can give our children is time outdoors. Not in a structured way, but in the wild, open-ended kind of way we knew ourselves as children. Especially during summer break, our kids should have ample free time and getting outdoors should be embedded in your daily routine. Let them get dirty! In fact, I would encourage it! Let them wander the backyard barefoot and find roly polies and slugs and all types of little critters in the garden beds. Let them feel the heat of the sidewalk and the coolness of grass under their toes.

The Essence of Summer

Being outside allows children to experience freedom. It doesn’t need to be elaborate in any way, shape, or form. Trust me, simple is usually better for these long summer days! A garden hose and a patch of grass. A field filled with dandelions or wildflowers. A walk through the neighborhood or down the block. Any of these simple things can become magical with a child’s imagination at play.

It’s really about giving them space to explore and enjoy themselves without adult intervention or technology. Create a fun backyard or neighborhood scavenger hunt for young kids to encourage them to notice certain things – fluffy clouds, a purple flower, the blue bird’s nest in your gardenia bush. Or encourage your older kids to get out and meet the neighbors. Have a picnic outside under a shade tree for lunch just to mix it up a bit (they’ll love it!). 

Make it a point to spend the majority of your days outdoors this summer. Bring meals outside. Read books in a hammock. Let the kids create their own games in the backyard or help you water the flowers. The sunshine, fresh air, and unstructured play will do wonders for their health, their moods, and their memories. you are creating their childhoods – right now. This very minute you are shaping how they will remember being a kid. Don’t let screen time take that away from you!

Children need the outdoors like they need good food and rest. Make outside time the anchor of your days. 

some ideas to get you started:

• Morning nature walks (bring a basket or bag for collecting treasures!)
• Water play – sprinklers, kiddie pools, or even just a bucket and cups
• Picnic lunches under a tree or in the backyard
• Gardening together – give each child their own small plot or pot to work with
• Afternoon bike rides or walks to a nearby park
• Evening flashlight tag or catching lightning bugs

Set up a shaded outdoor play area and keep supplies (chalk, jump ropes, magnifying glasses, bubbles) easily accessible. Encourage kids to spend hours exploring and using their imaginations.

2. Let Them Be Bored (Really!)

In the age of constant stimulation, boredom is a lost art—but one we desperately need to revive. When children are bored, they are forced to reach inward and stretch their creativity. It’s in those moments that they build forts, invent games, write stories, or simply lie in the grass and wonder about the clouds.

Rather than planning every hour of the day, consider offering a flexible rhythm.  This might look like quiet mornings after breakfast, an open-ended afternoon outdoors, and relaxed evenings filled with books or music. Your daily summer routine shouldn’t have too much structure – free play, spending time with the whole family, and a nice dose of physical activity will keep the kids in good spirits.

Embrace the Slower Pace

With fewer distractions and more room to breathe, your children will naturally find their way into meaningful play. Don’t get me wrong though, this lack of structure does not mean that you’re off the hook as a parent! You’ll be there guiding your little ones with positive reinforcement among other things. Not to mention, ensuring there are plenty of popsicles and PB&J’s around for snack times and giving your expert advice on where to find the best bugs to be placed in your child’s new bug catcher kit. 

Let go of the pressure to fill every day. Instead, allow space for stillness, spontaneity, and those golden moments of connection that only happen when nothing is scheduled and no one is rushing.

Boredom definitely gets a bad rap, but it’s actually essential for developing creativity. When we rush to fill every moment, we rob our children of the chance to learn how to entertain themselves. Especially for elementary aged children and younger, they must learn the art of independent play time.

Instead of planning every hour, create a flexible daily rhythm to allow a more balanced summer routine. 

Simple daily rhythm

• Morning: Outdoor play + snack
• Midday: Independent play / quiet time / reading
• Afternoon: Creative project or baking or water play outside to beat the summer heat
• Evening: Family dinner + winding down – read aloud or family movie night

By sticking to gentle rhythms instead of rigid schedules, your kids will learn to navigate the day without needing constant direction. This is both teaching them valuable life skills and creating lasting memories from all of the fun and creative things they come up with to fill their time.

See also: The Best Schedule for SAHMs

3. Weekly Outings: Keep it Simple

There’s a temptation in the summer months to say yes to every playdate, event, and excursion. But an old-fashioned summer isn’t about being busy—it’s about being present. Sticking to only one special outing per week is enough to add variety and excitement without overwhelming your schedule or exhausting your family.

Keep it simple: a trip to the local library, a morning at the farmer’s market, or a walk along a creek with a packed lunch. These small adventures can be deeply enriching without pulling you out of your peaceful rhythm. 

By choosing one outing a week, you create something to look forward to without letting busyness take over. It also teaches your children the beauty of anticipation and the value of simplicity. If you do want to add a bit more excitement to your summer memories, you could schedule in certain special events every 2-3 weeks as a rare treat for the whole family. Things I would consider “special events” would be journeying to a local water park or the lake, a day trip to the children’s museum or science center, or possibly even day camps for the older kids. 

Please just keep in mind, you don’t need to overbook your summer with constant trips. One well-planned weekly outing with an occasional “special event” adds just the right amount of excitement! 

Here’s a quick list of things you could add into your calendar for some ideas:

• Library story time
• Local nature preserve or hiking trail
• Ice cream shop visit
• Farmer’s market morning
• Beach or creek day
• Local museum or splash pad

Choose outings that align with your values and energy levels, and give kids something to look forward to while preserving the peacefulness of home.

Rainy Day Magic

Rainy days don’t need to be disappointing—they can be some of the coziest and most memorable parts of summer! Think of them as a chance to slow down even more. Light a candle, play some soft music, and settle in.

Instead of turning on a screen, pull out an old board game, read a favorite book aloud, or bake something together. You could even designate certain craft supplies to teh “rainy day basket” so it could become something to look forward to on those days when you might be stuckj inside. Let the kids build forts out of couch cushions or put on a puppet show with homemade sock puppets. These simple moments are the ones they’ll remember!

When we stop seeing rain as an interruption and start welcoming it as part of the seasonal rhythm, we help our children do the same. We show them how to adapt, how to create coziness, and how to find joy no matter the weather.

Rainy Day Activities

Rainy days offer a special kind of coziness. Keep a list of go-to activities for when outdoor play isn’t an option:

• Build a blanket fort
• Make homemade playdough
• Listen to audiobooks or read aloud together
• Re-vamp one of your indoor spaces but rearranging the furniture or artwork! If your kids are like mine, they’ll love this just as much as you do.
• Try simple crafts like nature collages, paper bag puppets, or salt painting
• Bake muffins or cookies together
• Have a family board game afternoon
• Watch an old-fashioned family movie (we’ve been going through the Disney classics lately and my kiddos have loved them all so far!)

A rainy day doesn’t have to derail your slower pace—just shift the magic indoors. OR if you’re blessed to have a covered area or screened in porch you could go outside with some of the rainy day activities and still enjoy the fresh air with the added bonus of watching and listening to to calm sounds of the rain. This sounds heavenly to me! Talk about rainy day magic. 

Embracing the Beauty of a Slow, Old Fashioned Summer

This summer, say yes to lazy mornings, sun-soaked afternoons, and unhurried evenings. Say no to over-scheduling, constant screens, and the pressure to entertain every moment.

Let your children learn the joy of a summer well spent—digging in the dirt, watching clouds drift by, and creating their own adventures with sticks and stones.

Give them the gift of an old-fashioned summer—the kind that lives on in their hearts long after the season fades.

When we give our children a slower pace, we allow them to really live in the season—to soak up the warmth, the freedom, and the fleeting magic of childhood summer. Allow them to stay up past bedtime to catch fireflies. It’s okay to spend an entire day reading books under a shady tree. Learn to let the hours pass without plans.

These are the summers that live on in our memories. These are the summers we want to give our children.

Want more tips for slow and intentional living as a stay-at-home mom? Subscribe to the blog for seasonal rhythms, homemaking guides, and heartfelt encouragement all year long.

Until next time friend!

Olivia