Where my family lives, the warm months are much shorter than the cooler ones. We make it a priority to soak up every bit of summer while it lasts.
As I was thinking about our family’s summer traditions, I realized that we never intentionally sat down and planned what they would be. Instead, over the years, we naturally fell into rhythms and routines that have become some of our favourite family memories.
These traditions are not extravagant or expensive. They are the simple moments that signal summer has arrived and remind us to slow down, spend time together, and enjoy the season. Looking back, it is often these little traditions that become the memories our children carry with them.
Making a Splash
Summer officially begins in our home when my husband opens the pool.
Our pool is nothing fancy and was a gift left behind by the previous owners. The size of the pools we have had, have increased alongside our family, as the children have grown. The sight of wet bathing suits and towels draped over every available railing and chair is a sure sign that summer has arrived. Sometimes we switch it up and turn on the sprinkler, or have a water balloon fight instead. The point is to cool off and have fun while we are doing it.
I like to schedule in beach days with long-time friends. The moms catch up while the children spend hours building sandcastles, digging moats, and hauling pails of water back and forth. There is something timeless about watching children play by the water, while the adults enjoy the natural vitamin D, a long overdue catch up, and a slower pace for a few hours.
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Fireside Evenings
Few things feel more like summer than gathering around a campfire at the end of the day.
While we do not own a cottage ourselves, we are fortunate to have family and friends who invite us to theirs throughout the season. Those cottage visits provide a wonderful change of scenery, connection with other families, beach time, other nature adventures and some of our most cherished summer memories.
On special occasions we bring out the ingredients for homemade s’mores and spend the evening sharing stories under the stars. This year I want to try making a savoury version of s’mores for the adults. I haven’t created my own tried and true recipe yet but if you are interested, I’m sure you can find a few online,
There have also been a few years where a tent pitched somewhere in yard. Backyard campouts give the children all the excitement of camping, while I still have the amenities and ease of being close to home.
Adventures Close to Home
If the budget allows, we try to plan at least one full family weekend getaway each summer.
Sometimes it is a day trip to explore a nearby town, amusement park, beach, hiking trail, or other attraction. Other years we venture a little farther from home. Last year was especially exciting because went overseas for the first time as a family. If you are interested to see what we packed, how we intentionally created a lower-stress trip, and lessons learned from our first family trip abroad as a family, you can find the post here.
No matter how big or small the adventure, stepping outside of our everyday routine always brings us closer together and creates memories we talk about for years afterward.
I encourage you to do a quick search of some local attractions in your area. I’ve been surprised by things that exist locally, that I had no idea were so close to home.
Celebrating Small Town Life
Every summer includes at least one visit to a local fair.
While I am not much of a carnival ride person anymore, my husband and children eagerly purchase unlimited ride passes and spend the day enjoying the rides, games, snacks, and attractions.
One of my favourite traditions is helping the children enter their creative art projects and agricultural treasures into competitions. I also enjoy entering some of my own colourful chicken eggs and garden produce to see how they compare with others in our community.
These small-town events remind me of the value of community, agriculture, and preserving traditions that connect us to where we live.
Growing and Gathering
Summer is a busy season around our homestead.
Much of our time is spent tending to the garden, harvesting vegetables, preserving food and flowers for my one-of-a-kind earrings, cutting hay, raising meat chickens, and enjoying the abundance that comes with the season. I find the summer season exhausting but deeply satisfying and empowering at the same time.
For the foods we do not grow ourselves, trips to local farms and farmers markets are a regular occurrence. I especially look forward to strawberry season each year and love stocking the freezer up with fresh fruits and vegetables, while they are more affordable and at their peak, to enjoy all year long.
We have many wild black raspberry bushes around our farm and the kids and I just love picking them for snacking and adding to homemade ice cream and yogurt.
Time With the People We Love
More than anything else, summer is about spending time with the people we love.
Backyard barbecues, pool days, weddings, shared meals, birthday celebrations, and spontaneous get-togethers, all become part of the season. These gatherings may not seem remarkable in the moment, but they are often the memories that stay with us the longest.
When I think back on summers from my own childhood, it is not the big events I remember most. It is the conversations, the laughter, the friendships, the cousins, and the feeling of being together.
As summer draws closer, I find myself grateful for these little traditions that have naturally woven themselves into our family life. They have helped shape our summers, strengthened our relationships, and created memories that I hope our children will one day recreate with families of their own.
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What are some of your family’s favourite summer traditions? I would love to hear your ideas in the comments below.
