30 Easy Ways to Create Summer Magic
Small ideas for big summer memories.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned in the last few years is that joy is important. I feel like things have been pretty up and down for us (and for a lot of people!) since 2020, and at times it has been really easy to let myself lean into the hard more than I should. But, through all the ups and downs one thing I keep coming back to over and over again is finding the joy. Looking for those tiny moments in your day that feel like magic. The sun hitting your skin first thing in the morning. The giggles of your kids as they play together. The feeling of curling up with a good book.
Tiny little bursts of happiness are all around and you don’t notice them until you start to pay a little more attention.
Once I started paying more attention to joy, I quickly started seeking more of it. I call it chasing joy. Sometimes it’s just a matter of noticing the special things already happening around you, but sometimes it takes a tiny bit more effort. I love creating little moments of joy and magic for my family, and I’ve observed that a lot of people seem to think it’s a lot more complicated than it actually is.
Summer is the perfect time to create a little magic for your family, so I thought today I’d share a few ideas for how to make an ordinary summer Tuesday feel special.
30 Tiny Ways to Make Summer More Magical
Eat watermelon. All the time. Eat it alone, mix it with cucumber and feta, pair it with burgers…it’s a must in the house all summer long.
Drop everything and go out for ice cream. No reason needed.
Make a big fort in the living room and have a family campout.
Go on walks where the kids get to choose which way to turn at every opportunity. Try to get lost then find your way home.
Visit a tourist trap in your town that you’ve never been to. The cheesier the better.
Have a crafty tradition - we tie dye shirts every year and the kids start begging to do it the moment school gets out. We’ve done socks and sweatshirts and more and the kids wear them year-round. It always brings up the sweetest summer memories!
Have a themed movie night every week. Make snacks that go with the movie, have the kids create invitations or decorate - do it up big!
Play video games with the kids (last summer we had a Mario Kart tournament every single night! This summer, we’ve spent most nights piled in my bed playing Zelda together).
Buy fresh notebooks for the kids and have them journal/scrapbook their summer. Bonus points if you grab a photo printer so they can print out their favorite memories. (I have this one!)
Buy a disposable camera for the kids and develop it at the end of the summer.
Keep popsicles in the freezer at all times. Say yes every time the kids want one.
Have a “Yes Day” for the kids where they rule the day and you say yes to every request you possibly can.
Let the kids stay up late as often as you can. Especially if they’re playing outside or giggling together.
Have a board and card game marathon. Make a bracket. Have prizes. See our favorite family games here!
Commit to taking a photo (or 1-2 second video) every single day to document the summer.
Have the kids cook dinner. Stay out of the kitchen as much as you can - let chaos reign. It’s okay!
Designate a signature summer drink. In our family, it’s strawberry lemonade - it’s not summer until we make a pitcher! And, for the grown-ups, it’s homemade rum punch.
Pick a signature summer scent or candle and use it daily. (This is mine)
Create a summer playlist and listen to it in the car all summer long. I have a playlist for every season, and I listen to them constantly!
Swap to baskets + wax paper liners instead of plates all summer. Fewer dishes and it feels special!
Stock up on sprinkler toys, water balloons, and NERF water guns. Encourage daily use for peak 90’s summer vibes.
Have everyone in your family choose a new skill to practice over the summer (juggling! crochet! origami!)
Have the kids create a “bored jar” or “bored list” of screen-free things they can do when they’re out of ideas.
Pick something random to document and keep track all summer. Number of bug bites. How many ice cream cones you ate. How many times you went to the pool. Keep a tally on the fridge and make it a family activity to track.
Invite friends over for dinner last minute. Like, “hey I made too many burgers, wanna come over in an hour?”. Nothing is more quintessentially summer than an impromptu hangout!
In the hour before bedtime, have a family reading session (see some of our faves to read together here!) or a story-telling time!
Eat in the backyard every night that the weather doesn’t feel like it’ll melt you.
Encourage the kids to set up an obstacle course in the backyard, and then have the grown-ups go through it.
Create a Summer Bingo Card - do bucket-list style items and celebrate with ice cream every time someone gets a bingo.
Dance parties in the kitchen. Nightly. Honestly, keep this one up year round for peak joy.
Creating magic in your house this summer doesn’t have to be hard or expensive or even take much time. It’s all about being in the moment, recognizing an opportunity for some fun, and taking it.
I’d love to hear about YOUR family magic moments and traditions! How do you make your ordinary summer Tuesdays feel more special?