20 Fun Ways to Enjoy the Last Days of Summer

Let’s make the most of the dog days of summer with these 20 fun ideas for family bonding during the hottest time of year.

1. Make your own popsicles from fruit juice or lemonade.
2. Host a neighborhood “dog wash” and have all the local dogs clean and smelling sweet.
3. Have a backyard campout and lie under the stars and identify constellations.
4. Have a watermelon feed and seed spitting competition.
5. Make homemade ice cream.
6. Take one last trip to the local pool or beach.
7. Have a 24-hour read-a-thon in your living room.
8. Shop at a local farmer’s market for end-of-season fruits and veggies.
9. Recycle old t-shirts by tie-dying or batiking them with Elmer’s glue.
10. Get ready for fall by cleaning out old toys and clothes and donating to a local charity.
11. Make your own paper.
12. Have a hot dog and marshmallow roast and tell stories about your favorite family memories.
13. Have a water balloon or squirt gun fight.
14. Make a bookmobile from a garage sale or thrifted books. Donate to a local library or public school for decoration.
15. Take a Sunday drive through the country to see wildflowers.
16. Host a karaoke contest in your backyard.
17. Go to a concert or play in the park.
18. Go out to lunch or dinner at a local diner and sit at the counter.
19. Volunteer as a family to walk local shelter dogs.
20. Make a family movie and share it with grandparents or long-distance relatives.