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Summer is coming to a close (if it hasn’t for your grandkids already, it will be in the next few weeks), which has me racking my brain for different ways to commemorate the end of summer and the beginning of school. So far, we have discussed easy yet meaningful ways to kick off the new school year and how to throw a big hoorah of an end-of-the-year bash, so now what?
Now we jump into some end-of-the-year summer activities for the grands!
To commemorate another great summer vacation and bid it adieu, I present to you these 12 end-of-the-year summer activities to do with your grandkids:
1. Design Tree Stump Fairy Houses
If a tree stump is just a stump, you’re not thinking like a fairy (godmother, hehe). Gather natural treasures like flowers, stones, and twigs to construct a fairy village worthy of Tinker Bell herself. (This one may be better suited for your granddaughter(s), but you can easily adapt it to boys with a dinosaur theme!)
2. Bottle up your summer
For this commemorative idea, you can write letters to your future selves, detailing all the adventures of the summer and what you hope for the next one. Instead of sending them into the sea, you can simply seal these promises in a bottle to be opened next summer.
3. Direct an outdoor shadow theater
Use a white sheet and homemade puppets to put on a shadow play! Think of it this way: This might just be the Broadway of your backyard! Does putting on a puppet show sound daunting? I have lots of tips and ideas for it here.
4. Picnic in the park
With the weather still pleasant, gather your grandkids and head to a local park for a fun-filled picnic complete with sandwiches, fresh fruits, and homemade cookies. Yum!
5. DIY summer scrapbook
Like the message in a bottle, this DIY scrapbook is a great way to remember another wonderful summer. Supply your grands with stickers, markers, photos, and other decorative items to help them reminisce and preserve those special summer memories.
6. Plant fall flowers
Teach your grandkids about the changing seasons by planting some fall flowers in your garden. They’ll love getting their hands dirty, and it’s a great opportunity to learn about nature.
7. Visit a farmers’ market
I love a good farmers’ market – don’t you? Gather all your grandkids’ favorite summer-themed movies and host a movie marathon complete with homemade popcorn and a comfy viewing area with plenty of pillows and blankets.
8. Summer sounds symphony
Spend an afternoon capturing the sounds of summer on a recording device. (Think of bird songs, rustling leaves, a sizzling BBQ, or even the laughter of playing kids.) Then play it back in winter when summer feels far away.
9. Sunflower fort
If you’ve spent the summer growing sunflowers, the end of the season is the perfect time to enjoy them! Tie the tops of the tallest ones together to create a sunflower fort. Then you can spend some time inside with a picnic or reading stories.
10. Paint with ice cubes
Make ice cubes with washable paint and let your grandkids paint on a canvas in the hot sun. Believe me: They’ll love watching as their paintings morph and blend as the ice melts.
11. Handmade wind chimes
Collect twigs, seashells, and other interesting items and string them together to create a handmade wind chime. Every time it chimes, you’ll be reminded of your wonderful summer together.
12. Build an obstacle course
Utilize items in your backyard to build a fun, challenging obstacle course to keep the grandkids active and entertained.
Conclusion
Can you think of a better way to wrap up the summer and bring in the school year? I hope this gives you lots of inspiration and makes for tons of memories with your grandkids. After all, that’s what matters most. God bless!
