20 Ways for Mom to Have Fun This Summer

Updated for Summer 2021.

Kids shouldn’t be the only ones who look forward to summer days filled with friends, adventure, and summer foods!

Summer Fun for Mom

1. Cool off in the afternoon with a fun sparkling water drink.
2. Read some perfectly summery books.
3. Watch the Friends reunion.
4. Plan a mom’s only physical activity — kayak on a lake, a hike on a local trail, a ropes course, etc.
5. It’s the summer of salsa at my house. Here are 3 of our favorite salsas!
   
6. Listen to the Winds of Change podcast.
7. Other good binge-worthy podcasts: The Bomb by BBC, Rabbit Hole, and Passenger List.
8. Spend the summer sipping free iced coffee from Panera Bread! (Hot coffee is covered, too. No other purchase is necessary, get it every 2 hours if you want!)
9. Spend the evening listening to the Mellow Folk station on Amazon Music.
   
10. Take a cooking class in-person or online. (I’m eyeing the margarita class or the summer bread salad one!)
11. Find a new workout. I really like the PopSugar routines & Yoga with Adrienne. (Both can be found on YouTube.)
12. Take in a talk or a class at a museum. (Check out virtual programs here, here, and here.)
13. Blend one cup of (cooled) coffee & 2 cups of ice cream (flavor of your choice) for a really iced coffee.
    
14. Sign up for a class this fall at your local community college. Get outside your comfort zone & try something new!
15. Add a fun new dress to your summer wardrobe. All of these could be great for running errands or dressed up for date-night or such. Dress 1, dress 2, dress 3 (I have one of each coming!)
16. Turn on Hulu & watch Superstore, Single Parents, Call your Mom, American Housewife & Black-ish.
    
    
17. Make some over-21 ice cream & eat it after the kids go to bed. (The bourbon & orange ice cream sounds delicious! And so does the pineapple & tequila sorbet. YUM!)
18. Might as well try a few more over-21 ice cream recipes! Who’s coming over for the mint julep, Bailey’s & brownie, or burnt caramel bourbon & toffee ice cream??
19. Rediscover the joy of overalls while staying cool in this linen version. (BONUS: oversized pockets!)
20. Remember your own youth with summer classic movies like TopGun, The Sandlot, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, The Parent Trap, My Girl, A League of their Own, Father of the Bride, Space Camp, Indian Summer, and Dirty Dancing.

And a few tasks that aren’t actually fun but are great to tackle right now.

• Make a commitment to declutter. One shelf/drawer/box/”spot” a day will make a big impact. While I’m at it, I wipe out the drawer & put things back neatly. 10 minutes (max) and I’m done.
  
• Or go for what I do every Lent — every online purchase that is delivered to me gets put away and the box gets filled up with donations. It’s an easy way to be mindful of how much I really want that item and it’s totally manageable to just fill up a small box.
  
• Has your tax situation changed in the last few years? Summer is a great time to meet with a tax person before they wind up for the next tax season.
  
• Think about what meals your family likes. Is there a marinade you use often? A seasoning blend you make up for your weekly taco night? I like to enter the school year with large jars of our favorite seasoning blends & ready-t0-go marinades. (Some marinades I freeze, others I make multiple batches & store in jars in the fridge.)