Fun Summer Outdoor Activities at Home

As the school year winds down and the temperatures warm up, the anticipation of summer is strong in children and adults alike. Summer is the time when outdoor spaces are used most often, and there are so many ways to enjoy being outside in the upcoming warmer months. We’ve put a list of 10 ways you can get outside and make the most of summertime from the comfort of your own lawn!

1. Host a Cookout

What screams “SUMMERTIME!” like a classic cookout? Invite some neighbors over, throw some burgers and hotdogs on the grill, and enjoy an evening outside. Don’t have a grill? This one isn’t too expensive and will get the job done!

2. Backyard Camping

The thrill of camping doesn’t mean you have to pack up your car and go far away. You can enjoy a night of camping in your own yard! Opt for a tent, or sleep under the stars. This is especially fun for kids, but adults may be surprised how much fun they have, too! 

3. Summer Lawn Care

Caring for your lawn is a great reason to get outside during the summer. For some of us, it’s even therapeutic! Some summer lawn care includes mowing, watering and fertilizing regularly to ensure that your grass thrives despite the summer heat. Other things to look out for are insects that can be treated with a broad-spectrum insecticide like the one below or stressed, hot spots that create bare areas in your lawn due to heat stress. Grass plugs and seed are great ways to fill these spots in.

4. Outdoor Movie Night

After the sun goes down, head outside for a movie viewing! It’s easier than you think, and only requires a projector and bedsheet. Make a bowl of popcorn, pull out a few lawn chairs and blankets and enjoy a big screen experience. 

5. Slip-N-Slide

A slip-n-slide brings the kid out in anyone and is a great way to beat the summer heat. Make your own using a tarp and (safe) dish soap, or try this one for a day of guaranteed fun! Enjoy this perfect, cooling outdoor activity with family, friends and kids.

6. Croquet

Croquet is an easy game to set up and play. Especially fun for entertaining, this is an activity for all ages and is the perfect opportunity to show off your beautiful summer grass with neighbors and friends. Try this set!

7. Play in the Sprinkler

There may not be a summer lawn activity as classic as running through the sprinklers on a hot day. If you have an irrigation system installed already, you are good to go. If not, there are many sprinkler options to keep your yard hydrated and that are also perfect for playing!

8. Exercise

Don’t pay for a hot yoga class or go to the gym to knock out some cardio when you can do it at home in the yard! Take advantage of the heat of the summer as an extra layer to your workout and tackle it right outside your own door.

9. Cook on the Fire

Perfect for the early and late summer evenings, cooking over a fire is such a fun way to pass a summer night. S’mores, hotdogs and aluminum foil meals are all great and easy meals for the whole family to enjoy!

10. Scavenger Hunt

A fun way to help little ones explore the outdoors is to create a scavenger hunt of things found in your yard (leaves, sticks, rocks, moss, flowers). Write out a list and send little ones out the door as a fun summer activity that costs nothing!

Spending time with loved ones is what life should be all about. Make the best of the lawn and garden you’ve worked hard on and use it as an environment for fun and memories! Don’t forget to snap a shot with a camera every so often and make the summer of 2022 a memorable one.