School’s Out—Sanity’s Optional: 10 Fun Ways to Kick Off Summer

By Kathryn Peck

The end of the school year is barreling toward us faster than a field day slip ’n slide, and somehow, we’ve made it (mostly) intact. Before the backpacks explode and the snack requests go fully feral, here are a few easy ways to celebrate the finish line and ease into the beautiful mess that is summer break.

1. Hand out popsicles to every child at the bus stop on the last day.

2. Have a water balloon fight. Fill up those balloons ahead of time and be ready when the school bus pulls up. Or hide stashes of them around the yard for the kids to drop their backpacks and run. 

3. Make root bear floats for the after-school snack.

4. Host an outdoor movie night! Early summer is the sweet spot—warm enough to sit under the stars, but still early enough in the season that the sun sets before bedtime.

5. Prep a gift basket for your kiddos with all-things summer, like swim goggles, bubbles, popsicle molds, water balloons, sidewalk chalk and more! 

6. Create your summer bucket list. This is a great way to kick off summer – get everyone’s summer wishlist on paper so you don’t miss out on any fun!

7. Throw together a spontaneous movie marathon—because really, is there a better night to stay up too late watching ‘just one more’ than the last day of school.

8. Get out the sidewalk chalk and write messages on the driveway and sidewalk for your kids to see when they come home.

9. Head to your local book store or library to stock up on books for your summer reading list.

10. Kick off your summer bucket list! Let each kid pick a few must-do adventures or places they’re excited to visit, jot them down on slips of paper, and drop them into a jar—your official guide to summer fun, one surprise at a time. Need some ideas? Check out this post by Bicycle Pie blogger Michelle Mady: My Summer Bucket List.

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About the author: Kathryn is the owner of Bicycle Pie and mom of 4 little ones. Also a writer, editor, and former owner of one of Boston's premiere baby boutiques, she continues to write about motherhood, children's products, family life, and all other things that test our skills and patience as parents.