The key? Find an easy-to-access place where you can really tune in to nature. As well as fostering your kids’ connection with local nature, you might spark some important conversations<\/a>, too. <\/p>\n\n\n Make getting outside a regular event \u2013 and help others do the same \u2013 by starting a family nature club. Have kids name your club, then decide when and how often your club will meet. Research meeting locations, like a local nature reserve or a park with lots of different paths, good parking and public toilets. Do a couple of trial visits as a family, then invite other families to join. Sign up to Nat Geo Kids’ Family Newsletter for more activities to try every week! <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Although an inexpensive telescope<\/a> or pair of binoculars will improve your chances of spotting more remote galactic features, the moon, the International Space Station and several planets and constellations can all be seen with the naked eye. Gather in your garden or local park to scan the skies or check out a star party hosted by a local astronomy club.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kick off the longest day of the year with a sunrise hike complete with careful wildflower-picking to make a flower crown. (That\u2019s a Swedish symbol of fertility and abundance, but your kids will just think it\u2019s pretty.) Come evening, roast marshmallows over a garden campfire (instead of the traditional bonfire) when the sun sets. You could even make the event into a camping weekend<\/a> or play some night games<\/a> once it’s finally dark! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Earth-friendly family activities for summer stay with kids long after the season has passed. \u201cThe single largest contributing factor to becoming an adult who cares for the environment is having shared experiences in nature with a caring adult during childhood,\u201d says Cheryl Charles, cofounder of the Children and Nature Network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Transform your garden, balcony or window boxes into an inviting habitat for birds, butterflies and other fauna or support hedgehogs<\/a> by building a tiny highway through your fence. To attract pollinators like honeybees, replace a corner of lawn with native plants that provide lots of flowers, nectar and pollen. (Here\u2019s a bee hotel craft for kids<\/a>.) Add a bird feeder and a simple birdbath for feathered friends<\/a> and add a flower pot or two (tip them on their sides and bury them halfway) for toad abodes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Browsing a nearby farmers market can help teach kids about the impact of locally sourced food on the environment. Try sending them on a scavenger hunt for familiar items and weirder fare. Or set forth challenges: the biggest and smallest fruits, something that grows underground or four things that could go on a pizza. To seal in the eco-lesson, bring a map to locate each farm, then figure out how many miles your food travelled.<\/p>\n\n\n A family bioblitz \u2013 recording as many plant and animal species as you can in a specific amount of time \u2013 is a great way to show kids the importance of biodiversity. Grab a guide or nature app to help identify flora and fauna, then set a goal. Can you identify 25 species? 50? 100? Have kids record their findings in a notebook, index cards or even a hand-drawn map of the garden. Split the family into teams and make it a friendly competition!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Is there a waterside area where litter tends to build up, or a playground that needs a new flowerbed? Tackle those issues with a green service day. Kids can design flyers to advertise the event, create an online sign-up and reach out to friends and neighbours to enlist their help. Parents can post information about the clean-up on community social media pages and solicit local businesses or councils to donate and lend supplies. (Here are some other ways families can help save the Earth this summer.<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Summer travel doesn\u2019t have to mean jetting off around the world \u2013 the key thing is spending quality time together. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are some simple memory-making family activities for summer that don’t require a flight… <\/p>\n\n\n\n Hop on a ferry. Ride the bus. Journey by train. Challenge your kids to plan a quick getaway that involves travelling via public transport. Start by brainstorming local places your family would like to visit, like a beach or museum. Then help kids read maps and schedules for various modes of transport to figure out how to reach your chosen destination. And remember \u2013 getting there is half the fun!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Spend a day exploring your family\u2019s hometown<\/a> through the eyes of a traveller. Before the \u2018trip\u2019, encourage kids to pick up some brochures at an information centre or grab a guidebook at the library. Then help them design an itinerary with lots of new-to-your-family activities. One fun idea is to check into a nearby hotel the night before your adventure.<\/p>\n\n\n Document your family\u2019s summer escapades by making a scrapbook. Encourage kids to collect plenty of souvenirs, from favourite photographs<\/a> to postcards and ticket stubs. You can also include restaurant menus, pressed flowers or stone rubbings<\/a> from a hike, party invitations, sketches and favourite quotes. Work on your scrapbook throughout the summer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Help kids explore beyond their friendship group and embrace other cultures this summer. \u201cit\u2019s important for parents to celebrate diversity but showing children not only the importance of diversity but also how to embrace it,\u201d says Julie Yeros, founder of Globe Trottin\u2019 Kids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bring another culture home to your dinner table. Kids can help choose recipes, design a menu, decorate the table and pick out the music. Then take them to local markets and ethnic grocery stores to shop for ingredients. Encourage them to ask questions: Are there holidays when certain foods are eaten? Do some foods or ingredients have special significance?<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"family](\"https:\/\/cdn.creatureandcoagency.com\/uploads\/2023\/06\/FamilyActivitiesForSummer-1.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nStart a family nature club<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Attend a star party<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Celebrate the summer solstice – 21st century style<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Eco-stewardship<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Make your home wildlife friendly<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Meet a farmer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"summer](\"https:\/\/cdn.creatureandcoagency.com\/uploads\/2023\/06\/FamilyActivitiesForSummer-2.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nGo on a BioBlitz<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Organise a local clean-up<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Travel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Plan a day out using public transport<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Be a tourist in your own town<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"family](\"https:\/\/cdn.creatureandcoagency.com\/uploads\/2023\/06\/FamilyActivitiesForSummer-3.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nPreserve your memories<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Culture<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Plan an international dinner party<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Hold your own summer games<\/h3>\n\n\n\n