Whether you have a summer job or not, there are things you can do to make your summer a great experience and have memories that last a life time.
Personally, my favourite thing to do in summer is to travel. However, I can't always afford it and I'm assuming you can't always travel either. So what are somethings you can do at home or locally over the summer?Here are some of my favourite things to do if I'm spending a summer at home.
1. READ - read non-stop. Read a series from your favourite author. Try a new author. Try a new genre of books. Read outside. Read at the beach. Read indoors on a rainy day. Just enjoy the art of reading for FUN. Not for school. Not for work. Just for the love of reading.
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| The Forks |
2. Pretend you are a visitor - take in the sights. Have you ever noticed that you only take in the local sights when you have visitors from out of town? Change that. Pretend you are visiting the area. What are the must see and must do items. Go do them. Have you been to The Mennonite Heritage Village in the last 5 years? If not, go! Have you been to The Forks? The Canadian Museum for Human Rights CMHR? The Manitoba Museum? (They have a new display of dinosaurs. Have you seen it?) Go to the zoo! Check out the Assiniboine Park. Have a picnic at the St. Malo Grotto Be a tourist at home. Go to St. Pierre Museum and Sugar Shack. Check out all the museums in the area Museums in Manitoba and maybe visit Lower Fort Garry - it's only an hour away.
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| CMHR |
3. Find interesting things. For example, did you know that there is something called the Cinnamon Bun Trail here in Manitoba. Cinnamon Bun Trail Manitoba. Google top 10 bakeries in Manitoba or top 10 places for a burger in Manitoba. See what google gives you and then make a plan to visit those 10 places over the summer. 10 Ten Manitoba Sweet Spots. I recently found the top 10 places in Winnipeg for a sweet tooth. I am making that part of my summer plan list.
4. Have fun in the kitchen. Bake. Can. Make jam. Learn how to bake bread. These are fun things to do with your family or a group of friends. Isn't homemade strawberry jam the best jam ever? Go pick strawberries and make your own jam. It's easy. Even I can do it. So can you!
5. Volunteer somewhere - even if it's just for one weekend, one day, or a few hours. Volunteer at a local fair (ie. Summer in the City) or at your church's kids club. Volunteer to babysit for a neighbour or to mow their lawn. Do something nice for your family, siblings, parents, grandparents or a family friend.
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| Caddy Lake |
7. Take some time to relax. Don't go, go, go all the time. Sleep in if you can. Have a lazy day or two or three. Let your body and brain chill and rejuvenate.
8. Try a new hobby. Learn how to paint, knit, build or any thing else that catches your interest. I'm trying my hand at gardening. If all goes well, I'll have some fresh vegetables in the late summer or fall.
9. Spend quality time with those close to you. Play board games. Visit. Cook. Eat. Enjoy the simple things of life with your family or friends.
10. Come up with something on your own.
Take this list with a grain of salt. Take what you like. Leave what you don't. What ever you do - Be safe!
These are just somethings I like to do in the summer. They are not in any particular order. You may have your own list. Perhaps it would be good to make a list, add to it as you think of new things and check off the ones you do. Sometimes at the end of summer, we can forget all the great activities we did. Making a list or writing one as you go may help you appreciate what a great summer you have had or great moments. It can also help you feel grateful for all the important people in your life that have been a part of those memories. Take the time to enjoy the summer and then come back in September ready to take on a new school year.
