Retro-Inspired Summer Family Fun
I fall into that "elder" millennial group, and because of this, I have incredibly fond memories of a *mostly* analog childhood. I did have those original Nintendo sets (you know what I'm talking about), but for the most part..it was outside, backyard, in our kid-sized pools, and with friends riding bikes. We were fortunate to live in a little beach town, so just a hop, skip and a jump across the street, and we were in the sand and sea.
Shoes barely were worn on feet, even to walk on the scalding pavement to the beach or riding our bike.
Our lawn chairs were those aluminum-weaved ones left over from the 70s—remember those?!
Badminton was the family fun activity; the net always stayed up, and birdies would always be scattered among the freshly cut grass.
We took our Igloo cooler, filled with most likely toxic-colored drinks or cola, to the beach, and our floppy plastic beach bags dragged behind us.
We would wait for the ice cream truck to make an appearance on our block, get that little piece of "free" bubblegum with our cold treat, and then compete to see who could blow the biggest bubble.
We would walk to our neighborhood video shop to rent a movie to watch with friends.
We lived in the moment.
We enjoyed every single summer day.
I want my children to have summer memories of lightness and fun, not one with a stressed-out mom wishing away time!!
So, this year, I decided to pull from these simpler times to create our own retro-inspired, intentional summer experience!
LL BEAN TOTE BAG // BADMITTON SET // WOVEN LAWN CHAIR // POLAROID CAMERA // BOCCE SET // RETRO SUNGLASSES // PLAYMATE COOLER // BEACH BALLS // CLASSIC TOWELS // RETRO portable RADIO // RETRO SHORTS
Intentional Family Activities
OUTDOOR
Outdoor play was a constant in our childhood and even though I am personally grateful that my kids love to be outside and ask to be most of the time…even in the days it is sweltering and well, maybe I don’t want to be out there, I find it is important that we all have things to do to enjoy as a family. Oftentimes, I find myself watching them play as they get lost in their games and not getting involved. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I also want to join in on things. So here are my favorite summer outdoor games to enjoy
Add in some extras, like some beach balls to toss around over the badminton net!
INDOOR: The Library is your best summer friend
One of our favorite things to do during the summer is to take advantage of everything going on at the library! As a kid, our little town library always had the reading club; each week, you read so many books and then get a prize. It was an exciting time! As a pre-teen/teen, when I was too old for the kid-aged program, I was able to volunteer my time a couple of times a week to assist the. younger kids in getting their books and prizes. It was such a great activity, and when I had kids, I looked forward to always bringing them to the library for these experiences, too. So this is a sort of retro-sort-of-modern one. But the nostalgia hits are present!!
Check out your local library to see if they have a reading club. Most do these days, and most are for both kids and adults, so you might as well get in on the fun and pick up some books for yourself. This has been a BIG part of my own self-care and mindset—getting off the phone and the tech and being present in books…or even magazines.
MOVIE NIGHTS
But make it retro—
Do you not have the best memories of going to Blockbuster (or even your neighborhood video store) to pick out a Friday night movie!? I seriously miss those times…
But you can still make this happen.
Once again, it is using the library, the only place that I know of where we can still rent a movie. Plus, it is for FREE, so that is even better!
Make a list of your favorite retro movies. I have one below to get you started. Obviously, use your own discretion based on your kid’s age and maturity. While I know you can get basically anything on demand these days, this makes it a bit more fun! If you have a DVD player, that is…(you can get them super cheap now, though!)
You can peruse the shelves of your local library and look for a movie to pick out together, rather than just scrolling the apps—which, if you don’t have a movie in mind, you can end up getting into a scroll or sibling fight on what to watch—don’t ask me how I know…
FAVORITE RETRO MOVIES FOR SUMMER
I have a hard time believing most of these are considered retro movies now (meaning they are 20 years or older—some are actually now “vintage,” yikes!)
The Little Mermaid
The Sandlot
The Land Before Time
Flight of the Navigator
Beethoven 1 & 2 (2 is set during the Fourth of July, so more summery to me than the first)
The Goonies
Jurassic Park
Back to the Future
The Parent Trap
3 Ninjas
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
The Princess Bride
Homeward Bound the incredible journey
Jungle to Jungle
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Space Jam
Retro Summer Odds & Ends
These are just some of my other favorite things that give the summer that retro vibe, and I thought you might also enjoy them!
An Intentional Summer Reset for Moms
In June, I find it's an ideal time to take a pause and reflect on the year so far and set intentions for the rest of it. After an intense period, I'm focusing on deep reflection and healing this summer, stepping away from the tech-obsessed culture and learning to be more present in our everyday life. I desire clarity, simplicity, and a real, intentional family life without the noise. I encourage you to join me in resetting and recovering, limiting social media, and focusing on realistic wellness. Read about the Intentional Summer Reset (designed just for moms) below. It includes journal prompts and practical steps for a summer retreat, including decluttering, improving our diets, and engaging in uplifting self-care activities!
Explore more in SUMMER
