Summer is right around the corner and that means spending quality time with friends and family. Whether you already have some traditions in place or you’re looking for new ideas, here’s a list of several adventures and activities you may want to try this summer. 

1. Water sports

When was the last time you and your family headed out on the water for a day of wakeboarding, water skiing, or tubing? Make this summer your time to explore some watersports.

When you already have a boat, it’s pretty affordable to get your own water sports equipment and try new things. For instance, you may want to explore stand-up paddleboards or kneeboards. You could also get a new innertube for towing multiple people at once.

Don’t have a boat? No problem. There are many locations where you can rent a boat and the type of water sports equipment you’d like to try. Look around online and find a place that rents equipment for boating. If they don’t have what you need, ask for a reference.

If you’re feeling adventurous and don’t have younger kids, you might want to head out to a spot where you can learn to kitesurf.

Whatever water adventure you choose, make sure everyone is wearing a life vest, even your pets, and take a basic water safety course if you haven’t already.

2. Backyard giant toss games

Have you ever seen those giant bean bags, horseshoes, or discs designed to be thrown across the yard? Each game is a little different, but these types of games are fun for the whole family, even little ones.

One of the best games is bean bag tic-tac-toe. With this game, you have to toss a giant bean bag onto a giant tic-tac-toe game board in the right spot. It’s a fun twist on a simple game.

There are tons of other backyard toss games you can play with your family, including lawn darts (the safe version of the game), horseshoes (plastic or bean bag style for younger kids), and disc golf.

3. Croquet

Croquet is a somewhat involved game to play, but the act of playing is simple enough that it might be of interest to kids, even if they don’t understand the details. Otherwise, croquet is an excellent game to play with friends, a spouse, or older children.

The goal in a game of croquet is to make both of your balls hit a peg after hitting them through a series of hoops in a specific order. For instance, there are five hoops that are all facing different yet specific directions. Each ball has to go through each hoop two times in a specific order. 

Then, each ball has to move backward through each hoop in the opposite order, at which point the objective becomes to hit a peg. When a ball hits the peg, it’s removed from the game, and the first person to hit the peg with both balls wins.

Here are the basic rules for playing croquet and a video showing the gameplay if you’re not familiar. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s relaxed enough that it can be enjoyed by a group of friends.

4. A slip ‘n slide

You can’t have a fun summer without a slip ‘n slide in the backyard! Even when it’s not that hot out, it’s a fun way to pass the time.

There are so many different styles to choose from today, from simple tarp-like slides to slides with a pool at one end. Some slip ‘n slides are even padded and come with inflatable kickboards to make the ride a little more enjoyable.

On really hot days, the best slip ‘n slides are the ones that spray water everywhere and cool you down from every direction.

Enjoy this summer with new activities 

Don’t let this summer be stale and boring. Bring your friends and family together to enjoy each other’s company with some new activities. Make this summer fun, whether you set up some games in your backyard, go out on the water, or just hang out in the house and talk. 

What’s most important is that you spend time with the people you love.