LIFE

Summer is the season of sleeping in, de-stressing and solo adventures. You no longer have school or constant parental supervision and have time to hang out with friends and do the things that you want to do! But slow down there, sister. Even with a summer as busy as yours, you still gotta make time for your fam, because they support you through thick and thin and will always love you. Luckily for you, family outings don’t have to be a bore! Here are six of our favorite ways to bond with the parents and sibs.

Enjoy Sunny Days and Starry Nights

Summer is the perf time to get outside, and what better activity is there to take advantage of beautiful weather than camping? Pack your bags and practice pitching a tent in preparation for your fam’s big outing! Camping is a great way for your parents to unplug from work and devote all of their time and attention to you and your sibs. You can simply share in each other’s company while sleeping under the stars and partaking in some delish s’mores. Hiking, biking, swimming, rafting and kayaking are all activities you can enjoy on a camping trip, as well. We think you’ll have a blast “roughing it!”

Admire Art

Take a trip to a local museum and spend the whole day perusing paintings and scoping out sculptures. Pause for a lunch break and have everyone share their favorite (and least favorite) piece. Museums are great because you’ll never run out of things to talk about!

Bring the Big Screen Home

Hit up Netflix, Amazon Prime or iTunes or go old school and buy the DVD of your fam’s fave flicks! Family movie night is a great opportunity for your parents to share movies from their childhood and introduce you to classics. Some crowd-pleasing films we recommend are Star Wars, The Goonies, Casablanca, Roman Holiday, E.T. the Extraterrestrial and Singin’ in the Rain. Bring out the popcorn, bottles of Coke and Red Vines and get ready for a double - or triple! - feature night.

Plan a Picnic

Have Dad teach you how to make his famous potato salad and Mom show you and your sis the secret to making her perfect grilled chicken. Pack up your main dishes in reusable containers, buy a jug of fresh squeezed lemonade and add some snacks - chips, carrots and grapes are our faves! - for an easy to assemble picnic lunch. Stake out a spot in the shade at the nearest park and dig in to your delish noms! Bring books and a frisbee for afternoon activities that everyone can enjoy.

Hit the Road

Feeling stuffy in your hometown? Jump in the car and head to a town you've never visited before for the day. You and your fam can stroll through shops, sample the local eats and have a grand ol’ time playing tourists. The best part of mini adventures like these are, at the end of the day, you can easily go back home.

Bust Out the Board Games

Get ready for some fierce competition in the family! Take your fave board games down from the shelves and set aside a few hours on a Friday for an intense game night. Start out with Jenga to get the whole gang hyped, then transition to Scrabble for some major concentration and brain power testing. Next, we recommend Settlers of Catan for strategizing and rivalry. Finish off with a traditional and fun game like Sorry! or Monopoly. We guarantee you’ll have an action packed night!

What are your favorite ways to bond with your fam? Let us know in the comments below!

by Morgan Ome | 7/15/2016