Thursday, July 23, 2009

tradition!
As we start our little family, I realize that we are lacking in traditions. We have started to create some traditions for Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter...you know, the biggies. As for summer holidays and summer itself we are a little short of ideas. We watch fireworks on the 4th and go swimming as much as we can. Sometimes that sprinkler gets pulled out, but nothing really memorable that I can pinpoint as an actual tradition. As July comes to a close I realize we only have a few precious weeks left of true summer, so I feel a little urgency in my strivings to create an idyllic summer that celebrates childhood in all its curiosity and innocence for my kids.

I want something I can do now while we don't have all the resources we hope to have later in life. Something
timeless that can happen in times of recession and times of plenty, as our kids our young and as they grow older. I am sure our traditions will evolve but I need help getting started somewhere. Any ideas?

What traditions did you have growing up?
What do you do with your family now?




8 comments:

Anonymous said...

My family always went fishing in the summer. With small kids you can go to stocked lakes/ponds and just be there for a few hours to catch some small trout. Seeing a child catch their first fish is always memorable.

Or even just camping over night in the mountains with a tent is a fun experience too. Sharing smores and just talking around the fire late into the evening is a great way to bond with family.

Britta said...

I love that previous comment about camping. Sometimes camping isn't always the easiest idea so it might be just as exciting to set up a tent in the back yard. That way if you do get rained out or have to use the bathroom you aren't inconvienenced. This is good especially with younger children and doesn't take nearly as much prep time or money.

I also like the idea of hitting all the free events you can. Movies at the theater (in some areas), library activities, free concerts in the park etc. These sorts of activities are generally 'summer only' and can get exciting for children without mom and dad having to spend a lot of time or money planning!

Jessie said...

We also enjoy regular picnics, either in the yard, or at a local park during the summer. Nothing huge, we just pack up a couple sandwiches and something to drink, and go.

Also, parades and city events are always fun--Provo, for example, hosts a whole "freedom festival" around the 4th of July where they have all kinds of activities for every age--way fun to attend. I'm sure there are more events going on everywhere, you just have to find them.

LeeAnne said...

I can't think of any family traditions off the top of my head- truth is, I feel like we're lacking in the tradition department too :) But here's a fun idea- I know someone with young kids who has started the tradition of having a party to celebrate the seasons, the first day of every season! For spring they had a "bug search" (buried some dollar store toy bugs and reptiles in a big bowl full of dried beans), made pinecone bird feeders, decorated paper plates, had an egg hunt... Just fun little things to welcome the new season!

Megan said...

We always go and walk around Summerfest. They general have art projects for the kids to do. We also try to go to the rodeo at the County Fair every year. One really big tradition that is real hit with my family is for the 24th of July celebration, we float the Oneida Narrows River. It is a ton of fun!

Kelly A. said...

When I think of activities we've always done in the summer things like trips to Bear Lake, camping, boating, the fair, swimming, bonfires up the canyon, feeding the ducks, bubbles, running through sprinklers, etc all come to mind.

We also try to take advantage of many of the free things going on in the community in the summer just like mentioned above.

This 4th of July I made homemade red, white and blue popsicles (idea from familyfun.com) and they were a huge hit with the kids so that will likely be a little tradition of ours from now on :)

A couple other low-key but fun ideas are to give your kids a disposable camera at the beginning of summer and let them take pictures to document the season through their eyes. Then you can scrapbook them together or put them in a photo album. It's fun to see what sticks out to kids-like a certain bug or rock from one of your outings. An idea for younger kids that I got from a friend is to give them a bucket of water and a cheap brush and let them "paint" the sidewalk.

It's fun to read what everyone has said on this post!! :)

Anonymous said...

*We take our kids camping a LOT. My husband likes to have them find their own special walking stick & then they go on a hike. We also make lots of s'mores all summer long.
*Over the 4th my parents do a luau & we get a pig & do a pig roast - huge event (close to 100). My kids LOVE this one.
*We go visit the Willow Park when we can.
*My kids have come to love the library and the backyard sprinkler.
*My parents have one of those pools you buy at Sam's Club and set up so we do a TON of swimming. Both sets of grandparents have boats too so we do lots of that. We also make an annual trip to Lake Powell as well as Flaming Gorge. We wanted to do Yellowstone this year but couldn't afford to make the trip.
*My parents have a HUGE garden & my kids help with that a lot. They love watching all the plants come up & getting to pick stuff & eat it.
*We make homemade ice cream because my mom has raspberry, blackberry & blueberry bushes.
*My kids help make jam & can all the stuff from the garden. *They're getting good at shelling peas but they're even better at eating them!
*We go for bike rides when times permit (I have a bike trailer & a baby seat on my bike).
*We go to several different family reunions and usually a county fair.
*There's usually at least 1 sleepover with 1 of the sets of grandparents and their Aunt/Uncle/Cousin come to visit from Florida.
*I give them a little bit of computer time so they learn how to navigate around a computer.
*We paint - washable color paints but I'm thinking about edible finger paints on butcher paper outside.
*We like to do tin foil dinner cook offs with my side of the family.
*My husband takes the kids fishing quite a bit and they love every second of it (even my girly girl).
*My kids like to help with yardwork - is that weird?
Sorry! I know that's a lot, but you wanted ideas, right?? ;)

Jared and Delia said...

THat was great and just what I needed. Thanks!