April 16, 2024

7 Activities for Summer Family Fun

About Brookdale Senior Living

Brookdale Senior Living offers multiple care levels for seniors in more than 600 communities nationwide. Brookdale helps you find the right care plan for yourself or your loved one. With amenities such as transportation services, salons and private dining rooms and activities such as gardening, fitness classes and trivia nights Brookdale caters to a wide range of interests and needs.

Your dad wants to watch Columbo, the kids want to make a homemade waterslide in the backyard, and you just want the whole family to spend some time together this summer. Make it happen with these ideas for multigenerational summer fun.

Bake great memories.

Cook up some classic family fun by finding a healthier, sweet treat to create together — and learn a thing or two in the process! By measuring out ingredients, little ones can learn to count, big kids can practice fractions and grown-ups can successfully sneak some summer enrichment into summer vacation. For extra fun, find a family recipe to make together. You will have the chance to pass a time-honored tradition along to the next generation while teaching the kiddos about much more than baking.

Beat the heat with a cool TV series.

Sometimes summer weather is better enjoyed from the “Great Indoors”. So, find a show the whole family can enjoy. Don’t know where to begin to look? We’ve got you covered. Check out our roundup of senior-approved shows, and spend some family time together without breaking a sweat.

Pack your picnic basket.

Some say that life is a picnic — so why not actually go on one? Take the opportunity to teach your kids about planning a healthy meal as you pack your baskets and head outside for some much-needed vitamin D. If you’re looking for a quick no-bake solution, try DIY energy bites, tuna salad or pasta salad. If you’re looking for a few healthier options, browse these 20 delicious and nutritious suggestions on our blog.

Take a nature walk.

Get outside this summer! Not only can walking be a fun, relatively low-impact way to spend time in nature, it can also be beneficial to a senior’s health. Did you know, a study has identified an association between seniors who spend time outside daily and those that have fewer aches, pains and sleeping problems? It’s never too early to start a good habit for the whole family. Just be sure your senior is wearing the right walking shoes. And for more information on the health benefits of walking, check out our webinar with walking expert and bestselling author Kathy Smith.

Beat boredom with a board game.

There’s nothing like a good game to bring everybody together. Whether you prefer Monopoly®, Sorry!®, Chutes and Ladders® or Scrabble®, there’s no way to go wrong when a board game is in play. Don’t have one on hand? That’s okay — there are plenty of virtual versions of the classic games you know and love, including Scattergories®, Trivial Pursuit® and more. Or play an online word game to help everyone in the family brush up on their vocabulary at the same time.

Tell campfire stories that leave them wanting “s’more.”

Summer can be filled with the sorts of nights that your family will fondly remember forever. Strike up a campfire, leave the phones inside and spend some unplugged quality time together. The kids just might come for the s’mores but stay for the stories shared.

Plant roots together.

Calling everyone with a green thumb! Here’s a fantastic way for you to get the whole family outside in nature while enjoying a relaxing afternoon. When you start a garden together, you aren’t choosing an activity just for the day — you are creating a family bond that will help keep you growing together for years to come. Just choose the right greenery for you. If you’re looking for plants that can adorn your yard year-round, these five perennials could be perfect. If you love butterflies, make your own butterfly garden by selecting vegetation that will attract them. Or if you are limited on land, choose plants that thrive when growing in a pot. However you choose to plant your garden, know that you’ll be putting down roots for a strong family bond you can enjoy for this summer, and many more.

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