The summer heated up and, all of a sudden it seemed, today brought the first day of school. I feel like it’s the first time I’ve had a chance to think since June! Now I want to make sure that the kids–who are attending separate elementary schools–have a chance to unwind together at the end of this week. Here* are some of our family’s favorite ideas of spending time together.

While they may seem like ordinary activities, we try to add a creative twist, if we can:

1. Special dinner night: It’s a winner that doesn’t always happen during the week. Some weeks the family together time happens when we picnic along the beach or cuddling together in front of a favorite family movie. (We take turns choosing the movie and the “special” dinner is something the kids enjoy eating.)

2. Game night: This is an idea that my son started two weeks ago. It is awesome because the two oldest kids are arranging it and deciding what games we play. Often the games including make-believe games, performance games or building games. Anything goes and we let the kids choose the activity. (The LEGOS are never far away on this night!)

3. Weekend swims: On Saturdays, we try to run some errands and end the time together either in a local pool or in the nearby ocean. There is something unifying (and refreshing) about all getting in the water and splashing around.

4. Bike rides: While the kids enjoy riding their bikes around our neighborhood, whenever there is an afternoon event we can attend as a family, we build a family bike ride around it. Because it gets so hot in the summer, we tend to take more bike rides in the fall. With new paths being built around us, I’m eager to go exploring. (The kids are too…we often saw the paving machines as they rolled out the bike path.)

5. Read, read, read: I learned “DEAR” this summer — it stands for Drop Everything And Read. One of my family’s favorite activities is to find a book and soft place to sit. Either we gather on a bed and the parents read to the kids or the kids read to the kids. It’s a quiet activity, but full of affection and great for building memories.

*I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and LEGO blogging program, making me eligible to get a prize pack. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

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