As the summer months come to a close and children prepare their backpacks for a new school year, it can be quite the bummer for both parents and kids. However, just because summer is coming to a close doesn’t mean everyone has to be gloomy. The weather is still warm, so there’s still plenty of time to have some fun. Here are a few end-of-summer activities for the whole family.

Head Over to the Local Park

It may be too late for a long hiking trip, but there’s always time to take a walk at the park. Gather the whole family and head over to your favorite city park to enjoy some quality outdoor time. If you want to take that extra step to make it a lot more fun, you can even prepare a scavenger hunt for the kids.

Throw a Small-Scale Summer Bash

Who needs a ton of people to party? One of the best ways to celebrate the end of the summer months is to throw your very own end-of-the-season bash in your backyard. Set up the pool, play some games, and make some snow cones. This bash will be that cherry on top of the summer for your entire family.

Movie Marathon

One of the best perks of summer is that you don’t necessarily have to put your children to sleep that early. However, with school coming up, you may want to begin to get them used to go to sleep early and waking up on time. But before that, how about one last movie night marathon? Allow everyone to pick out their favorite movies and spend the night watching them with your children. It’s not only a great way to celebrate the ending of summer, but you’ll no doubt create amazing memories for years to come.

Let the Kids Decide

This might sound a little scary for parents, but summer is about exploring and being creative. Don’t be afraid to ask children what they want to do. They might want to fingerpaint outside or have a dance party in their room. Often, children don’t have fun with the entire family because they haven’t had the time to do what they want. It’s okay, let them be kids first, and then you can add in the family activities. In the end, it’ll all be worth it.