He stands at the edge of the pool and waits for the throw. And it takes six tries before he catches it in mid-air.

Practice makes perfect, or so they say. And this is one thing my boys don’t mind, trying over and over until they conquer.

Every day they’re in the pool trying some new thing until they get it right. They splash and jump. They dive and slide, play catch, and tackle each other right down.

And isn’t this what summer is for?

To do new things in new ways.

To break the mold of routines and schedules.

To explore new places and discover new activities,

And open our minds to all that’s around us?

Summer is a time to be free. 

And what better place to feel free than outside?

To let your face feel the sun and your toes touch the grass.

To skip through sprinklers, catapult water balloons,

And eat juicy watermelon right where you are.

To smell the barbecue, and to pile the baked beans, potato salad and peach cobbler high,

Until nothing more fits on your plate.

Summer is made for being outside and there is so much fun to be had.

3 Benefits to Outside Summer Fun

1. Seeing the Beauty of God’s Creation

God’s creation is astounding and when we get outside we experience its beauty. We feel the wind on our face and the warmth on our skin. We see the trees stand tall and watch the green leaves rustle and move.

So many times we’re outside, but we fail to take in the beauty and detail all around us … the little hairs on the legs of a grasshopper, the flickering light of a firefly, the serrated edges of a leaf or the myriad of colors on the petal of a flower. When we take the time to not only go outside, but to look and see the beauty around us, our summer fun is enhanced as we appreciate God’s creation, and give thanks for it all.

2. Expending Energy

Each and every day, my boys need to expend energy–so much energy! And I’m thinking your boys are the same. And with the luxury of summer weather, there’s no better way than to spend time outside.

Swimming or running. Biking or jumping. Playing catch or kicking balls. Skateboarding, scooter-riding, or even sidewalk-chalk writing. The sky is the limit to what is possible outside. Park playdates, nature hikes, evening family walks, or outdoor games. Even major events like camping or waterslide and amusement parks, offer special outside summer fun.

3. Building Relationships & Making Memories

When we moved to our new house five years ago, the backyard was a flat area of barren dirt. We spent one year planning our yard and then three years building it, all by ourselves. Slowly but surely we made progress, until finally we finished late last spring. We did one-on-one swim lessons to get everyone water safe, and this is the first full summer we are enjoying the fun of having a pool.

Every day in the late afternoon, the kids head outside to get in. They don their suits and gather their goggles, and prepare for a fun pool adventure. They have noodles and water shooters, balls and toys. And as a group of five, they are growing closer each day from the memories they are making and the relationships they are strengthening with each other.

This summer, may we make some intentional time to get outside for some summer fun.

May we see the beauty around us, and spend our energy making memories and building the relationships we care about most.

Praying your summer is amazing!

Jacque Watkins of  jacquewatkins.com

 

What is your favorite activity for summer fun?

 This summer, what outside plans do you have?