by Dena Bless
Jul 14, 2025
Living in our beautiful state allows for a plethora of outdoor activities. In this blog, we’re going to concentrate on some that tend to be more summer specific because of timing or the warmer, dryer weather. Concerts and Plays You can find outdoor concerts, plays, and movie nights in many counties during the summer months. Everything from classical music to rock ‘n roll. From Shakespeare to children’s productions. Search “outdoor concerts in _____ county” (or something similar), and you will likely find several options. Public venues like parks or sometimes downtown associations can have programs. Private companies, especially eateries and vineyards like to offer such events during these months. While not necessarily outdoors, many community theaters also have family friendly productions during the summer. (Ours is putting on The Sound of Music this month.) Some offer family packages or “Community Service Nights” with discounted pricing for those who participate in organizations like 4-H, Trail Life, or Heritage Girls. If you’re in a more rural area and have to drive a bit to participate in something like this, make a day of it and find other interesting things to explore in the town like parks (enjoy a picnic!) or tourist attractions or historical sites or museums. Arts and Crafts Take advantage of the good weather to be creative outdoors in ways that are too messy for inside your house. Sidewalk chalk is a great way to experiment and be wildly creative as it can simply be washed away if one is not happy with the results, or it can be left for neighbors to enjoy for several weeks. Squirt gun painting is enjoyed by young and old alike. Put a big piece of paper on the ground or on a wall (choose carefully as you’re almost guaranteed to have overspray!) and let them have at it with water-based paint. You will probably need to thin the paint a bit, but you can use cheap water pistols and just throw them away when they’re done. Let your inner Jackson Pollock reign free! For the truly adventurous, allow them to spray each other. It’s a lot less painful than paint balls. Just hose off and send kids to the shower and clothes into the laundry right afterwards. (I’m not going to guarantee it will all wash out though, so definitely don’t wear clothes you care about.) Take your air popper outside, but don’t put the lid on it after you turn it on. See how far and high the popcorn can fly. Then use it for several fun crafts or activities like those found here. Outdoor Movie Nights You can use outdoor movie nights for fun family time, a way to get to know and bond with your neighbors, or creative kid parties. This article has great ideas of how to find equipment on a budget or even some DIY creations. Make invites (maybe using popcorn from the previous activity!) and hand them out around your neighborhood to get to know your neighbors better. Make popcorn (not from the previous activity! LOL!) and put in little bags and buy theater style candy from the dollar store to create a little (free) concession stand. Wishing you and your family a summer filled with fresh ideas for bonding with loved ones, neighbors, and friends!
