How to Celebrate the End of Summer Like a Kid Again

What's more fun than feeling like kids again in summer?

Shadows are growing longer and soon the days will be shorter and cooler, but there are still some summer moments left to savor. It may take tapping into the inner child in each of us, but here are some ways to enjoy the glorious last days of the season.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Watermelons
• Photo frames
• Glue
• Popsicles
• Slip 'n Slide
• Swimsuits
• Blankets
• Clothespins
• Bug spray
• Air mattresses
• Flashlights
• Binoculars
• Camera
• Skewers
• Marshmallows
• Broiler
• Graham crackers
• Chocolate bars
• Craft supplies

The Spirit of Youth Can Be Revisited With Little Effort!

1. Watermelon is synonymous with summer.

   Have a watermelon seed-spitting contest in the backyard, and challenge for distance, creativity and speed. Then collect and rinse the seeds to decorate a picture frame of the entire event to remember when the snow starts falling!

2. Kids' water toys bring out smiles in adults, too.

   Throw on swimsuits and slurp up some messy Popsicles. Then, crank up the hose and get drenched on a Slip ‘n Slide. It’s even more fun if you do it to music.

3. Making a tent was the ultimate clubhouse as kids.

   Remember those homemade tents made of old blankets clothes-pinned to fences, clotheslines or card tables? Spray for bugs and then build your own tent and add air mattresses and flashlights to camp out overnight. Take the binoculars and do some stargazing while you’re at it.

4. Simple pleasures include kids' treats like cotton candy.

   Hit up a festival or fair. Treat yourself to cotton candy or some homemade baked goods, ride a carousel or roller coaster, and compete for a stuffed animal. When the sun sets, find a grassy hill and take some photos of the ride silhouettes against the sinking rays.

5. Savor a cup of coffee with morning breezes before the weather shifts.

   Have your morning and evening coffee outdoors and add some atmospheric meals in between. Study expert grilling techniques so you can copy outdoor food flair in your kitchen during the cold gray months. Don’t forget about the timeless dessert: S’mores. Skewer some marshmallows, stick them in a broiler and then slip them between graham crackers and chocolate bars for the classic treat. Try a different type of chocolate bar—one with peanuts or toffee—for a variation on the original.

6. Bringing the outdoors in gets people through the colder months.

   Search the yard, garden and garage or shed for deserted nests, flora or other types of critter homes. Make sure they are deserted, clean them and then lacquer or otherwise preserve them. Add silk blooms, feathered birds or tree branches to create a nature setting for a mantel, table or bookshelf.