Eight fun activities for families who are choosing to skip camp this summer!
Summer is right around the corner and we are anxious to get back to normal summer plans. For some families that will include day or even sleep-away camp. For others, camp isn’t on the agenda for a variety of reasons: a family member with a medical issue who needs to be protected, financial concerns, or camp simply isn’t needed or desired.
Families not choosing camp may want to plan a few special excursions and activities. Luckily we live on the beautiful central coast with access to multiple outdoor options. Here are suggestions for an exciting and enriching summer with the family.
GET OUTSIDE
From Pinnacles National Park to Point Lobos and Asilomar State Parks to Toro County Park to your neighborhood playground. Make a map and set a goal to visit as many parks as possible together this summer. Involve your kids by printing a map, adding pins to parks you visited, and creating a family rating system so you can rank parks at the end of summer.
Start early. Assume we will see a return of those busy summer weekends with extra traffic from visitors. Take advantage of living locally by beating tourist traffic and going out early in the day.
BIKE RIDES
Rent bikes or a surrey from Adventures by the Sea, rent an open-air mini car from Sea Car Tours, or splurge and rent the iconic red Volkswagen microbus from Monterey Touring Vehicles. This can be an exciting new experience where you get to cruise around in a different form of transport, appreciate the coastline, and all within your social circle.
Tip: Look at the weather forecast and reserve a few days early for Sea Car Tours.
GO ON A PICNIC
If you have missed dining out or your favorite restaurant this past year, get take out and enjoy a meal outdoors. We recently visited Phil’s Fish Market in Moss Landing for take-out and ate at Moss Landing Beach. Simple but felt like such a treat! Plus, we got to make sandcastles.
Call in your order ahead of time. Phil’s gets very busy, especially on nice days.
SWIMMING
At this time, it is unknown if community pools like Carmel Valley Community Youth Center’s pool or Stillwell Children’s Pool at Lover’s Point will open for summer, but there are other options. Go for a dip in the ocean; wetsuits strongly recommended. If you are willing to drive and spend a little, you can also rent a house with a pool through an app like Simply.
Tip: If you are willing to make the drive, Santa Cruz beaches might be a warmer and sunnier option for ocean swimming and a day at the beach.
MAKE PLANS
The last year has been filled with cancellations, so making plans is something I have refrained from doing after enough disappointment. However, having something to look forward to is exciting, even if it is something small. Make a reservation for outdoor dining at a new or favorite restaurant. Book a staycation at a vacation rental. Reserve a time to visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Join a whale watching tour. Ask your children what they would look forward to and make that reservation together.
Tip: Join or renew your Monterey Bay Aquarium membership to support the ocean’s inspiring conservation and for free admission.
ONLINE SHOPPING
There are kits parents can purchase to complete hands-on activities at home. These kits are especially helpful if you feel like planning activities for your children and appropriate for various age levels is too time-consuming. There are popular national sites such as KiwiCo or Creation Crate, and check out some local options such as kits from Resource Area for Teaching (RAFT) and Bags Full of Science from the Greenfield Community Science Workshop.
Tip: Locate and preview the parent sheets or guides before the kits get completely taken apart. If you get too excited and lose that part, some companies have the parent guides available to access online or download.
READ
We can take advantage of summer “boredom” to foster a love of reading. Find the type of books your kids love. Read together as a family. Ask your children to summarize stories and share what they liked or did not like about the books they read. Monterey County Free Libraries have curbside pick-ups available. You can make your book together as a family as a summer project.
Tip: If you live far away from family, a virtual read-aloud video call can help your children and their grandparents or family members feel connected while also making reading special.
GO VIRTUAL
There are many virtual summer programs available, some at low or no cost. One strength of this past year of distance learning is that we now have access to a wide variety of virtual programs that are local and national. Some local organizations offering virtual summer options include Mission Zero through Fused Learning or Boy and Girls Club of Monterey County.
Tip: Keep an eye out for other summer programs such as the Summer Academies from Hartnell College’s K12 STEM Programs that have not released how their programs will operate- in person, virtually, or hybrid.
As you design what summer might look like for your family, try to enjoy the time you get to spend together. While the pandemic has surfaced many challenges and inequities, as I look back on this year, the time I have spent with my family and living in such a beautiful part of the country with access to the great outdoors year-round has been a gift.
For more spring and summer activity suggestions, check the calendar at MontereyBayParent.com. As more activities open up, we’ll post details on the website.
Denise Green has worked in education for over a decade, specializing in mathematics pedagogy and professional development. She, her husband, and their two rambunctious children reside in the sunny hills off Highway 68.