Keeping Summer Simple

Holly Dodd shares the joy of creating an intentional simple summer with your family. 

Summers can be packed full of camps, lessons, sports games, and lots of fun family extras. But if you cram too much into your summer plans, it starts to not feel like a summer break at all. Whether you have some plans for travelling or you are just staying home, try to stay focused on having a simple summer.

Simple Summers

Simple summers allow time for you to rediscover what God has blessed you with right in your own hometown. I know that I can easily forget how wonderful my own backyard is if I become too familiar. Driving through my town every day, I often forget how special the towering evergreens and snow-capped mountains truly are. Very quickly, if I am not intentional, time will get away and I haven’t visited even my most favorite places in quite some time. Often it takes entertaining out-of-town visitors for us to remember the unique treasures in our geographical area, such as looking for sea stars and anemones when the tide is extra low.

But it is not only the Pacific Northwest that holds such treasures. As a military family, we’ve lived in a lot of places. We’ve visited American Civil War battlefields in Pennsylvania, walked in the footprints of dinosaurs in Texas, and soaked up the sun on the white-sand beaches of the Florida panhandle.

Summer Bucket Lists

Don’t overthink your summer break. It may be just getting started or it may be coming to an end. If you haven’t yet, sit down with your family and create a summer bucket list. Summer isn’t over yet; what else do you hope to get to do?

Pull out a map of your area and look for trails to hike and landmarks to visit. Pretend you are hosting a beloved friend from out of town: What are the restaurants you would be sure to visit or places you’d be sure to see? Write all this down on a large sheet of paper or posterboard that you can display on your wall if you can. Dream big! It’s okay if you can’t accomplish it all.

Summer “What We Did” Lists

Now make a second list. My favorite list for the summer is our “What We Did” summer list. On this list, we jot down each little thing we do on summer days. It’s not too late to add some of the things you’ve already done as well. Don’t overthink this. Did you eat popsicles? Did you have a campfire? Did you go fishing? Did you buy a treat from the ice cream truck? Did you see fireworks? Did you go swimming? Did you catch a firefly?

Keep jotting things down on this list until the end of summer. You’ll be amazed by all the little, and maybe not-so-little “summer things” you have done, no matter how many things you don’t get to cross off your bucket list. I like to use lots of colors and make little doodles on this list as well to make it even more fun. I bet there is something you do each day that you can add to this list.

It’s not too late to make the most of a simple summer with your family. Summer does not have to be busy and you don’t have to go on a big vacation to enjoy God’s creation. Why not rediscover your own hometown this summer? Sip slowly and savor God’s creation.

Share your thoughts with the Catholic Mom community! You'll find the comment box below the author's bio and list of recommended articles.

Copyright 2026 Holly Dodd
Images: Canva