One friend tells me that she and her three kids like to reserve the last weeks of August to hit all the nearby pools -- indoor and out -- for one final family splash fest. But be sure to check out when the town pools close for the season, which can often be earlier than you'd expect. (Our local pool in Connecticut is drained and locked up by mid-August.) And while you're there, try one -- or all -- of the
10 most fun and creative pool games for kids. Yeah, we've moved on from you, Marco Polo.
Related: 11 top pool safety tips for keeping kids safe this summer
3. Get Ready for Board Game of Thrones
(Photo: Nicole Blades)
Set up a three-night, tournament with the whole family featuring your
favorite family board games. (We have lots of recos!) You can even take it next level and create a scoreboard, prizes and a tiny trophy. Or go high tech with the games night and make it a family match of
video gaming skills.
4. Go on a Museum Crawl
Sweltering August is the perfect time to head to nearby museums, like the Field Museum in Chicago (above) or your local children's museum. Yes, there are tons of rad things to see and learn about, but also, real talk? There's air-conditioning. Plus, many museums have special summer-only events just for kids that start winding down this month.
We're always quick to consult the handy the
Mommy Poppins Kids On the Go app or the newer
Mommy Poppins for Android app for a smart list of goings-on in cities around the country that put the kibosh on the "I'm bored" whimper.
Related: 22 National Parks and Sites you can visit right in the NYC areas
End of Summer Fun: Eats
5. Flip the Script on Dinner
Breakfast for dinner is always a nice treat. But instead of the default pancake menu, maybe try to up your griddle game with one of these
7 best waffle recipes, or try something new with a
delicious, easy-to-make breakfast taco (above) complete with a taco bar in the kitchen. Or, what the heck. Do the chocolate thing. We've even got a list of
8 decadent Nutella breakfast recipes that could make for one memorable end-of-summer dinner.
6. Indulge in a S'mores-gusbord
Yes, I know that was a stretch (and perhaps a full-on mangling of the word), but come on ... I had you at
s'mores, didn't I? The classic, gooey, graham treat is a summer as it gets and we are always serving up
awesome s'mores recipe ideas. And what better way to say goodbye to summer than with a toasted, chocolatey s'mores salute. Plan an evening of s'mores galore with the kids. No campfire? No problem. Dig into the glory of these
9 mouthwatering s'mores recipes you can make without a fires like this S'Mores Ice Cream Sunday from Handmade Charlotte.
Related: 10 easy, healthier popsicle recipes that are fun to make for kids
End of Summer Fun: At home
7. Set Up Camp in the Backyard for an Hour or a Whole Night
Toss rigid bedtimes to the side for a night or two. (Or if you're us, the whole summer, ha.) Set up camp in the backyard or even at a nearby park, spread out a blanket and wait for the stars to dance in the skies. You could mix in a little education, too, and download the
Star Walk 2 app for iPad and iPhone (above) to tote along with you. Or if you're really serious, go and pitch an actual tent, then sit around a fire and talk about your favorite memories of the summer. We bet your kids hardly even remember the ones from back in June.
8. Host a Night of Movie Magic
Some towns host outdoor family movie festivals or screenings, but if there's no film fun under the stars, who's to say you can't do it yourself? Make a list of the films you've been dying to see but haven't yet (Liz just saw
Home, finally, and is raving), then organize a family movie weekend that starts with a matinee and ends at night when you're all snuggled under the blanket in front of the DVR. We like to pick movies by first checking out Cool Mom Tech fave
Common Sense Media, for ideas on what's age-appropriate for your crew. Like, maybe not
Man of Steel for your four-year old.
You could also take things up a notch by creating a whole theme for your movie day --
Harry Potter,
Star Wars,
Marvel or DC Superheroes -- and incorporate it into snack foods, easy activities, and costumes.
Related: Throwing a kids’ superhero party ideas: the ultimate roundup of ideas
9. Outdoor Dance Party!
An outdoor music fest is like a perfect combo, with sunshine, stone-cold jams and plenty of feel-it-in-my-bones dancing. The only hiccup is, unless this is a
kindie music affair, most outdoor music festivals cater to a grown-up crowd. I say make it a house party and drop the beat in the backyard, basement or kitchen. Just be sure you've got a neat, portable, powerhouse speaker, which you don't want to discover you don't have as the guests arrive. We're fans of the
Jawbone Jambox and Jambox Mini or the
JBL Charge 2 (above) where the compact Bluetooth speaker doubles as a smartphone charger as well. So the Family Lip Synch Battle-slash-Dance-Off can keep rocking (and streaming) for hours.
