We’re just a few weeks away from the officially start of summer, so take every opportunity to enjoy the remnants of spring with family fun and activities. Get outside often and take in the beauty of the season. Enjoy picnics and playgrounds, afternoon walks and wishes, fireflies and fishing and make the most of every day this month with the ones you love the most.
Try out some of these silly holidays below and make up a few of your own. Too.
➤ Be Kind to Animals Week — Not really sure how this one ever turned into just a weeklong celebration, but hopefully you find ways to be kind to animals throughout the year. Create some special, intentional kindness acts this week with the family to show your love for and appreciation of beloved pets and favorite wild creatures. Take part in some of these throughout the month, then get creative to include more family activities, too. Go for extra-long walks with your favorite pooch and give extra attention to the resident felines. Make a recipe of doggie biscuits together as a family for your own puppy or give them away to someone you know with a much-loved canine. Set up hummingbird feeders, squirrel feeders, and bird feeders in the backyard and keep filled throughout the month. Research online to find out plants that are especially conducive to inviting pollinators in your yard and purchase some to plant for the butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees. Keep a bird bath filled for thirsty animals, too.
➤ Drinking Water Week — Go for a family shopping trip to purchase new water bottles for the impending warmer weather and keep them filled each day for healthy hydration. Drink lots of water each day and include a treat of fresh-made lemonade, sweet tea or punch for afternoon refreshment.
Try this delicious punch recipe for a springtime treat. Follow the package instructions to add water to two envelopes of lemonade in a large storage container. Add a 46-ounce can of sweetened pineapple juice. Add sugar to taste, about half a cup. For optional fun, add a few drops of food coloring in a desired, springtime color.
➤ National Wildflower Week — After planting colorful, aromatic flowers in the yard to invite winged beauties to your yard, create this fun flower craft project. Glue a brightly-colored, cupcake paper liner to a large sheet of craft paper in the top third of the paper. Glue just the center of the liner, leaving the edges unglued to tuck in the petals. Cut construction paper into strips measuring one-half-inch in width by six inches in length.
Use a variety of colors for a more brilliant craft project. Bring the ends of each petal together, tuck the cut ends under the cupcake liner edge, and glue the petals in place. Glue petals around the entire liner for a full flower. Tear pieces of colored tissue paper into small pieces and glue them into the center of the cupcake liner. Add a green construction paper stem and some leaves to the page, too.
➤ National Hug Holiday Week — Give lot of family hugs this week to remind each family member how much they are loved. Get creative with hugs, too. Link elbows for an elbow hug, Interlace fingers together and squeeze tight for a hand hug. Give side hugs, back and front hugs, knee hugs, and any other style of hug you can create.
➤ National Transportation Week — Start planning now to incorporate as many forms of transportation into your family time for the next several months as you can possibly muster. Plan a mini-vacation and travel in the car. See if you can fit in a train trip or airplane flight for vacation fun.
Go for bike rides, scooter rides, and skateboard adventures. Ride on a bus, trolley, kayak, fishing boat, or cruise ship. What about a unicycle, pogo stick, or roller skates?
Plan now to keep a list for the next several months of the various ways your family gets from one location to another and see how many different modes of transportation you took part in by the end of the summer.
Enjoy fun times together as a family and make warm memories to treasure for a lifetime. Make the most of the month of May with hugs and kisses, outdoor activities and indoor fun, and much love and care for each other.
Statesboro native Julie Bland Lavender loves encouraging families to make memories filled with love and fun. She is the author of "365 Ways to Love Your Child: Turning Little Moments into Lasting Memories" and "Children’s Bible Stories for Bedtime."