Summer is changing. Climate change is bringing more heat waves, smoky skies, and unpredictable weather. But as a mom of three, I still want my kids to have a summer full of magic and memories.
Right now where I live on the East Coast, we’re getting a brief break from the worst of the heat. But many families are still facing sweltering days as August turns to September.
That’s why I put together five simple, budget-friendly activities that help kids stay cool, connect with nature, and create the kind of summer memories they’ll carry forever.
The seasons are changing (in more ways than one)
As a mom of three, I’m always looking for ways to get us outside together without breaking the bank. For me, reconnecting with nature isn’t just about the fresh air, it’s about helping my kids (and myself!) slow down and really notice the world around us.
It’s also about creating core memories and traditions that they’ll carry forward with friends and loved ones.
But climate change is reshaping, and in some cases taking away, many of the summer activities we’ve always loved.
Where I live in Nova Scotia, there’s currently a complete ban on entering the woods because climate-fuelled drought has left our forests ready to ignite with a single spark.
Our friends in Toronto had to cancel a number of summer outings due to wildfire smoke making the air dangerous to breathe.
It’s been the second-worst wildfire season ever, just behind 2023, and then there’s the record breaking heat from coast to coast.
Changing traditions for changing times
Over the past few summers, I’ve been thinking about how we can adapt and create new traditions that keep us cool, safe, and connected to nature.
Here are five of my favourites. If you end up doing any of these activities, or you have others that you’d like to share – I want to hear about it! Send an email to bailey@myclimateplan.com. I read every single one.
- Early morning or sunset bird watching: Early morning and evening are the coolest times of the day, and birds are most active then. My kids are up at the crack of dawn anyway, so I find this to be a great way to get out and get active instead of switching on a screen (but you can be sure I’ll have a big flask of coffee with me!)
Last year, we got each child an inexpensive set of binoculars. They love spotting new birds and I bring a notebook to jot down whatever they find.
The best part is you can do this in both rural and urban areas!
Bonus: Download the Merlin Bird ID app to your phone before heading out. It’s like Shazam, but for bird songs! I totally nerd out every time it identifies a new bird for me. - Do-it-yourself backyard or balcony “Nature Lounge”: Okay full disclosure – my kids came up with this and now ask for it all the time! Recently they took some of our beach umbrellas from the shed and set them up in a row. Then they set up some lounger chairs underneath and asked if I could make them a picnic basket full of snacks.
They spent hours lounging, colouring, snacking, and even napping out there! It’s the same backyard they play in all the time, but something about setting it up that way made it feel special. And I loved it because it didn’t cost a penny, and they were able to stay cool in the shade despite the high temperatures.
Bonus: Set up the space with lots of things they can do if they get bored like a bubble station, paper and markers, and a reading corner with books from home or the library. - Visit a public outdoor pool or splash pad: We are absolutely spoiled where I live in Dartmouth when it comes to places to swim in nature. After all, it’s called the City of Lakes! That said, some days the lake just isn’t an option when there are blue-green algae advisories, high bacteria after a storm, or you just need lifeguards, shade, and bathrooms.
On those days we keep it simple and hit a public pool or splash pad. The kids run themselves happy and I get a chance to sit down for at least ten minutes without someone asking me a question!
Bonus: We like to pack a picnic lunch and make a day of it. This helps us avoid the midday request to go buy lunch somewhere, which gets expensive for a family of five. However, I always set aside some budget for ice cream from a favourite spot at the end of the day. It just doesn’t feel like a pool day without it! - Nature scavenger hunt: While us grownups may enjoy a leisurely nature walk without a purpose or destination, kids often need a little more structure to make it engaging. We like to print off free nature scavenger hunt guides like this one, and turn a forest stroll into a fun adventure.
We go early in the morning or after dinner to beat the heat, and carry big water bottles. We stick to paths, and snap a quick photo instead of picking. It’s a tiny lesson in care for nature that still feels like play.
Bonus: We keep it fun and interesting by getting the kids to take turns making the scavenger hunt list. When they dream up the items themselves it helps them make their own connections to the natural world, noticing details they might have walked past before. - Garden together: One of the most grounding things I’ve done with my kids is help them make their own tiny garden. It doesn’t have to be fancy. It can just be some herbs in pots on the balcony, a tomato plant in a bucket, or if you’re lucky, a corner of a community garden plot.
My kids love planting seeds, watering, checking each day for new sprouts. What I love is how it connects them to the bigger rhythms of the world. They see how the sun, rain, and soil work together, and they notice how the seasons change as their plants grow and ripen.
Bonus: I’ve found that this naturally opens the door to important conversations. When a heat wave dries out the soil too quickly or heavy rain flattens tender stems, my kids learn firsthand how weather extremes affect living things.
It’s a gentle but powerful way to help them understand climate change not as an abstract idea, but as something that touches the life they’ve cared for with their own hands.
(If you’re looking for some more tips on how to talk to kids about climate change, I’ve got you covered!)
Final thoughts
We urgently need to build clean, renewable energy so we can retire climate-polluting fossil fuels. This will help my daughters and future generations continue to enjoy the summer memories that mean so much to us. But for now, I can’t spend the whole season stuck inside with the air conditioning on.
So this is a reminder that there are still plenty of ways to get outside, stay cool and safe, and connect with nature. Every little adventure, every new memory made, shows why protecting our world matters, and why these moments are worth fighting for.
These are a few of the ways my kids and I are making the most of the season, but I’d love to hear yours too! What are your favourite summer traditions or activities that help you make memories together? Let me know at bailey@myclimateplan.com
Hey Bailey…Can I use dehumidifier water in my garden?