15 Ways to Savor Summer Slowly

Summer is a time of year marked with unhurried moments and simple pleasures. It is when we all seem to slow down — whether intentionally or not — immersing ourselves in the small joys that only come with this season. The days go by at a leisurely pace as we sip tea brewed in the sunlight or doze off under the shade of a tree. The magical days of summer are fleeting, and before we know it, the days will get shorter and the air will turn chilly, and these warm, lazy will become a distant memory. The best way to savor summer is by slowing down and embracing the season and all the delights it brings. Here are 15 of our favorite activities for doing so:

1. Grab a tote bag and head to your local library. Check out as many books as your bag can hold. Find a quiet place where you can read, and make it a goal to go there as often as possible.
2. Purchase a beautiful glass pitcher from a thrift store, and use it to brew sun tea each day.
3. Turn off the TV at night and play games with your family instead.
4. Invite friends over for a classic BBQ, complete with all the traditional foods and snacks. Have everyone leave their phones in the house.
5. Create a playlist that consists of soft music, like jazz or folk, and play it while you putter around the house.
6. Do as much as you can outside.
7. Lay blankets on the grass and spend the evening looking up at the stars.
8. Load up the car with delicious snacks and head to a new-to-you town a few hours away. Try to find somewhere to stop for ice cream along the way.
9. Learn to play a new lawn game and have people over to play it.
10. Teach yourself to make ice cream the old-fashioned way.
11. Find a place where you can dip your toes in some water.
12. Spend the day at a local carnival or fair.
13. Go camping, either at a campground or in your own backyard. Don’t forget the s’mores!
14. Find a difficult jigsaw puzzle and set it up somewhere in your house. Pour some lemonade and make a little progress on it every evening.
15. Dust off your bike (or find a place where you can rent one), and spend the day exploring your city.

Explore more ways to savor summer in Bella Grace Issue 40.