Ahhhh! It’s officially summer! It’s the time of year that makes leaving the house a pleasure with kids. No coats, no boots, no winter gear. I can get out of the house so much faster than on bitter cold days.

Another warm-weather plus is it helps keep my kids busy. They love to play outside. They really don’t like watching TV so when the weather is nice, they’re running out the door!

Here are a few of my kids’ favorite activities so far this summer. They’re easy for you to replicate and most of them are FREE!

Traveling to Geneva on the Lake – We recently spent a Saturday at the old summer resort town, touring the downtown strip in a golf cart and spending hours of play at Adventure Zone, a family fun center. Some of the activities include go karts, bumper boats, miniature golf and batting cages. My kids can’t wait to go back. We ate dinner at Eddie’s Grill, an iconic fast-food shack, and grabbed donuts at Madsen Donuts. Delicious!

Going to the park – Playgrounds and trails are ideal for kids to run around and burn off energy. We love meeting up with friends at the park. Kids play and adults get a spare minute to chat. Added bonus: lots of fresh air helps my kids fall quickly asleep at night.

Having lemonade stands – Buy a container of Country Time lemonade mix and you’re good to go. My kids use sidewalk chalk for signage (and their screeching “buy my lemonade” voices). Proceed with caution, though. I heard you might need a permit to sell it (craziest thing ever!). So, check with your city so you don’t break any laws.

Scavenger hunting in the backyard – I jot down a list of things for my kids to find in the yard. (Something yellow. Three sticks. A bug.) They check off the list as they go. If your kids are too young to read, sketch a picture of what they need to find. I find this simple activity helpful to combat whiny cries of boredom.

Visiting DTW – My hometown is Willoughby (just a short drive east of CLE), and I frequent many of the downtown establishments with my kids. Locals know the area as DTW. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll notice Nickleby’s Roundbar & Kitchen is one of my favorite eateries. There’s an outdoor market Saturday mornings (8am-12pm), and weekend events occur all summer long. So, grab a cafe mocha and homemade cookies at Arabica Coffee House, and walk around the city. There are lots of cute boutiques and antique stores.

What is your favorite summer activity?

(Full disclosure: My immediate family has ownership in Nickleby’s and Arabica, but these places are hands-down favorites of mine and many others.)