NWA Summer Memory Makers
Summer has a way of creating memories that families talk about for years....
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We are very intentional about the use of technology in our house and offer many alternatives to screen time. It’s worked well for years, but my son has reached an age where he is more aware that many of his friends get a lot more screen time than he does. As a mom, it’s hard to stick to my guns, but I am determined. Each summer, we make it a point to hold on to some of those “old-fashioned” summer traditions and activities. None of which require a screen or Wi-Fi.
Long before streaming services, smartphones and air conditioning, families found ways to fill long summer days with simple pleasures. They gathered on front porches, fished from creek banks, chased lightning bugs through the yard and lingered outside long after sunset. These weren’t expensive activities or carefully planned events. They were simply part of life.
We may have to be a bit more intentional, but today, many of those traditions are still around if we’re willing to make time for them. In a season that often feels packed with schedules, tournaments, vacations and endless notifications, there may be something worth rediscovering in the slower pace of summers gone by.
Sit a Spell on the Front Porch
Few places capture the spirit of an old-fashioned summer quite like a front porch. We don’t have a front porch, but we have a spot under a huge sycamore tree that serves a similar purpose, and it’s where you are likely to find us most of the summer.
Front porches were once the neighborhood gathering place. Glasses of iced tea and lemonade dripped condensation as conversations stretched for hours. Kids played in the yard or in the street. Peas were shelled, beans were snapped and corn was husked. Nobody felt the need to be constantly entertained.
Today, spending an evening on the porch may be one of the easiest ways to slow down and reconnect with family and neighbors.
Catching Lightning Bugs at Dusk
For generations of children, summer evenings meant chasing lightning bugs across the yard with a mason jar in hand. The thrill wasn’t complicated. It was simply the joy of being outside as daylight faded, running through the grass and clasping your hands around the tiny blinking bugs.
Fishing With a Cane Pole
When I was growing up, there was a pond in my backyard where my sister and I spent most of the summer. I doubt it actually had any fish in it, but that didn’t stop us from crafting a fishing pole out of a stick and some string. Many kids learned to fish with a cane pole, a bobber, and a can of worms, and it never mattered whether we caught anything. It was the thrill of the possibility that fueled our afternoons. Even today, a simple afternoon spent fishing remains one of the best excuses to slow down and spend time together.
- Fishing With Kids in the Natural State
- It’s Always Fishing Season in Arkansas
- Arkansas Fishing Spots
- Some Fish! How to Tell a Fishing Tale
- Arkansas Fish Guide: Part 1
- Arkansas Fish Guide: Part 2
Creek Swimming and Rope Swings
Searcy just remodeled one of the town parks with a beautiful, inclusive playground and splash pad that has been a welcome respite after morning soccer and football practices. But before splash pads and water parks, there were creeks, swimming holes and rope swings. Kids spent entire afternoons exploring gravel bars, catching crawdads and cooling off in whatever water they could find.
Whether you seek out a splash pad or a creek, the spirit of adventure remains the same.
- Exploring Arkansas Creeks
- 15 Refreshing Swimming Holes in Arkansas
- 27 Arkansas Splash Parks and Aquatic Centers
Homemade Ice Cream and Ice Cream Socials
Nothing says summer quite like homemade ice cream. I got a Ninja Creami for Mother’s Day, and we have put that thing to good use. Back in the day, ice cream may have been churned by hand, but the tradition remains rooted in gathering people together. When I yell, “Who wants ice cream?” they all still come running.
Church ice cream socials, neighborhood gatherings and family reunions have long centered around a shared dessert and a chance to linger a little longer with friends and neighbors.
- 12 Places for the Best Ice Cream in Arkansas
- 10 Soda Fountains in Arkansas
- National Milkshake Day: Where to Sip the Sweetest Shake in Arkansas
- Dirty Sodas in Arkansas: Where to Find Sweet Sips
Picking Music Instead of Playlists
Music has been a part of Arkansas summers for generations. Front porches, pavilions, and community centers filled with fiddles, banjos, guitars, and voices singing songs everyone knew. Thankfully, the tradition continues. You can gather with other players at Pickin’ Park in Mountain View or attend outdoor concerts at venues ranging from small to large across the state. If you play an instrument, take it outside. Something about playing outdoors just hits a little differently.
Looking Up Instead of Looking Down
Some of the most cherished summer traditions aren’t activities at all. They are simple moments. Watching a sunset. Listening to cicadas. Counting stars. Sitting around a campfire. Taking a moonlit walk after dinner.
These simple experiences have connected generations of Americans for centuries, and they may be more valuable today than ever.
I always rolled my eyes when my parents began a sentence with, “Back in my day…” It made them seem so old, and whatever they were about to say seemed so far away and old-fashioned. As I’ve grown older myself, I’ve discovered the importance of connecting with days gone by.
Technology certainly has its place, but it doesn’t have to be the centerpiece of every moment. Connecting to the past simply means slowing down long enough to enjoy the summer that’s right in front of us.
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