Simple Ways to Make Memories Before the Term Starts

As the long summer days begin to shorten and the back-to-school preparations creep in, there’s something special about these final moments of the holidays. Before the packed lunches, alarm clocks and school runs return in full swing, there’s still time to soak up the end-of-summer magic with your loved ones.

Whether you're a parent, carer or teacher, the transition from summer to September doesn’t have to feel abrupt. Here are some simple, meaningful ways to make memories during the last days of summer – without the pressure to plan anything grand or expensive.

1. Have a ‘Yes’ Day (Within Reason!)

Let the kids take the lead – within boundaries, of course. It could be as simple as ice cream before dinner, choosing the day’s activities, or even a family film marathon in pyjamas. The joy of feeling in charge is often enough to make a day feel extraordinary.

2. Create a Summer Scrapbook

Gather photos, ticket stubs, pressed flowers and little keepsakes from your summer. Sit together and stick them into a notebook, adding doodles, captions or short stories about each memory. It’s a lovely way to reflect and document the highlights – and it’s something to return to when winter feels long.

3. Have a Stargazing Night

Pick a clear evening, head to the garden or a local park, lay out some blankets, and simply look up. You don’t need to know constellations – just talking quietly in the dark, wrapped up in layers and watching for shooting stars, can be a magical shared experience.

4. Plan a Simple Outdoor Picnic

You don’t need a countryside view – your garden, local park or even the living room floor will do. Let everyone pick a favourite snack, bring along a game or book, and enjoy slowing down together. The simplicity of a picnic often invites conversation and connection.

5. Write a Letter to Your Future Self

Encourage children to write a note to their future selves – perhaps to be opened at the end of the next school term. It could include hopes for the school year, things they’re excited about, or memories from the summer. You might like to write one too.

6. Capture a 'Last Day of Summer' Photo

Choose a specific day to mark the ‘official’ end of summer for your household, and take a photo to remember it. Whether you’re barefoot in the garden, building a pillow fort indoors, or playing in the rain – the moment is yours to define.

7. Create a Back-to-School Eve Tradition

Instead of letting the return to school feel like an abrupt end, make the night before special. A ‘good luck’ dinner, sharing memories from the summer, or opening a little note from a parent or sibling can help ease any nerves and create a gentle bridge into the new term.

In the End, It’s the Little Things

We often think making memories requires grand gestures, but it’s the quiet, unhurried moments that linger. Whether you spend these last summer days tucked under a tree, reading by torchlight, or baking a crumble with garden fruit, they all add up to something special.

So, take a breath, let the to-do lists wait for a moment, and enjoy these last golden days. September will come soon enough.