Spend some time in August with an older family member!

1. Visit a farmer’s market, grocery store, or your own garden. Have your loved one help to shell peas, shuck corn, pit cherries, or put up beans. (My neighbor and her Grandma pit cherries for cherry jam.) Make snacks, meals, or desserts together. Check out this recipe for Rhubarb, Raspberry, and Strawberry Pie.
2. Painting is a nice activity to do with an older family member. Consider painting with watercolors and free painting anything of choice, using a picture outline, or even painting something outdoors. Check out local art studios where you might be able to paint on canvas or even pottery for a little something different to do.
3. Check out this post Reminiscing about Canning since this is a popular time to preserve and can things from the garden.
4. For those whose older family member is religious or spiritual, take a walk or a drive and view the beauty of what nature has to offer this time of year. Nature can inspire conversations about God’s creation or prayers of that nature.
5. Take family photos outdoors. The outdoors are always a nice backdrop for pictures. During family get-togethers or during other times spent outdoors, take photos with the family, with the children, or your loved one by him or herself.
6. Check out the poetry from Shel Silverstein in Where the Sidewalk Ends. His writing is generally considered for children, but adults love him as well. Have a child in the family join you for some out-loud reading of his poetry. You may laugh at some of them! School will start soon so visit with the children while you can.
7. Since this is Family Fun Month and National Picnic Month plan a get-together. Consider a picnic, or potluck at someone’s home. Check out this post on Backyard Games to Play With an Older Family Member. Other fun things to do outdoors might be visiting a zoo or botanic gardens.
8. Start conversations about summertime, farming and country ways of life, or gardening or other local things that are going on. Reminisce or just observe what is happening all around you now.
9. Have a few family members over for ice cream sundae dessert. Set up an ice cream sundae bar with ice cream and toppings and let everyone make their own.
10. Go and visit a relative that your loved one hasn’t seen in awhile. You may consider meeting for lunch, visiting at a park, or at their home. Also consider seeing friends of your loved one that they might not be able to visit.