Summer doesn’t have to be full of big trips or perfect plans. Some of the sweetest memories are made right in your own backyard, in the middle of regular days that don’t seem all that special…until they’re over.
As a mom to older kids, I’ve come to realize it’s the little things that stick with me the most. The popsicle-stained faces. The bare feet. The noise. The mess. The way summer feels when your kids are still little.
It all reminds me of my own childhood 80’s summers; barefoot in the backyard, drinking from the hose, nothing fancy, just a blur of popsicles, bike rides, and staying out past dark. We didn’t need big trips. The magic was in the day-to-day stuff.
Here are 15 at-home summer memories that are worth picking up your phone or camera for. No fancy setup needed. Just your real summer life, as it is.
1. Cold Treats
Sticky fingers, melting popsicles, stained shirts, and sunshine on their cheeks. Let them be messy.
2. Backyard Water Play and Dancing in the Rain
Sprinklers, splash pads, water tables, kiddie pools, or just a good old hose.
And take advantage of summer sprinkles (we have been having plenty of those this year) and run outside and dance in the rain! (Obviously, stay inside if there’s lightning!)
3. Bare Feet and Grass Clippings
There’s something so nostalgic about tiny feet covered in dirt, grass, and sidewalk chalk.
4. Mudpies, Nature Soup, and All the Backyard “Cooking”
There’s something magical about watching kids “cook” with things they found in the yard. A bowl of muddy water becomes chocolate cake. A handful of grass clippings and dandelions turn into gourmet soup. Old pots, spoons, buckets, muffin tins…anything goes.
Encourage it. Let them dig, stir, pour, and create without rules. Whether it’s mudpies, leaf burritos, or dandelion stew, these little “meals” are rich in imagination and full of photo-worthy moments.
Capture the focused faces, the grubby fingers, and the joy of a perfect stick-stirred recipe. Don’t be afraid of the mess, this is the kind of summer magic you’ll want to remember. (and honestly, these are some of my very favorite memories from not only my kids’ childhoods, but my own!)
5. ART! Sidewalk Chalk Masterpieces And Outdoor Painting
Every driveway becomes a gallery in the summer. Sidewalk chalk drawings, hopscotch boards, and rainbow scribbles are basically childhood murals. But don’t stop there, let them paint with water on the patio, squirt washable paint onto cardboard boxes, or make messy handprint art right in the grass.
These kinds of open-ended, outside-the-lines art moments are full of joy, concentration, and color. Photograph the messy hands, the determined faces, and the proud little artist showing off their creation. And if your patio (or kids) ends up covered in chalk dust or paint? Even better.
6. Bubbles
Whether they’re chasing them or making them, bubbles always bring out the joy. Try getting low and capturing the way the light hits those floating little orbs. Try making your own bubbles!
7. Backyard or Driveway Picnics
A blanket on the grass under a tree and some simple snacks can turn lunch into something special. Capture the crumb-covered faces and the sunshine-filled laughter.
8. The Mess
There was a trend a while back among mom photographers and bloggers called “The Kids Were Here.” The idea was simple but powerful: photograph the little messes and scenes your kids leave behind. Think: toys lined up in the empty bathtub, a pile of apples, each with one toddler-sized bite, crumbs under the table, a melted popsicle on the porch, or a tipped-over smoothie on the porch, a potted plant that your toddler dug into or knocked over.
These tiny traces of childhood tell a story. And sometimes, they say even more than a posed photo ever could.
Take a photo of where your kid made their own sandwich (and half of it ended up on the floor). Photograph the mountain of beach towels by the door and the unraveled roll of toilet paper on the bathroom floor.
These might not be Instagram-perfect, but they’re real. And in a few years, you’ll look back at that mess and remember the beautiful chaos of life with little ones at home in the summer. I can 100% honestly tell you I love looking back at photos like this.
9. Helping in the Garden
Whether they’re actually helping or just digging holes for fun, kids in the garden (or with a watering can or hose) make for some of the most charming photos.
10. Golden Hour Dance Parties
Let them stay up a little late and dance barefoot in the backyard while the sun goes down. Those long shadows and warm light are a dream to photograph. (tip, use some bug spray!)
11. Lightning Bug Hunts
Here in the ‘Burgh, we call them lightning bugs and catching them feels like the most magical kind of summer night. Even if your photos are blurry, they’ll mean everything later.
12. Swingset Fun
13. Bikes, Scooters and More Wheels
14. The Toys
Sometimes the most telling photos aren’t of your kids at all, they’re of the worlds they build. A line of action figures posed for battle, stuffed animals tucked in for a nap, a row of dinosaurs facing off with a dump truck. Their imaginations leave trails everywhere.
Take a minute to notice what they’ve left behind. These little still lifes of childhood, like mud-covered toys drying in the sun, Barbie lounging in a bowl of water, LEGO cities set up under the picnic table, tell a story all on their own.
Or you can work with your kids to take photos of their toys! Check out this blog post from when I helped my boys photograph their Lego men after they “posed” them in different locations around our farm.
15. Just Being Together
Lying in the grass. Sharing a snack. Piling into the hammock. Sitting on the front stoop. These are the quiet, ordinary moments that hold so much meaning.
You don’t need perfect lighting or matching outfits or a clean house. You just need to see the moment and press the shutter.
BONUS TIP: LET THE KIDS TAKE THE PHOTOS!
Hand over the camera or your phone and see the world from their point of view. You’ll end up with crooked horizons, blurry toes, and maybe a hundred photos of the dog, but you’ll also get some absolute gems. Let them photograph you too, even if you’re in your messy mom uniform with a coffee in hand. These little glimpses through their eyes are priceless.
And this last point is more of a must-do task than a bonus tip.
PRINT YOUR PHOTOS!!
They deserve to live somewhere other than your phone or hard drive. Creating an easy Shutterfly album or Chatbook or even a stack of prints is better than letting them stay digital forever.
And if you’re always the one behind the camera and never in the photo, I get it. If you want someone to step in and document your summer the way it feels, I’d love to come capture it for you. No pressure. No posing. Just the good stuff.
If you’re looking for a family photographer in Pittsburgh, please get in touch to inquire about a session! I’d love to plan a photo a unique photo session for your family!
Here are some other blog posts that you might want to check out!
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All images by Mary Beth Miller Photography
Mary Beth Miller Photography specializes in family and newborn photography in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania and many of the surrounding areas. Mary Beth has over thirteen years of experience photographing families, newborns and babies in Pittsburgh including Valencia, Mars, Wexford, Seven Fields, Warrendale, Bradford Woods and Adams Township Her style is very relaxed and natural and your family session will feel like a stress-free Sunday afternoon with your family!
