15 Fun Memorial Day Weekend Activities

By Laine Milam

Memorial Day marks the patriotic, unofficial start to summer. If your family is ready to celebrate, check out our extended “to-do” list of fun and festive Memorial Day weekend activities. Can’t knock it all out in one three-day weekend? Keep this list handy and knock them out on any of the lazy summer days ahead.

1. No pool available? No problem. Construct a backyard water park with a Slip ‘N Slide, bucket dump, water balloon fight and a sprinkler obstacle course.
2. Take advantage of the beautiful pre-summer weather with a sidewalk chalk bonanza. Create anything from murals to an intricate interstate system for bikes and scooters.
3. Attend your local Memorial Day parade. Challenge your children to see how many flags they can count at the parade.
4. Find a local, old-fashioned ice cream dive. Triple scoop or dipped cone, anyone?

5. 

   Easiest lemonade ever! CREDIT: Chefsavvy.com

   Shelve the powdered stuff and make lemonade from scratch. Kelly at Chef Savvy has the easiest easiest recipe ever—it’s only three ingredients!

6. Forgo the grocery and visit the farmer’s market for all the cookout fixins’.
7. Break out the fishing poles and search for creepy crawlies to bait those hooks. The boys in your bunch are sure to love the added squeal factor.
8. Host a field day with the neighbors. Include old school favorites like limbo, egg and spoon races, and the long jump. Staci at 7 on a Shoestring has a comprehensive field day guide, brimming with savvy suggestions.
9. Grab a blanket, pack the picnic basket and enjoy an outdoor concert at a local park. Pack options that travel and store well, like this array of make-ahead sandwich and salads.
10. Take fort-building skills outdoors. SmallBird Studios has a fabulous teepee tutorial for a fort that’s roomy enough for a camp out.
11. Speaking of camp outs, invite the neighborhood kids over for a backyard camp out, s’mores included.
12. Head to the local ballpark to take in America’s favorite pastime. The holiday weekend probably means free fireworks after the bottom of the 9^th.
13. Go old school and enjoy a drive-in movie as a family. Visit drive-ins.com to find a drive-in near you.
14. Hit the (mini) links. Miniature golf is a summer must.
15. Visit the local nursery and choose a few flowers and herbs to nurture all summer long.