Your summer doesn’t need to be adventurous to be fulfilling, as there are many loving, slow and simple activities for adults who might need rest and rejuvenation this summer, or aren’t in a position to have the summer they usually would.
Most of us have had a season like this in our lives. My wedding is just months away, and, as my fiancé and I are paying for the wedding ourselves, I have accepted that this year, our summer is going to look quite different to the last. I’m in a busy season of life, as I alluded to in my blog post about adopting the slow living lifestyle. So, not overcomplicating my activity calendar is in my best interest, particularly for my health and well-being. I don’t have a summer holiday planned in anticipation of our honeymoon to Mexico in October, nor do I have a ticket for a music festival or outdoor concert, again, like I usually would.
But, I’m choosing not to look at my summer with sadness, and instead, focus on the opportunity this brings me to live by my values, enjoy peaceful hobbies and create a fun summer with what I have – a point I made in my list of 30 things for my 30th year. It’s a beautiful season, full of joy and connection, which inspired me to create a list of slow and simple summer activities for adults to enjoy that won’t rely on your finances.
Be intentional about your summer
How many times have you felt like you’ve missed a season? I certainly have, in winter, which I touched on at the beginning of this year. I felt an immense sadness that I rushed through Christmas and hadn’t treated it as a moment to slow down, love thy neighbour, as they say, and do the activities that I enjoy most during winter. Instead, I obsessed about the house being ready as we hadn’t long moved in, and spent the quiet period between Christmas and New Year getting my planner ready for the moment the clock struck midnight on 1 January. But, what was I truly getting ready for?
In contrast, the summer of 2023 is one I fondly remember. Funds were tighter than usual following our recent house purchase in London, but I was in my flow with intentional living and wanted to make the most of it. So, we found creative ways to make the summer the best it could be. I took my fiancé, Tom, for his first afternoon tea in London using a gift voucher I got for my birthday, had a week’s holiday thanks to a friend’s second home on the Yorkshire coast that was kindly rented to us at a discounted price, and went on a camping and canoeing trip with a group of people I hadn’t met before. I tried new things that summer, including sea fishing on a brig and building a shed, and, while it was a summer on a budget, it was one of the best I’ve ever had.
The point is, being intentional about how we spend our time, in the summer and every other season, can transform our perspective on it. The best thing is, being intentional can be done from a sun lounger in the Maldives or your living room – it’s available for everyone, regardless of how much money you have in the bank for summer activities, or your location.
Indoor summer activities for adults
When the sun is shining, it’s easy to look through the valance of your window and yearn to be the person walking by your window, filled with promise and excitement for a fun-filled day out. Regretfully, I have felt this on more than one occasion, especially when I was in my 20s. But, whether you’re at home because you’re working on a life-changing project, waiting for an important parcel to be delivered or recovering from an illness or injury, the day isn’t wasted – only if you allow it to be.
It’s a mindset I’m always developing. But, every day can be a beautiful day – even if it doesn’t feel that way. There are some wonderful activities at your fingertips to bring the sunshine home, so I’ll share my favourite examples.
Have an intentional tea break
I go through phases of embracing intentional tea breaks, as they have the power to shift my mood entirely. I recommend taking the break at a point in the day when it’s needed most. If you know that you often feel FOMO (fear of missing out) in the morning, or sluggish in the afternoon, time your intentional tea break for this moment. Alternatively, I sometimes time it for after I’ve finished a task that I’ve been procrastinating on, such as a timed house clean, as a treat for my accomplishment.
Simply put an alarm on for the length of time you have available, and sit on the sofa with your favourite music or radio station on (I like Classic FM) and a cup of tea or coffee, and read a magazine without being disturbed. I choose magazines because I can flick through the pages at my leisure, reading whatever I feel called to. The most important thing to do is put your phone on do not disturb and release your shoulders, as it gives your brain the permission it often needs to unwind.
Collect magazines
On this note, reading magazines is one of my favourite hobbies from childhood. So, an intentional act for me is to have a subscription to my favourite one. Mine is Daphne’s Diary, as it’s full of craft projects for moments when I don’t feel like reading. Then, when it comes through the letterbox at the opportune moment, I can dive straight into an intentional tea break with a brand-new issue. With a variety of themes on the market for most areas of interest, from spirituality to gardening, beauty or fashion, I truly believe there’s a magazine out there for everyone.
Do an art or craft project
This is something I’m adding to my list this year as, honestly, I find it hard to switch off from my demanding schedule. I have plenty of creative projects in my copies of Daphne’s Diary to do, but you can browse Pinterest for a project that makes your heart sing. If you’re interested in scrapbooking, a summer scrapbook is a fitting project, and you could press seasonal flowers and leaves into the pages. Or, if it’s within your budget, you could buy a kit, such as a painting by numbers or cross-stitch, at your local hobby shop for a peaceful afternoon of getting lost in a project.
Even better, make yourself an ice-cold lemonade, and keep it in a pitcher next to you for regular replenishments as you work.
Plant a small flower bed or pot
As a person who hasn’t done any gardening in her lifetime, this is an activity I will be trying for the first time this summer. The inspiration came from a walk in my neighbourhood yesterday, when I saw two houses selling plants outside their door for 50 pence a pot. You can look on Facebook Marketplace for second-hand pots, or dig a flower bed in your garden and start a miniature gardening project.
For context, we’ve not long moved into our forever home, but the garden needs some serious attention. I understand the feeling of overwhelm when looking at all the projects that need doing in the garden. But, this isn’t about the whole garden – it’s about creating one pot or patch for you to nurture and watch grow. I look forward to spending an hour in the sunshine creating a little haven, just for me. If you’ve been scared to start in the garden, I gently encourage you to join me.
Outdoor summer activities for adults
Slow and simple doesn’t always mean having to stay indoors, either. Use it as an opportunity to embrace the activities on your doorstep, especially with the beautiful weather that comes with this season.
Have an afternoon tea in the park
Is it forecast to be a sunny day? You don’t need to travel far to enjoy it. Pack a picnic blanket and a basket of sandwiches stuffed with your favourite fillings, scones with clotted cream and jam, and a bottle of elderflower pressé (or prosecco) and visit your local park. You could host your friends or family by bringing enough food and drink for everyone, too. Bring playing cards, books and a speaker, so long as you don’t disturb those around you, and make an afternoon of it. Even better, bake a sweet treat in the morning to bring as part of your afternoon tea for a loving, homemade touch.
Organise a day trip to the beach
While it’s one of the more typical slow and simple activities for adults, if you’re a short road trip away from the beach or live nearby, it’s a firm favourite. Growing up on the coast, my most precious memories as a child were on the beach, and it can be as expensive or reasonably priced as you make it, even free if petrol isn’t a contender.
Pack a beach bag with a towel, swimming costume, beach ball, sun hat and suncream, and fill your coolbox with goodies to spend the day on the sand. If you can stretch to a trip to the chip shop for supper, I highly recommend that, too. To make it cheaper, you could buy the ingredients to make fish and chips, or even chip butties, on your return home from a day well-spent in the sunshine.
Go on a trail hike
Tom and I did a trail hike in spring, and felt an immense sense of accomplishment when we sat down for a pub lunch that afternoon, knowing we had walked 11 miles on the marsh. We used Komoot to find a trail within 15 minutes of our house and chose one at an intermediate level, to set ourselves a bit of a challenge. It was hard, but with a backpack containing protein bars, energy drinks and a big bottle of water, we made it, and have some beautiful pictures of the marshland to show for it.
Simple summer bucket list ideas for adults
I hope my favourite ideas have sparked inspiration. But, if you’re looking for more, I’ve created a bucket list of 10 slow and simple activities for adults, including the activities I’ve shared in this blog post for ease of access. Write them in your planner or journal, ready for a day of new possibilities this summer.
1. Make an afternoon tea, pack it in your picnic basket and take it to the local park. Don’t forget a deck of playing cards
2. Pack your cool box, towel, swimming costume, beach ball, sun hat and suncream, and go for a day out at the beach
3. Put on your walking boots, pack a backpack with protein-rich snacks and find a walking trail on Komoot.com
4. Plant a small flower bed or pot in your garden or on your balcony. Use Facebook Marketplace to find second-hand pots and look around your community for small plants for sale
5. Go to the newsagents and buy a magazine that sparks your interest, and take it home to read with a pot of tea
6. Pack your camera and visit a National Trust property and gardens for an afternoon, taking pictures of the summer flowers and architecture
7. Do an art or craft project using items in your home, such as a summer scrapbook, taking inspiration from Pinterest. Or, visit your local hobby shop to find a kit, such as a painting by numbers or cross-stitch
8. Visit the garden centre, farmers’ market or farm shop and take your time browsing the beautiful items for sale. Treat yourself to a coffee in the café or try one of the delicious sweet treats
9. Make yourself a homemade lemonade and sit in the garden with your sun hat, suncream and get lost in a book
10. Go strawberry picking at a local farm, and serve your pickings in a bowl with fresh cream when you get home
Is there a summer activity that you have fond memories of doing as a child, and haven’t done recently? Be sure to add it to your bucket list of slow and simple activities, and I would love to hear your favourites in the comments.