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Many homeowners have taken this extra time at home as an opportunity to retreat to their backyards and patios, turning their space into their own personal oasis. Here are some ways you can upgrade your outdoor space to make the most of the remaining days of summer. 

Add color 

Add decorative throw pillows to your outdoor furniture to complement your garden’s color palette and bring some added comfort for you and your guests. Brightly colored patio umbrellas make a statement while protecting you from the sun and other outdoor elements.

In addition to having colorful flowers in your garden, another great way to add a little pizzazz to your backyard is through colored pots and planting boxes that enhance the surrounding decor. 

Decorative lights 

Outdoor lighting can transform your outdoor space and set the perfect mood for those late summer nights. 

LED lights are a very popular option for patio lighting, using up to ninety percent less energy than incandescent varieties. Strings of twinkle lights bring a magical nighttime quality to your backyard, creating the perfect ambience for those summer evenings under the stars. Installing light fixtures around eating areas and your landscaping will give these spaces new life during evenings outdoors.

Upgrade your BBQ 

The barbecue is the focal point of summer cookouts. Any time the grill gets fired up, classic summertime dishes like burgers and ribs come to my mind. However, there are simple upgrades you can make to your barbecue that give you even more options to maximize outdoor meals. 

Pizza stones are perfect for making evenly cooked, delicious pizzas on the grill. They also produce a consistent heating surface for baked goods and desserts. Griddles do wonders for barbecues, allowing you to cook foods that would normally fall through the grates, like vegetables and shellfish.  

Fire pit 

Fire pits are the modern-day conversation pit, providing the perfect spot to gather with friends and family – even during these days of social distancing. Commonly used building materials include brick, landscape blocks, stone, or cinder blocks. Traditional fire pits are best accentuated with circular seating to gather around the fire, while more modern styles like fire troughs best allow for taking in surrounding views. Natural gas fire pits offer a low-maintenance substitute to the wood-burning variety, igniting fires at the flip of a switch with easy control over the flame’s intensity.

Whichever fire pit you choose, be sure to consult local guidelines and regulations, and keep an extinguisher nearby to squash any rogue flames. If fire pits are not allowed in your area, consider safer options like flameless candles. 

With more time being spent at home than ever before, there is plenty of opportunity to make the most of the home stretch of summer. We hope we’ve inspired you with some ways you can get creative with your slice of outdoor paradise.

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For those whose children will be taking classes online or participating in remote learning this school year, keeping the following tips in mind will help create an at-home learning environment that prioritizes health and learning, while being able to adjust to this year’s unknowns.  

A home cannot fully replace all that a formal school classroom has to offer. However, what it lacks in traditional classroom appeal it makes up for in comfort and familiarity. Prepping your home to take on this additional role will help set your child up for success during what will be a unique academic year for many.

Set the tone

One of the best ways to set your children up for success this school year is to get them excited. It is important to communicate that this school year, even with all its unknowns, is an exciting opportunity for new and creative ways to learn and grow. Helping your child understand the unique learning possibilities your home provides will get the school year off to an enthusiastic start.

Create a space 

Establishing a designated space for school at home is important for a child’s ability to focus and to associate a space with learning. How you create a classroom environment will depend on your home and your needs. If your child is most comfortable in their room, try incorporating their classroom setup there. Depending on your child’s age, it may help to have toys or familiar room objects nearby. However, if your child is distracted by their own room, it may be better to set up elsewhere to help them focus, such as a nook or office. 

Allowing your child the freedom to make the space their own will help stimulate their imagination, which is vital to their learning and enjoyment of school. 

Wherever the home classroom is, be sure that area has minimal distractions, maintains a strong internet connection, and is well-stocked with school supplies within reach at all times.

Back to school

To maintain a sense of normalcy, keep your family’s back-to-school traditions intact this year, such as picking out school supplies, back to school clothes shopping, and everyone’s favorite first day of school photo. These ceremonies of preparation for the school year will build excitement while bringing some familiarity to those final days of summer.

Establish a routine

Just as adults have discovered new routines to parallel the shift to remote work, children need a shift in their daily flow to mirror the change to remote learning. The rigor of their school schedule will determine how much flexibility you have in putting together a routine. 

Stay active, incorporating movement breaks throughout the day to make up for the lack of physical activity. Plan out times away from their computer screens to differentiate between work and play time.  It’s recommended that children move at least 60 minutes a day, so prioritize exercise and movement, going outside when possible. This change of scenery is a helpful intermission for children. It gives their eyes a rest from their screens and returns them to their learning space feeling refreshed and revitalized. 

Granted, your ability to facilitate your child/children’s preparedness and monitor their continued learning is based on various factors like your work schedule and what resources your school district is providing for at-home learning. No matter your household’s situation, taking these factors into consideration where possible will help set your student(s) up for success.