10 Things to Do Before Summer Ends That Kids Will Actually Remember
Summer's final stretch is around the corner. Before you get pulled into backpack shopping and all the back to school stress, you still have time for a major play date.
The End of Summer Bucket List That Delivers
1. Get Slimed at Sloomoo Institute
Obviously we're biased, but there's no better way to send off summer than getting covered in slime at Sloomoo Falls (don’t worry, we provide the ponchos). It’s a moment no one will forget.
Our Slime Design Bar is the ultimate expression of your creativity - you pick from 8 textures, 40 colors, 60 scents, and 120 charms. That's over 4 million combinations. Personalize your slime. Make it YOU. Because scent is the sense that’s closest tied to memory, every time you smell your Sloomoo slime, you’ll transport yourself back to the joy you felt when you made it.
Launch slime at your friends and family at slime slingshot (yes, really). Where else in the world can you do this!
Walk through the fluffiest cloud slime at Lake Sloomoo. It’s important to wear pants you can easily roll up - you don’t want them getting slimey.
You get to melt into soothing ASMR sounds - not only from the slime but some of the experiences (Chicago, NYC, Atlanta, LA, Houston, and DC) have what we call synthesoothers, a space for sounds that feel like a brain massage.
It's the kind of afternoon where a four-year-old, a fourteen-year-old, forty-year-old, even the grandparents become equally obsessed, which rarely happens. There are also all kinds of scientific studies that have shown that inter-generational play boosts moods and builds connection (National Library of Medicine).
We also offer sensory-friendly hours for families who want a calmer, lower-stimulation visit. We're in New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Charlotte, Boston, and Philadelphia, and advance booking is recommended, especially during the back-to-school rush.
2. Pitch a Backyard Campout
No car. No packing. Just a tent on the grass, a bag of marshmallows, and flashlights after dark. Kids love the novelty of sleeping outside even when "outside" is fifteen feet from the kitchen. The whole thing takes twenty minutes to set up and creates the kind of night they'll beg to repeat next summer.
For extra fun, bring some slime to swirl before bed time as a way to calm the moods and get ready for a good night of sleep.
3. Go on an Ice Cream Crawl
Pick three or four local ice cream spots and hit every single one in a single afternoon. One scoop at each stop. Let every person in your group choose something different each time. It's low-effort, high-joy, and turns a random Tuesday in August into a full-on event. Bonus points if you rank each shop at the end and crown a winner.
4. Chase a Sunrise or Sunset on Bikes
Early morning or golden hour. Pick a route nobody's tried before. The wind, the colors, the quiet of riding together without a screen in sight. Some of the best last-day-of-summer activities are the simple ones that feel bigger than they are. A sunset bike ride in the final week of August has a way of sneaking up on you years later as a core memory.
5. Take Over the Driveway With Sidewalk Chalk
Give each person in your family or friend group a section of pavement and a pile of colors. Photograph the finished mural before the next rain washes it away. There's something about creating something that feels exactly right this time of year.
6. Have a Water Balloon Battle
Fill 200 of them. No teams. No rules. The mess is the entire point. All you need is a yard, a hose, and a willingness to have fun. Let it be loud. Let it be ridiculous. That's the whole idea. Add shaving cream if you dare!
7. Host a Family Cook-Off
Each person in the group picks one recipe and makes it, from start to finish. You can theme it (best taco, best breakfast-for-dinner, best dessert that didn't come from a box) or leave it open. Half the fun is sitting down together to eat it.
8. Set Up an Outdoor Movie Night
A projector, a sheet pinned to the fence, blankets on the grass. Pick something nobody's seen. The setup feels like an event even though it takes ten minutes, and suddenly a regular backyard turns into something a little magical. Throw in some glow sticks and let the littles fall asleep under the stars.
9. Start a Summer Memory Jar
Each family member writes down their single favorite moment from the summer, folds it up, and drops it in a jar. Seal it. Write the year on the outside. Open it next summer. After a few summers, you've got a collection of tiny time capsules. If you're hunting for last day of summer ideas for kids that become a family tradition, this is the one. It costs nothing, takes five minutes, and gets sweeter every single year.
10. Make the World’s Biggest Slime
You know we couldn’t make a list without a dedicated slime making session. But make the world’s biggest. Literally go for the record. The race to win adds excitement and connection.
The Best End of Summer Plans Are the Ones You Actually Do
The things to do before school starts that stick aren't the ones that require a spreadsheet or a Pinterest board. They're the ones where everyone played, stayed up too late, laughed at something ridiculous, or tried something for the first time.
At Sloomoo, we always have new textures, scents, and slimescapes, so coming back feels like something new.
Book the Send-Off Before the Week Gets Away From You
The last week of summer moves fast, and it's easy to let it slip away into errands, packing lists, and one more trip to the store.
Book your visit while there's still time left on the calendar.
