Celebrating Family Fun Month for Military Families

Mother and son painting an American Flag wood cutout a

The official last month of summer has come. August marks the transition back to school. Parents will start their workdays by preparing to send their kids to school. Children and youth are getting up early and reuniting with their classmates after a long break. As school routines begin again, family time and open communication are as important as ever to foster positive child development.

August also marks Family Fun Month, a time to celebrate family time and doing activities together. This article from WE Movement gives ideas on plans families can do together to have fun and experience new memories. What ideas and strategies have you found work well for encouraging family time and togetherness with the families you serve?

Below are several ideas and activities that military families can do together to connect and stay happy and resilient.

A good place to start is your local installation’s Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) office, specifically the Information, Ticket, and Tours Office. Here is where military families can find the latest information on local events like concerts and athletic games, as well as discounted tickets for hot spots like Disney World and Sea World. Many MWR locations also rent outdoor equipment, including campers, boats, kayaks, bikes, and grills. The MWR office is a perfect place for new families to the base to get all the local info they need for various family events.
The National Parks Service offers the free America the Beautiful pass to military members and their dependents in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard, as well as most members of the US Reserves and National Guard. A weekend at a national park is the perfect escape for an adventurous family.
Military families also can enjoy free admission to over 2,000 nature centers and art, science, history, and children’s museums through Labor Day. Museums encourage active learning and impact kids’ social and mental development. Little ones especially enjoy hands-on activities, interactive exhibits, and new learning experiences with their parents at children’s museums. And it keeps them on the go. Learn more in this article from Military One Source all about Blue Star museums.

As students begin to fill classrooms and tune into their teachers again for another school year, we hope you can join our upcoming OneOp webinars and nourish your adult learning and professional growth! RSVP for our upcoming webinars on more ways to support and celebrate military families worldwide through the end of summer and beyond.