20 Summer Night Activities For Families That Will Make Kids' Freedom Feel Even More Magical

Without that strict school-year schedule to worry about, now's the time to go for an after-dinner ice cream at your favorite local spot. Extra points if you wear your pajamas there.

Whether you hit up your local pool or head to the beach, swimming after dark is a family activity everyone will enjoy.

Kids love glow sticks and you love tiring out your children, so a glow stick scavenger hunt is a win-win. Hide several colors of activated glow sticks in your backyard. Assign a glow-stick color to each player or team of players, set a timer, and ready-set-go. The group that gets the most of their color of glow sticks in the given amount of time wins.

Nothing says summer nights like fireflies, so head outside and see how many lightning bugs your kids can capture. Just remember to let them fly away before bedtime!

No summer is complete without a s'more or two (or 12). They're best made over the fire and as gooey as possible.

With a projector and a large sheet, you can set up your own outdoor movie theater (check out these tip if you need 'em!), and watch your family's favorite summer flick under the stars.

Invite some parent friends and their kids over and grill it up. It's always better to have a play date when you can keep the little ones outside for the majority of it. Minimum house destruction, maximum fun.

If you live in a wooded area, take a drive at sunset and you might be surprised at the animal wonders you discover. See who can spot the most deer, bunnies, birds, squirrels, and more. But don't forget the bug spray!

Summer lets us ease up on those set-in-stone bedtimes, so why not throw a slumber party? If your kids are old enough, let them invite some friends, but setting up some pillows and blankets and hosting a family sleepover in the living room works, too.

Stash the screens and share stories the old-fashioned way: in person, around the campfire. After you catch up, make things interesting by telling some spooky (age-appropriate) stories. Don't know any? No worries. You'll find tons online, so look up a few before you enter the no-phone campfire zone.

Even if you're not into camping, pitching a tent in the backyard (where bathroom and kitchen facilities are a short walk away) is fun for everyone.

There's no better spot to catch a sunset than at the beach, so pack some extra snacks and drinks and settle in for a spectacular show.

You don't even have to make it! Why not pick up some takeout from your favorite restaurant and eat it al fresco in your backyard or favorite park?

There's something special about heading to a ballpark at night, so find a local game (it doesn't really matter if it's the big leagues or your local high school's team) and watch it under the lights.

As the sun goes down, find a wall or use the ground to create shadow puppets, then make up stories about the figures you and your family create. If you miss sunset, pull out some flashlights, and use them against a wall or the side of your house to do the same.

Find a stargazing sweet spot, set up a blanket on the roof of your car, and check out the wonders of the sky.

Sure, you're planning on watching the skies light up on the Fourth of July, but opportunities to watch fireworks throughout the summer exist in many major cities and at lots of parks, so do your research and find your own local fireworks show.