Something I have always adored about my childhood are the summer activities my mother used to plan for my sisters and I. If there was anything my mother was amazing at, it was her ability to plan, keep us busy, and keep us engaged. Summer was a break from school, but it was also a time of magic and new adventures.As we become adults and have children of our own, we want to maintain the same joy, magic, and adventure that our parents gave to us during the summer months. If you want to try a few new summer activities this year with your children, you have come to the right place. While summer temperatures can vary across the world, summer is a great time to get outdoors, try new crafts and hobbies, and read books.Summer should not be a time of endless video games and television, but a time when families come together. During the majority of the school year, parents don't get to spend much time with their children. Summer is the perfect opportunity to reconnect with our children and form lasting memories with them. As the years go by, we will miss summers with our children because they will be headed off for college and their own lives.Even if our children are only a few years old right now, we need to make each day count. As parents, we have been blessed with the opportunity to raise our children, help them to learn about Jesus, and love them. Part of loving them can be realized in the form of spending time with them. This summer, try to be more involved in your children's life and make the most of every opportunity.Here are five summer activities for families to try this year.Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Pekic