You know how we create “new year’s bingo cards” versus “new year’s resolutions”? The reframe saps the guilt and self-optimization right out of the equation, swapping “shoulds” for “but wouldn’t it be fun ifs…” I’m creating a similar playful list of goals for this summer, which — between the installation of our house landline and an afternoon at Nats Stadium over the weekend — has already been carrying a delightful 90s summer energy. Below, a few things on my summer 2026 bingo card:
Prepare a perfect BLT — thick slab of tomato, heavily salted and peppered; Organic Butcher bacon; country sourdough loaf; deer tongue lettuce from the backyard; Duke’s mayo
Take in a Nats game with the children (access via the Metro, enjoy the over-salted ballpark snacks, bake in the sun, sustain sporadic whining on the return trip on the Red line)
Spend most afternoons at the pool, and lean into the specific delight of hot French fries while still-cold and faintly chlorine-scented from the pool
Witness the fireflies in their full regalia at their peak in late June/early July
Make a note in “my garden book” of when each flower/tree comes into bloom in my yard this year
Avoid sunburn
Stop at a farmstand and eat whatever’s ripe in the car on the way home
Take a boat out on the Chesapeake Bay
Send postcards from our trip abroad to friends back home
Make a ritual of Friday night family movie nights (see below for our list)
Finish as many books as possible — but at least three — outside
Make a lunch of the farmer’s market haul: ripe peaches, raisin-walnut bread, wedges of salty cheese
Spend rainy day afternoons playing cards, Uno, and Telestrations with the kids
Have pajama ice cream — a Magpie reader idea! (One night this summer, after the kids are already in their pajamas, throw them in the car for ice cream at dusk)
Hike in Great Falls Park and, possibly, somewhere in the Blue Ridge Mountains
Take our first international trip as a family (!)
Bake muffins with whatever fruit is in season
Visit the public library every other week to restock the kids’ supply (my parents and I took them to get their own library cards last week!)
Shuck corn on the back porch
Bring the kids with me for everyday errands — for some reason, this brings such a big nostalgic summer energy for me: stopping for groceries and gas, picking up a movie at Blockbuster, waiting for my sister to get her hair trimmed, etc! I’m determined to bring my kids everywhere with me versus shuffling “who stays home?” with my husband. Boredom is a gift.
Let my hair air-dry as often as possible**
Remember the first rule of birding: look at the bird (not the guidebook, not your notebook of sketches, not the branch or the tree; the bird, like the day, will be gone before you know it)
What’s on your list?
Post-Scripts.
*Some of our family movie night nominations — we just watched Pirates of the Caribbean (further down on the list below) on Friday night. The kids loved it. More family movie night recs from Magpie readers here.
**This product really helps with air-drying hair. It makes your hair seem intentionally wavey/beachy versus just chaotic.
+More things we’re nostalgic for.
+More favorite offbeat seasonal rituals.
+The best products for summer skin.
Post-Scripts.
+Oh my gosh, Tuckernuck has my NUMBER this season. Ordered these.
+While we’re talking perfect summer shorts: did you see these bandana print ones from VB?! GAH! Their latest new arrivals are next level. These crochet pants! This jacket! These jeans!
+This brand just sent me some of its print percale sheeting and I’m super impressed. The quality is incredible and I love the soft florals. The “shell robles” is a perfect neutral pattern — adds interest but keeps everything serene. They also sell really cute crib sheets if you’re in the market.
+Hoping this promo will still be live at time of pub, but the magic pants are 20% off. Get them in black or navy to start.
+Wore this pima tee (under $50) over the weekend and was reminded of its virtues. It is featherweight, ultra-soft, shrunken but not body-hugging, and hits at just the right spot for a higher-waist pair of shorts/jeans/skirt. I actually paired with THE cool mom shorts, a big hat, my sneaks at the Farmer’s Market (see here). Perfect.
+New patterned performance polos pour les hommes. Rush order one for Father’s Day if you dropped the ball…!
+Deeply charmed by this orange-and-toile print top.
+An intriguing bra innovation: a thermo-regulating material?! I ordered the sale color to test. Will report back. Because if it works…hallelujah? I also ordered these “breathable” (!!!!) covers for when I’m wearing backless / complex necklines. (Use SHOOP10 for a discount.) My big gripe with other brands is that they are completely airless and feel disgusting on a hot day!
+I guess I’ve been in an underwear buying mood, because I also ordered one of these heavily-buzzed-about sheer bralettes which apparently sell out every summer and am sort of jealous these fun/colorful mesh bralettes hadn’t yet launched when I did. Why not have fun?! Both are 15% off with code JENSHOOP15. (And, while we’re on this topic, ICYMI, these are the only sleeping underwear I tolerate now. I’m ruined for all others. I’d list these as a TOP regrettably worth it buy, right next to the Dyson hair tools.)
+I love this rescue foot cream so much (a sandal season must-have) that I just ordered a couple of other Prequel products to try, including their just-launched anti-itch cream (the mosquitoes have arrived) and their award-winning barrier therapy cream. Are there any other must-try products you love from them? I’m so impressed with their well-priced, highly-effective products. Note that they have a “shop by concern” area where you can find products specifically formulated for eczema, rosacea, psoriasis, etc…
+Speaking of skincare, two favorite handwashes for the season: the Hamptons from Hotel Lobby and Linnea’s crushed mint.
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With you on the BLT!! We like them for breakfast, sometimes with a fried egg, and I like an absolute mountain of lettuce. Sometimes I’ll dress it in a mustardy vinaigrette first.
Make my friend Katie’s baked peaches with feta! It’s just peaches, feta, black pepper. So good.
Float our toy boats in every fountain along the beach. Race toy cars down the hill in the park.
“Ice cream” for breakfast–our hottest days we will make the kids banana or mango “ice cream” with just frozen fruit and milk or cream.
Sunrise hike along the coastal path. Milky coffee in a thermos.
Send the kids out in a warm rain in their bathing suits.
The summer fair with its thrilling rides and disappointing games and cotton candy bigger than their heads, the stuff of childhood!
Pan bagnat sandwiches on a picnic, or chicken rillettes and cornichons and a few cold beers, or chorizo and grissini and Comte, or a bean salad.
I want to make one friend I’m comfortable having over when my house is messy. We’re still not quite on that level with anyone!!
Re: movies, my husband’s pick is Hook, and my kids recently loved the original Air Bud and Air Bud: Golden Receiver. Once I explained that the dog was really doing those things they were blown away, real effects for the win! I can’t wait until they’re big enough for Stardust and Galaxy Quest.
Are there any skills the kids want to work on this summer? I remember practicing magic tricks or cat’s cradle or origami. My son wants to learn to dribble a basketball and my daughter is trying to learn the alphabet. The errands are such a lovely low-stakes way to learn things too: we want our kids to learn to order their soft serve and pay the money at our usual spot next to the duck pond.
The “ice cream” breakfast is so sweet — unexpectedly brought me back to my youth, when my mom would do this for us with bananas in the summer. Wow, had totally forgotten that. I love the idea of asking the kids what skills they want to work on over the summer. Going to bring this up at dinner tonight! They both love Cat’s Cradle, gimp, friendship bracelets, making cootie catchers (fortune tellers to some). Emory did ask if I could teach her to braid her American Girl doll’s hair, too — all things I did at her age.
xx
We’re also deep into perler beads!!!
Oh my gosh, I remember my mom giving us grid paper to make perler bead patterns! That smell when you ironed them.
Burned in my brain, too! (And probably on the bottom of my mom’s iron!)
I changed our family’s seasonal to-do lists to bingo cards after reading about your bingo card concept earlier on – we have loved the reframe. Thank you for this! Sometimes we will do something special to celebrate getting a bingo (just a line on the card, not the entire card), like hot cocoa after a winter bingo.
I am also loving the RMS serum/sunscreen! I have been using it more as an everyday sunscreen, and on more sunny days/activities I stick to my stronger SPF. How do you rely on its sun protection? I want to use it all the time.
I’m so glad the bingo concept has been helpful! I absolutely love it.
I am like you — I wear the SPF as a base layer / for quick trips out, but will add additional SPF if I’m going to be in direct sun for longer (at pool, on walk). I trust it but I just feel better with a little extra coverage!
xx
What a fun summer list! You may have inspired me to write my own.
I love Prequel. I also use their vitamin C and I’m a new devotee to their Half & Half. Especially in the summer it’s incredibly moisturizing while still being super light. It feels so good on my skin. I especially like it for layering on nights I use my prescription retinol. I use the Half & Half, my tretinoin, then my usual nighttime moisturizer and my skin loves the combo.
Ooh thanks so much for this rec! Have this set aside for a future basket order! xx
I love this idea! We made a family summer bucket list (VBS, first golf lessons! Tigers baseball game, amusement park, local German picnic, Etc) but I think I will mock up a bingo card just for me. Love the list of movies, too! My girls have been obsessed with Sing and Sing 2 (I believe they are having dress rehearsals to recreate the movie haha) so we need to branch out a bit. I bet most of your list would be too “scary” for my 6yo but want to try Back to the Future – old favorite of mine! We just watched Ice Princess for a little 3rd grade movie night we hosted – not very summery but still recommend! Might try Rookie of the Year next…
Love all of this! Sounds like we are channeling similar summers :). The amusement park idea sparked something for me. I remember my mom would surprise us once a summer with a trip to King’s Dominion. Something I might tuck away for August, when we don’t have much planned. Thank you 🙂
xx
Ahhh I have a fond memory of going to King’s Dominion the summer in college that I lived and interned in Richmond!
🙂