Guest Author: Melanie Gath
For many families, summer holidays mean packing suitcases and heading off. Chasing the sun or maybe seeking coolness further north. Off to surf the waves or paddle a kayak through the Nordic fjords. But why always travel so far? What about the adventures waiting for us right here, without traffic jams, without environmentally harmful means of transport, right outside our door? Fittingly, there is a beautiful Swiss German name for this kind of holiday, in the spirit of our namuk owl: UHU holidays – short for “Ums Huus ume” (“around the house”). Together with the namuk team, I’ve gathered a few ideas to help make your summer at home just as adventurous and full of stories.
Fountain pool party
On the first truly hot weekend at the end of May, I was walking through different villages in the canton of Glarus and heard children laughing from the tiniest alleyways. Alongside their joy, I heard splashing water everywhere. No inflatable pools, no hoses. Just children sitting in the many village fountains, no matter how small or narrow. Dunking their heads under the flowing water, splashing around wildly. This village fountain pool party filled me with so much happiness, and I’m sure the little water explorers even more so.
(Sustainable) water balloon fun
On hot summer days, we’re always looking for ways to cool down. And young adventurers are naturally drawn to water. Where we used to fill little balloons with water and throw them at each other for a good splash, there are now more sustainable solutions for this kind of joy – complete with guaranteed squeals. These silicone balls can be reused endlessly. They are easy to fill, don’t hurt on impact, are brightly colored, and you can take them anywhere. So – water balloons ready!
Sleep under the stars
Since the pandemic, camping has become one of the most popular forms of holidaying. Whether it's your own camper or a borrowed RV, it's all about getting ready and heading out. But for that real outdoor feeling, there’s something about a tent, wouldn’t you agree? For my daughter and me, the sound of the zipper at the tent entrance is like music. And the gentle drumming of rain on the outer layer of the tent – just as lovely.
And then, that one-of-a-kind moment when the first morning sunlight shines through the small tent window. Shouldn’t we experience that more often? Why wait until you’ve battled traffic to reach another place when the tent adventure can start in your own backyard? Or maybe you don’t even need a tent – just a mat and a sleeping bag. Counting stars as you fall asleep – a kind of adventure that creates childhood memories that last forever.
Be a tourist in your own town or village
In our often very scheduled lives, we sometimes forget what makes our home – our town, our village, the surroundings – so special. We follow routines, meet familiar playmates, visit favorite places. But what if we intentionally made an outing in our own home environment and took new paths, tried different things, and maybe even met new people? Start by taking public transport, or walking, or riding a bike – in a way you usually don’t. Maybe finally visit the museum you pass every day but have never seen from the inside. Explore streets you always overlook. Discover your holiday village and, in doing so, rediscover your home.
Sprinkler happiness in the garden
Water on! For Lena from our e-com team, the garden sprinkler was the highlight of summer. “At first, the water was so cold we only dared to run along the edge. Then we got braver, jumped through the sprinkler, danced through the fine mist.” Whether running, dancing, or tossing a ball through the spray – the garden turned into a play oasis. To keep your garden from turning into a mud puddle, limit your water fun or move around to different spots. And a tip from Lena: “Ours ran on rainwater. That made it even more fun from a sustainability perspective!”
Set up a market stand and fill your piggy bank
As a child, I used to stir up “vegetable soup” from anything I could find in the garden (healthy, though probably not edible) and sell it for a few cents on our play street to passersby, cyclists, or sometimes just to my own parents. I loved playing chef and earning a bit of pocket money. My daughter is far more talented and makes little wallets out of cardboard, knotted bracelets, and other colorful treasures. Then she sets up her little market stand and hopes for visitors. What do you like to create? What could bring joy to your neighbors or visitors and add something to your summer adventure savings?
Offer help in the neighborhood: pet-sit, care for the garden
Do you have animal friends in your neighborhood? Maybe their humans are going away for the summer? A perfect chance to spend time with the animals, get to know them better, care for them, and learn what it’s like to have a pet. And at the same time, you’ll be a huge help to the people behind those pets, looking after their beloved companions during their vacation. Often, the garden or houseplants need some care too. You could try out being a pet-sitter and gardener for a while, and be a true everyday hero.
Set out water bowls in the shady garden
In summer, our winged friends – birds and insects – often struggle to find cool, fresh water. We can help them by setting out little bowls of water and refilling them regularly. Just make sure there are little landing spots – stones, twigs, or moss – so bugs can crawl out safely and don’t drown. A simple way to make a big difference.
Bring vacation vibes to the balcony, garden, or your room
Often, it’s colors, scents, and sounds that make a vacation place so special, and even bring back memories when we experience them again. Maybe you can make your home feel different during the holidays: hang fairy lights in the window, pitch a tent in the garden, use the shower gel from your last trip, or cook that favorite hotel meal. Suddenly, your own home becomes a new place to discover and feel. Let’s bring the adventure home – outside and within.
Street art and chalk messages
Why should a street stay grey when it can be full of color? Why not turn it into a canvas for art and messages? Let’s grab the chalk and get creative. From colorful masterpieces to important notes, like asking for more kindness in traffic or reminding everyone that nature is our most precious home and needs our care. Maybe just leave a sweet message for a neighbor. Let’s bring color to our streets!
Wild water sliding with tarp and soap
An adventure for the bold: with a big tarp, some water, and a bit of soap, your garden hill or meadow becomes a wild water slide. Noemi from our e-com team remembers this summer highlight from her childhood well: “The more soap we used, the faster we slid. And not just sitting down, we tried all kinds of crazy positions.” At the end, there was almost always a huge water fight with all the kids – loud, wild, and soaked. A memory that sticks with you.
Dancing in the rain
What some call a rainy day, Vanessa from our marketing team sees as a celebration: “I love dancing in the summer rain, running around, or just standing still and enjoying the moment.” When the first raindrops hit the warm ground, something magical happens. The smell changes. The sounds shift. It feels like the whole world is taking a deep breath. Sometimes it's these small, imperfect moments that make summer truly special.
Grilling, picnicking, and making fires
Whether it’s sausages, vegetables, corn on the cob, or the classic chicken-on-a-stick, cooking outdoors simply tastes best. For Simon from our product team, grilling an entire chicken over an open fire was a real adventure – not just in the family backyard, but as part of a huge camp kitchen for over 100 people! “A gas grill is easy – but grilling a whole chicken on a homemade spit over a fire, that was a new challenge.”
He had to keep the fire going for 2 to 3 hours and turn the chicken regularly. For the kids, it was like a little outdoor cooking show – with live entertainment and the smell of campfire. “Carving the chicken afterwards was unfamiliar, but exciting. And the taste? I was honestly surprised by how tender and delicious it turned out – something I hadn’t expected at all,” he says with a chuckle. A special thanks goes to his wife Melanie, “who convinced me to just see it as an adventure.” And that’s exactly what it was: a smoky, delicious adventure.
Ready for your summer at home? Let yourself be inspired and rediscover the world around you. By the end of the summer, you’ll have just as many stories to tell as if you’d gone far away – maybe even more.
