NEW YORK — Sick and tired of everything having to do with COVID-19? You’re not alone. A new survey of 2,000 American parents finds families are planning to “reclaim summer 2021” and just have fun.
After the mulligan year of 2020, it’s no surprise that 62 percent of respondents add summer 2020 didn’t really count due to the pandemic. Now, 58 percent have very high expectations for summer 2021. In fact, seven in 10 parents are devising a plan to safely take back summer with their families and 68 percent say they plan to make up for lost time.
No time to waste!
Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Juicy Juice, researchers find American parents are setting ambitious goals in 2021 as well. Nearly two in three (64%) want to safely plan a year’s worth of activities into their summer schedules.
An additional 64 percent agree this summer is a welcome relief to the challenges they faced over the past year – between at-home schooling and working remotely. As families plan how they’re taking back summer, 63 percent of parents also believe a second spent indoors this summer is a second wasted.
Nearly three-quarters of the poll shared that their families are depending on feel-good fun this year, like beach days or backyard festivities, to make up for the events of 2020. Some of the top planned summer activities include going to the beach, barbeques, camping trips, and pool days.
Going old-school this summer
Thirty-four percent of respondents are eager to find a way to safely visit their relatives this summer. A third of parents plan on “kickin’ it old school” and camping in the backyard or even going on a summer road trip.
Other family activities in the summer 2021 agenda include movie nights (29%), game nights (24%), and picnics (20%). Some Americans parents will be going for a more relaxed vibe by traveling to a lake (17%), playing in the yard with classics like hopscotch and sidewalk chalk (16%), and hiking (15%).
“Whether it’s camping in the backyard or taking a vacation, parents are looking forward to spending time with their families and planning safe activities to have a feel-good, fun-filled summer,” says Ilene Bergenfeld, Chief Marketing Officer for Juicy Juice, in a statement. “It’s also apparent that there are plenty of activities to do in your own backyard or within your neighborhood to create fun memories while staying safe.”
Parents also reflected on their favorite summer memories with the family and shared personal moments from summers past. The poll finds the best summer memories may just be the simplest. Many respondents recall backyard nights, beach days, and family vacations as their favorite memories. Regardless of their summer plans, 66 percent of parents agree they’re going to cherish every single memory made this summer to make up for losing out on summer 2020.
“We can see that summer memories are some of the most cherished by parents, both of their childhood and as their own kids grow up,” Bergenfeld continues. “A lot has happened since last year, so it’s important for Americans to take time to safely make new memories with their families.”