Here are five (nearly free) ways your family can enjoy summer days together.

1. Take a picture every day. Capture Fido licking your toddler's ice cream cone or snap a beautiful sunset -- and make a best-of-summer scrapbook.

2. Plant a butterfly garden. Late-blooming summer perennials such as purple coneflowers and yellow rudbeckia flourish in the heat and are monarch magnets.

3. Make a solar s'more. Place a large marshmallow and a square of chocolate between two graham crackers, wrap it in foil and set it in the sun for 10 minutes. Yum!

4. Host a film festival. Invite friends to spend one of those dog days in air-conditioned comfort watching a favourite DVD.

5. Check out our Kids' Bucket List and see how many summer-oriented items your family can check off, whether it's camping out in the wild or hunting for treasure on the beach.

This story was originally titled "Fix it in Five" in the August 2012 issue. Subscribe to Canadian Living today and never miss an issue!