Our 2026 family goals
Now that the 2026 roadmap for the business side of this website has been laid out, I’d like to share a more personal side of our plans. We have a lot of exciting and interesting goals coming up this year, both for family life and personal growth, and how these tie into the work we do at Summers Sensory & Co.
Goal One – Enjoy Japan
At the end of 2025, we traveled a lot, and this won’t be changing in 2026. Our first big plan is our holiday to Japan — the trip I’ve mentioned before.
We love to travel because the experiences you gain from being somewhere new are incomparable to reading about it or hearing stories. Japan has always been a dream of mine. I once mentioned it to my partner in passing, and he said if we couldn’t have a baby, we would go. Fast forward, one baby later, and we booked our trip! Our biggest goal is to make the most of this adventure. We’ve already had to make a few travel adjustments, but hopefully everything else will work out.
If you have any advice on what to take or must-see spots for a family traveling with a toddler, I’d love to hear your tips in the comments below!
This trip also inspires our business work — we’ll be sharing sensory ideas, cultural observations, and travel-inspired activities for young children on the blog and through our social channels.
Goal Two – Make Every Month Christmas
I read a post recently (I’ll tag it if I find it) that said, “I enjoy the lead-up to Christmas more than the day itself.” I feel the same way. I love the atmosphere: seeing friends and family, the baking, the smells, the lights, the decorations, and the colour palettes.
For the first time in years, I really enjoyed October because we decorated, had themed food, and created a bucket list for the month. Next year, we’re extending that idea: making every month feel special. Each month already has a theme with the business (and a colour), and we’re bringing that into our home lives. We’ll create a calendar with a vision board for each month, assign each month a specific smell and colour, and plan bakes and crafts to match. We’ve also started using our celebration ring more, adding another layer to our monthly seasonal fun.
This ties directly to Summers Sensory & Co, where we focus on seasonal sensory play, themed activities, and creative learning for children. By aligning our home life with the same principles, we can share real-life examples and inspiration with our audience.
Goal Three – Lean Into More Community
Finding community here can be challenging because Dutch isn’t my native language. However, I know how important it is for me and my family. This year, I’m committed to seeking out like-minded people and connecting with them. If you have any advice on building community in a foreign language or expat setting, I’d love to hear it!
Our business also benefits from this: learning from other educators and parents allows us to share better ideas, collaborate on projects, and create more meaningful content for the children and families we support.
Goal Four – Continue to Develop My Skills
I’m a hobby collector — I’ve tried fiber arts, painting, gardening, baking, and more. Lately, I’ve felt a bit stuck with my crafts. This year, I want to challenge myself to improve, make mistakes, and grow.
These personal development goals tie back to Summers Sensory & Co, too. As a family, we want to pass on skills and knowledge to our children, and the best way to do that is by expanding our own abilities first. Each monthly theme is also an opportunity to learn something new together — from crafts and baking to sensory and educational activities — which we can then share with our readers.
Goal Five – 1000 Hours Outside
This is a challenge I found on Pinterest, and I thought it was perfect for our family. Admittedly, I am often the first to shy away from going outside when it’s too hot, too cold, rainy, or I simply don’t feel like running into anyone. But I also know how important outdoor time is for my little one.
As a stay-at-home mum, we have plenty of time to go outside, but until now, I hadn’t made the most of it. This year, that’s going to change. While we don’t have a garden, we do have a terrace and a park nearby, which gives us plenty of opportunities.
Our goal is to spend 1000 hours outside together, and we’ll be tracking the time my child spends outside with either me or my partner. We found a tracker on the 1000 Hours Outside website and have displayed it on the wall near our coats and shoes — hopefully this will motivate me!
To help reach our goal, we will:
Use the mud kitchen frequently (my little one’s Christmas present)
Take snacks and lunch outside whenever possible
Explore our local park and nearby outdoor spaces regularly
We’re excited to embrace this challenge and enjoy more fresh air, play, and adventure together as a family.
I’m really excited for 2026, both as a family and as a creative, learning-focused business. Thank you for being here to follow along, and I hope some of our ideas inspire your own family adventures, seasonal fun, and personal growth.
With warmth,
Summer
Founder, Summers Sensory & Co
