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Front Porch Appeal: Porchlife with Kids and Pets
July 03, 2025

Welcome to Front Porch Appeal!

Hello, porch friends.

July’s already here! The heart of summer is here and so is porch season. From early morning coffee to warm evening chats under the stars, we love July for slowing down and enjoying porch life at its best.

Maybe your porch is dressed in red, white, and blue for the Fourth. Maybe it’s filled with potted plants, sticky popsicles, and laughter. However you use your porch, may it bring comfort and a touch of everyday joy.

This month, we’re sharing ideas to help your porch be fun, feel inviting, and be a gathering place for the people (and pets!) you love.

Here’s to iced tea refills and making the most of July, right from your front porch.

🎨 Porch Play for Kids

Have kids, grandkids or neighbor children? Let your porch be a place where they enjoy activities on the porch.

How about creating a porch craft station? Set up a small table with simple supplies: colored pencils, crayons, washable paints and craft paper. Try nature-themed crafts like leaf rubbings, painted rocks, or homemade wind chimes. Tip: I keep older oilcloth tablecloths for these activities.

Another idea is to create a reading nook. One easy way is to place floor cushions or a cozy run in a shaded corner. Add a little bookshelf or basket filled with picture books and chapter books.

Another way I know many kids would enjoy the porch is to hang a paper lanterns or string lights to make it feel like a secret hideout. What kid wouldn't like that?

Here's another idea that is timeless: create a spot for chalkboard art. Paint part of a porch wall or an old board with chalkboard paint. You could even invite neighbors to leave a friendly message or drawing.

Lastly, pull out some porch-friendly games like ring toss, bean bag toss, checkers, marbles and bubbles. Keep toys in a basket or vintage crate so they’re easy to clean up but always nearby.

🐶 Pet Friendly Porch Tips

Our grand dog, Lunar

Lunar was a seeing-eye dog for many years until his owner retired him. Then our son and his family adopted Lunar into their home. After having worked so loyally as a support dog, Lunar had to learn to just be a dog and have fun.

He was the most comforting kind of dog there ever could be - always sitting close and being there in times of illness and sadness. We sure loved Lunar so much.

Speaking of pets, we can make our porches cozy and friendly for them. How? Here are a few ideas.

* Set up a dog bed, mat, or cozy blanket in a shaded area.

* Add a few toys or a chew for quiet time.

* Set out a shallow bowl of cool water with ice cubes.

* Consider a small kiddie pool or misting fan for dogs who love to chill out on hot days.

* Add a gate or pet screen if you’re near a busy road and avoid toxic porch plants and decorations that pets might chew.

* Keep pet treats in a sealed jar.

* Give your cat or dog a special lookout spot to watch the world go by. A low bench or sturdy chair near the edge of the porch works perfectly.

🪑 Create a Family Friendly Atmosphere

Our porches can be happy gathering places for our family and friend. Here are a few simple ideas along those lines...

Enjoy quiet, cozy moments with the presence of hammocks, swings, or rocking chairs.

Encourage kids to keep a journal and write or draw about their day. Let it be a screen-free zone for conversation, reading or just watching the fireflies.

Provide a basket of books, sketchpads, or simple board games for easy access.

Play soft acoustic music or a family-friendly playlist to set a calm vibe.

Encourage kids to make their own porch playlist for summer nights or weekend mornings.

🌿☀️ Summer Porch Plants

🪴 If you enjoy pretty plants on your porch, ones that love the heat and can even survive a little neglect, then here are a few ideas for July and August.

Lantana comes in bright clusters of tiny flowers in sunny hues (yellow, orange, pink). Lantans are loved by butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds and they are super in hanging baskets or pots. We have a beautiful lantana in our porch garden this year.

Geraniums are a classic, much-loved porch flower with vibrant blooms in red, pink, and white and they are both heat and drought-tolerant. They are lovely in pots on porch steps or planted in railing or window boxes. Remember to deadhead them. Yes, that helps them!

Zinnias are bold, cheerful blooms that love full sun and they come in a rainbow of colors.

Sweet potato vines grow fast and add a dramatic foliage in chartreuse or deep purple. We love these, but if you have deer, squirrels or bunnies around, they too may love them. Sweet potato vines look gorgeous spilling over the edges of pots and paired with flowering plants for a nice contrast. Their color is my favorite.

Remembering Independence Day

Every year, the 4th of July reminds us of the birth of our nation, a day when thirteen colonies came together to declare independence and set the course for the freedoms we enjoy today. It’s a day filled with meaning, celebration, and the simple joys of summer.

I always remember the sight and sounds of fireworks in the sky, on the 4th of July. Our neighbors would make homemade vanilla ice cream and my mom would make homemade hot fudge sauce for it. We'd have a neighborhood party. And do you remember, as we do, decorating our bikes with crepe paper for the 4th? Yes, around our spokes. We'd even have a bike parade up and down the street.

This year, we are dog sitting our granddog, FrankE. So we'll have a quiet holiday, I'm sure. We'll grill hot dogs and have some yummy sides - and both of us are sure ice cream will be involved in some way.

We hope your porch becomes a front-row seat to all the joy and gratitude this season brings. Whether it’s a patriotic display, a family cookout, or simply watching fireflies dance at dusk, Happy 4th of July from our home to yours.

Our Summertime Porch

Our summer porch came together this year starting with the fabric on the cushions. It’s a sturdy material called duck fabric, kind of like denim, but with prettier patterns and colors. It’s perfect for porch life: durable, cheerful, and ready for plenty of relaxing afternoons.

Next, we gave our faithful old rocking chairs another fresh coat of spray paint. They've worn many colors over the years, but it’s amazing what a little paint can do to keep them looking fresh and loved season after season.

The final touch? Wall art that ties everything together and brings a personal flair to the space. We also gathered some limelight hydrangeas into a basket arrangement—they’re so simple, but they add just the right touch of softness and charm.

Fresh, pretty, and full of heart—that’s our porch this summer.

When the afternoon sun hits our porch, that’s our cue to pull down the shades. It only takes a moment to roll them down, and later back up, but what a difference they make. Not only do they help keep our home cooler, they also make the porch feel calm and inviting, even on the hottest days.

We really appreciate how the shade transforms the space. It's like a gentle curtain that softens the light and makes it even more enjoyable to sit and stay awhile.

A simple addition, but one that makes a difference in how we enjoy summer on the porch.

This is the wall art I created for our summer porch this year: two pieces that I think of as companions.

I started with the larger one, which now hangs between our rocking chairs. It really anchors that space and adds a summery, handmade touch. The smaller painting, which turned out to be my favorite, is by our front door where it greets anyone who stops by.

Both are done in acrylics - messy, yes — but I always find joy in the process. Painting isn’t always tidy, but it’s a happy kind of chaos, don’t you think?

I’d love to hear what you think of them!

Have You Met
Our Wonderful Sponsors?

We greatly appreciate your support of our treasured sponsors. Each of them is like family to us and we are very proud of their products. They have been with us for a long time!

Photo courtesy of PCA Products

Look at this beautiful screen door . Isn't it so lovely on this welcoming porch?

We feel privileged to get to visit the PCA factory where their doors are built and we are very impressed with their innovation, quality and durability.

We've been proud to share PCA Products with you for many years and this is one of our favorite products.

For timeless appeal: Beautiful Porch Parts
such as these gable decorations
from Vintage Woodworks

Aren't these gable decorations from Vintage Woodworks so attractive? Their porch headquarters is filled with wonderful products to bring out the beauty in your porch.

We are sp proud of our long time sponsor, Vintage Woodworks, a leader in handcrafted house trim since 1978. They can assist you in choosing just the right design options for your porch and home.

Craftsman Pine Bed Swing from The Porch Store

Can you imagine taking a nap on this Craftsman Pine Bed Swing? The back is adjustable so the swing is comfortable whether you're napping or simply swaying and reading a book.

We welcome you to take a look at The Porch Store products on their website.

They have long been sponsors to us and we could not be more proud.

Till Next Time...

We know you're busy and we appreciate you being a part of our porch family here.

May you enjoy the month of July as summer's festive and patriotic month. Take some time to just relax, read a good book, listen to the birds and delight in the moments you are in.

See you on the porch.

Our best always,

Mary and Dave