Make the most of the long weekend with these picks from our editors

Floating mat

“We have spent countless hours at the lake throwing ourselves (and each other) off a floating mat like this one. It’s the thing the kids look forward to the most for playing games (such as shakey, steamroller, taco, party at my end and sharkie) on the water together. Good old fashioned non-motorized fun.” — Liann Bobechko, deputy editor

Acoustic guitar

“Whether you’re sitting around the campfire, playing on the dock, or hunkered down to wait out a rainstorm, a guitar is always a welcome addition to a cottage gathering. Pick up a simple songbook showing chord fingering (see below) to keep at the lake and no one needs to feel left out—suddenly everyone can be a guitar hero.” — Liann Bobechko, deputy editor

Spike ball

“Spike ball is fun and easy for kids and adults to play together. Warning: It can get wildly competitive!” — Michelle Kelly, editor

Bose speaker

“A little speaker that you can take to the dock or the deck to keep things happy. I like this one—or anything by Bose, really.” — Michelle Kelly, editor

Puzzle

“I am a MASSIVE puzzler. Is this entertaining for anyone else in my family? No. Do I care? No. Just pure relaxation and highly meditative for when after those guests leave…a nice way to chill out. I particularly love puzzles that are colourful and graphic, and I spend the money on quality. I hate guessing if the piece fits or not. And 1,000 pieces or more, or I’m not playing.” —Michelle Kelly, editor

Board games

“Monopoly, Scrabble, Sorry. Any board game gets my stamp of approval at the cottage.” — Jackie Davis, senior editor

Books

“My favourite thing to do to entertain myself at the lake is reading a good book—the cottage is where I finally get to read in earnest. I recently finished Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie—it was fantastic, I highly recommend it.” — Alysha Vandertogt, associate editor.

Ladder ball

“Ladder ball is one of my favourite outdoor games. We like to play a variation where you need 21 points to win, but if you go over 21, you’re bumped all the way back to zero—it raises the stakes for those last shots!” — Alysha Vandertogt, associate editor.

Dutch Blitz

“It’s a crazy fast-paced game that can get heated quickly. It can be a long game, so we usually play at night for entertainment.” —Marie Waine, editorial assistant