I clearly remember hopping off the bus on the last day of school, giddy with wild freedom and a blank slate of nothing but play ahead of me. My friends and I whooped and hollered; we skipped down the sidewalk, linked arms, and felt like the world was ours! All the visceral things are embedded in my memory: the smell of the driveway tar on an extra hot day, the cicadas singing a midday tune, looking up and seeing the sun shining through the leaves of trees, and the sticky red popsicle juice running down my arm. Is there anything better than being a kid in summer? I think not! What is better than the idea of endless time filled with catching fireflies, ice cream trucks, swimming, and riding bikes?
Even with so much to do - nevertheless, “I’m bored” and “There’s nothing to do!” seems to be on repeat once the novelty of being out of school wears off. In the past few years, I’ve gathered a bucket list of about 30 things to do in the summer. I put it on a large poster board with a little box next to each item. I tack it up underneath our family calendar, and whenever I hear the word “bored,” I tell my son to go to the bucket list and pick out one thing and do it. Once he completes it, he can check it off. As an added motivation, I tell him if he completes every single item on his summer bucket list, he gets a “Yes Day” (more on that to come).
There are a few things on the bucket list, like going to the zoo and outdoor movie night, that have become summer traditions in our house. I compiled a list based on what we’ve done in the past and things we want to do this summer. I hope this inspires you to do the same. There’s truly nothing like making memories for your kids during the summer months. They will remember their magical summers for life!
THE ULTIMATE SUMMER BUCKET LIST FOR KIDS!!!
Go to the zoo. Buy a disposable camera and let your kids snap away! A camera seems to make them stay super engaged.
Paint rocks and have fun placing them all over your neighborhood
Lemonade Stand (Tip: if you know there are lots of garage sales around you during a specific time, pick that day!)
Have a water balloon fight
Play Hop Scotch
Go berry picking
Play flashlight tag
Learn how to Double Dutch
Outdoor Movie Night
Climb a Tree
Go Fishing
Go to a new park and have a picnic
Collect as many different kinds of leaves as you can and have your parents help you identify what tree they came from
Attend a local fair
Use a slip-n-slide
Wash your parent's car
Have a watermelon seed-spitting contest
Watch a movie you’ve never seen before
Play outside for 3 hours straight
Build a fort in the woods
Visit a farmer's market
Read 20 books (or 5 chapter books for older kids)
Go Fishing
Catch fireflies at night
Play a New Board Game
Join the local library summer reading program
Catch a Frog
Try a new food
Go to a museum of your choice
Make a blanket fort and watch a movie from it
Camp out in the backyard in a tent
Play frisbee
Make and bury a time capsule
Make necklaces or bracelets
Play in the sprinklers or hose
Make tie-dye shirts
Learn a new card game and become a master!
Go on a family bike ride
Learn how to make a great paper airplane
Lie on your back and stare at the clouds. Keep track of all the shapes and designs you see!
Build a backyard obstacle course
Volunteer as a Family
Write a story
Make a fruit salad for your family
Lay in the grass at night and wait for a shooting star
Use sidewalk chalk to decorate your driveway or sidewalk
Check out a new splash pad park
Set up an easel and paint what you see in nature around you
We’d love to hear from you if you have any other great ideas. Have a fantastic summer with your family!!