Creating a family summer bucket list is the PERFECT way to start summer off! Sit everyone down, pull out a pen and notepad, and take turns adding things to the list! You’ll love some the answers your kids come up with and the excitement for the next few months to come will be greater than ever! Here are a few ideas of what to add to your personalized summer bucket list:
Parks: This should include favorite parks that your kids know and love, but also new parks! New adventures, a different batch of children to play with, and something fun for all of you to experience together for the first time.
Movies: Most summers come equipped with a great batch of new movies in theaters. This is a super fun outing for older kiddos especially, and sometimes even for toddlers! Our city does a summer movie pass, where they play movies that have been out for a while for only a dollar a person each week! This cheaper price is especially nice because if my two-year-old can’t make it through, I’m only out a couple of dollars!
Splash Pads: Every single one. Like parks, we definitely have our favorite splash pad we like to frequently visit, but my kids sure get a kick out of new ones too!
Swimming Pools: I’ve discovered that I don’t have it in me to take both of my kids while on my own to swim. So I always try to go with a group of friends or do evening trips when Dad is able to come with us. But yes, a swimming pool is a dang fun option to spend the summer at!
Summer Camps: It’s not hard to find local summer camps if you look in the right places or have friends who look in the right places! Local Facebook pages, newspapers, magazines, or city announcements are great ways to find out about summer camps going on around you. And word of mouth is a big key here too! Age ranges will vary camp to camp, but chances are there is something that will catch your kid’s eye!
Summer School: This isn’t necessarily an option for every kid, and maybe isn’t the most common summer activity, but there are programs that run in the summer that could be available for your child. If this is an option for one or more of your kids, enjoy the little bit of structure it will provide!
Sports: Baseball, t-ball, swimming, tennis, soccer, tumbling, gymnastics, dance, and on and on! What a fun few months to spend on the field or a court!
Lessons: Swimming lessons, art lessons, piano lessons, karate lessons, etc. Many programs extend into the summer, but it may take some digging to figure out which ones!
Hikes: I can’t say I’ve ever taken my kids for a hike. That was painful to write out because I loved hiking as a kid! This summer I would love to add a few easy hikes into our adventures because I get the feeling my kids would absolutely love it!
Bike Rides: Depending on the ages and stages your kids are at and what your bike/bike accessory status is, this may not be the best option at any given time. But it is still a good option to throw on your bucket list if you’re able!
Donut Walks: I live about a mile away from the yummiest donut shop. Our neighbor friends walk down there on a regular basis and make a whole outing of it and every time I hear that they’ve done it, I get a little bit jealous and think about what a great idea that is. So this summer, I’m making it happen. Do you have a place you’ve always thought about walking to with your family but never have? Maybe this is the summer you finally do it!
Water Parties: Speaking of neighbors. My current favorite summer tradition is our annual blue light water fight. This happens on the street in front of my house at the end of July every year and it is FUN. But water parties don’t always have to be so epic to be a blast, and they are the perfect way to stay cool!
BBQs: All I have to say about summer foods is YUM. Especially when fall starts creeping in and the harvest is in full swing!
Block Parties: Whether it’s a few of your closest neighbors or just your street or the entire block, these are great ways to get to know your neighbors better and eat delicious food while doing so!
Day Trips: An amusement park, the lake, or a museum are good examples of this. Something that will take up nearly an entire day and will make some definite lasting memories!
Camping: This is another activity that may be questionable to some families, but if you’re in the right situation (or just really brave!), camping could be just the thing to complete your summer bucket list!
Drive-in Movies: This used to be our very favorite activity...until we had kids! At this point in our lives, these are off the table. So until my youngest is old enough to sit through an entire movie and not wander over to other cars in the dark, we’ll be putting this summer activity on hold.
Bonfires: Forget s’mores, I’m legit craving roasted Starbursts (have you tried them yet?!) this summer. I can’t wait to get my hands on one of them. Plus, the stories that come out around a campfire are the very best!
Fireworks: July is a month full of fun, mostly thanks to holidays that revolve around fireworks! Big firework shows put on by cities or small firework shows in the neighborhood or your front yard make for some really fun times.
Parades: Chances are, there is a parade near you at some point this summer. Check the dates, grab a few lawn chairs, and enjoy!
Snow Cone Trips: These are my husband’s very favorite. I’d much rather an ice cream cone, but let’s be honest, any cold treat in the heat is going to be amazing.
Lazy Days in the Yard: My neighborhood has been nicknamed “Sesame Street” which means there is always, and I mean ALWAYS a friend to play with. Lazy days in the yard in the summer means that within a half hour, many friends flock to us and my kids are in heaven. But even on the calmer days, I enjoy spending time outside with my kids while they help me in the yard or we just hang out.
Picnics: Last but NOT least...picnics! Even if it’s just a baggy of carrots, there’s something so fun about eating food at a park or the neighbor’s backyard. We especially love meeting up at a park with Dad on his lunch break. It makes the days go faster and I swear the food tastes better in the sun!