101 Memorable Summer Bucket List Ideas for Your Family! – Work. Play. Mommy. (2024)

SUMMER BUCKET LIST FOR MOMS: 101 thingstodowith yourkids thissummer

This year refuse to let summer get away from you. Try this summer bucket list instead!

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Too often we get wrapped up in things to do around the house, errands that need running, and meals that need planning to enjoy the brief season of warmth and sunshine.

Don’t you want to send your kids back to school knowing that you have soaked up every moment of their childhood innocence? Would you rather look back over the summer and add up all the time you spent in front of the tvoradd up all the special memories that you made with your children over the summer?

I know that my kids beg me constantly to go back to the pool, to build a fort, or tojust play with them. Sometimes, just a15 minuteactivityis enough to make their day. Sometimes, 15 minutes is all the energy or spare time that I have.

However, too often, I don’t know what to do either. I feel so overwhelmed in the moment that I forget to let loose, to have more fun, or to plan that little getaway.

So, this year I am getting proactive. Here is alist of 101 things on my summer bucket list. 101 things that we could all do before the summer is over,big and small.

Print or bookmark this page for future use!

Keep this list handy,then, each time one of your kids comes whining to you with the patented “I’m bored”, you can look to this list!

Or, if you find yourself in a rut, look back to this list for some cheap, simple, or quick ideas or some ideas that may take some planning and preparation.

Some of these ideas are ideas for the kids to do alone, for you to do as a family, or for YOU to do ALONE!And,some of these ideas may require you to let loose a little!

If you use this list at all over the summer, please let me know here, or tag me on Instagram or Facebook atworkplaymommy! I’d love to see your summer activities!

Summer Bucket List:

Fun activities for kids (they can do on their own!)

You need a break, and the kids act like there is nothing to do. Here are nearly 2 dozen ideas that they can do on their own that are guaranteed to probably make a mess but create some memories!

1. Wash the dog/wash the car!

2. Play in thesprinkler. (My kids love this inflatable unicorn sprinkler.)

3. Create an obstaclecourse.

4. Throw waterballoons.

5. Slide down awaterslide.

6. Decorate your driveway with chalk; decorate your neighbor’s driveway withchalk.

7. Jump off a divingboard.

8. Host a scavengerhunt.

9. Paint apicture.

10. Playhopscotch.

11. Paint arock.

12. Catchfireflies.

13. Play checkers or tic tac toe (check this tic tac toe craft out!).

14. Selllemonade.

15. Write a letter and mail it…with astamp.

16. Act out a home writtenplay.

17. Memorize something new (try a scripture a week, a famous quote, or an old song!).

18. Watch a movie in a foreignlangauge.

19. Build afort.

20. Launch arocket.

21. Complete acrossword.

Shared family activities for your summer

Summer is about sharing special family time too. Take advantage of that late sunset, those early mornings, and the warm air. Do things together as a family rather than just sending the kids off to play. If you need some inspiration for free, cheap, or more adventurous family activities, check out these ideas.

22. Plant vegetables.

23. Go to thepool.Better yet, go to a waterpark! Check out this post of the best water parks in Indiana!

24. Go to thezoo.

25. Play at thepark.

26. Gogolfing.

27. Playtennis.

28. Take the family for icecream.

29. Eat a sno-conetogether.

30. Roast s’mores.

31. Take awalk.

32. Take a bikeride.

33. Set up a backyardtheater.

34. Grill pizza.

35. Have a family soccertournament.

36. Read a noveltogether.

37. Make homemade icecream.

38. Fish

39. Have one on one dates with each of yourkids.

40. Plant flowers.

41. Bake acake.

42. Do a familypuzzle.

43. Take familypictures.

44. Visit afarmersmarket.

45. Pickfruit

46. Make a pie!

47. Watch aconcert.

48. Watch the corngrow.

49. Visit thelibrary.
50. Eat at a new restaurant.
51. Race.

52. Ride ahorse.

53. Swing from a rope! (Into a lake, into a pool, through a ropes course!)

54. Stay up late tellingstories.

55. Feed theducks.

56. Pet agoat.

57. Ride azipline.

Quick and simple activities

For those days when you would love to spend the entire day lounging by the pool or playing tea anddressupbut stillhave tomake sure that laundry getswashedand the groceries are put away. You needsome ideas that are a quick way to build fun memories with your children but that do not require an investment ofall ofyour time. Here are a few ideas for quick activities that you can do with your kids that can be wrapped up in a matter of minutes.

58. Blowbubbles.

59. Play with play dough.

60. Swing.

61. Try a newfood.

62. Have a foam bullet fight.

63. Playcatch.

64. Find pictures in theclouds.

65. Play a boardgame.

66. Light sparklers.

67. Star gaze.

68. Sing a song together and have a danceparty.

69. Fly akite.

70. Splash in puddles.

Planned adventures for your bucket list

Don’t get swept up in your to-do listeveryday. Spend a few weekends, an entire week, or several days drinking in family time. Try some interesting and new experiences that might stretch you and your kids.

71. Take a daytrip.

72. Take avacation.

73. Ride atrain.

74. Visit amuseum.

75. Enjoy urban art: graffiti, sculptures,paintings.

76. Watch a baseballgame.

77. Climb amountain.

78. Watch a sunset and asunrise.

79. Camp, even if in the backyard.

80. Go to thefair.

81. Go on a donutcrawl.

82. Serve high tea in your most elegantattire.

83. Touch an exoticanimal.

84. Watch airplanes takeoff.

85. Eat apicnic.

86. Splash at the splash pad.

87. Fly paper lanterns.

Special moments for mom this summer

How can you have any fun with your kids if you do not take care of yourself. First, make sure that you have a fully stocked home spa, like this one here from Soap and Sunshine Apothecary, and then pick one of these summer bucket list activities to find some me time.

Or,involve the family in taking a few choresoff ofyour plate. If the kids want to make PBJs for dinner, let them. If they insist on staying in their swimsuits for the entire week, just be glad you have less laundry to do! Let go and relax a little!

88. Read a bookalone.

89. Take a nap alone!

90. Let the house bedirty.

91. Order takeout.

92. Skip ashower.

93. Do yard work as afamily.

94. Let the kids make dinner –whatever they want to make is fine for dinner!

95. Wear the same clothes 2 days in a row!Or,wear your bathing suit instead!

Acts of service

Teach your kids not only to take care of themselves, their family, and their mommy but also of those around us. Involve them in serving your community. Last summer, my6 year oldspent 2 days hauling water and equipment around to workers at a new community garden. He was so proud of himself and hasdefinitely beenmore willing to serve and help others. Encourage your children to do big and small acts of service this summer to grow more attuned to the needs of others and their own privilege.

96. Take the neighborscookies.

97. Play with puppies or volunteer at your local humanesociety.

98. Family service project.

99. Volunteer at your local community garden.

100. Mow someone’s lawn forthem.

101. Walk the dog, or your neighbor’s dog, or several dogs and have a pet parade!

Don’t let your summer get away from you. Soak in the moments big and small. Drink in the memories! You will never remember how much laundry you did or whether their shoes were on the right foot.

But,you will remember the special silly times when you danced in the kitchen or caught fireflies in the moonlight. Check these items off your summer bucket list; add more ideas to this list in thecomments, andbe sure to tag #workplaymommy in your summer activities with your kids and family.

Planning a family summer road trip? Check out these travel ideas!