Epic Summer Bucket List for Kids

This summer bucket list is complete with free printables. It covers things to do at home, things to do locally, and things to do away from home. Also, it is organized!

Kids in summer

Welcome to summer! After a less than thrilling summer last year, I think we are all looking forward to things actually happening this year.

We all know I am a planner and summer has never been different. Even from the time my kids were little, I made a summer bucket list of things I wanted to make sure we got done that year.

Summer goes by fast.

You think you have months of endless opportunity, but before you know it August is upon you.

If you are not intentional with your time, you will look back on your summer with a bit of regret and realize you didn’t get everything done you had hoped.

On top of things really flying by, you find yourself competing with other activities to get your bucket list done.

Reunions and summer camps quickly fill your calendar. As kids get older, you may have sports tournaments and summer jobs limiting your freedom.

Even if you aren’t busy with things, you can be lulled into a false sense of security thinking you have all the time in the world and it can get away from you.

If you have any goals for summer at all, you want to write it down and work it in or it just won’t happen.

Summer Bucket List Ideas

Do not feel like you need to do it all this summer. You don’t.

You have lots of time to do what you want to do. Do not make yourselves busier than you will be happier being.

I think we all look back on our own childhood summers with fondness remembering the simplicity of it all. Remember that when you start to feel guilty for your kids not “having enough events” in the summer.

>>>Read: Why You Should Let Your Child Be Bored This Summer

Here are some ideas of things you can do in the summer. This is intended to be a huge list of things to pick from, not things you must do. This is a springboard.

Here are some bucket list ideas. I will break them down by various categories to help it be less overwhelming.

List of Activities at Home

Here are some ideas of things you could do at home.

  • Make homemade ice cream
  • Have a water balloon fight
  • Paint rocks
  • Eat root beer floats
  • Make homemade popsicles
  • Play a board game
  • Play card games
  • Make paper airplanes. Have a competition to see whose goes the furthest
  • Learn to make friendship bracelets
  • Draw with sidewalk chalk
  • Have a hula hoop contest
  • Have a water fight. Invite friends or neighbors
  • Have a water gun fight
  • Have a neighborhood firework party
  • Eat ice cream or ice cream sundaes
  • Have a movie marathon
  • Make a time capsule
  • Play relay games. Have a sack race, a three-legged race, wheel-barrow race, etc.
  • Play water-balloon volleyball
  • Play in the sprinklers
  • Set up a slip n’ slide
  • Tie-dye shirts
  • Plant a garden and plant vegetables, fruits, and/or flowers
  • Have breakfast for dinner
  • Make homemade pizzas
  • Blow bubbles
  • Make a bird feeder
  • Learn to cook something new
  • Learn a new skill
  • Back a backyard picnic
  • Do arts and crafts
  • Set up the baby pool or blow up pool in the backyard
  • Have dinner over a firepit. Make s’mores
  • Try a new hobby
  • Play sports at home
  • Play yard games at home
  • Rollerblade
  • Do service for someone
  • Have friends over
  • Have a lemonade stand
  • Build a fort
  • Watch the sunrise
  • Watch the sunset
  • Look at the stars
  • Have a pillow fight
  • Have a dance contest
  • Play hopscotch
  • Have a pajama day
  • Have a talent show

Education and Reading

I always love focusing on some learning activities and doing things at home to help prevent summer setback. I am also HUGE on reading, so I keep a focus on reading all summer.

  • Join a summer reading program. Check your local library or make your own
  • Read a book from the current bestseller list
  • Have a book club
  • Do sustained silent reading through the summer
  • Visit the library

>>>Read: How To Improve Reading Skills with Sustained Silent Reading

Activities Close to Home

These are activities that you can do close to home. These can be day trips or even just afternoons or evenings.

  • Go rock hunting
  • Go berry picking
  • Make little paper boats and float them down the river
  • Go to a baseball game
  • Go to the zoo or aquarium
  • Go on a scavenger hunt
  • Ride bikes and go for a family bike ride
  • Ride a Ferris wheel
  • Go to your local fair or summer festival
  • Play mini golf
  • Go to a firework show
  • Go to a parade
  • Go to a water park
  • Get snow cones
  • Go to a drive-in movie or make your own cards out of cardboard boxes and have a drive-in movie at home
  • Visit the ice cream truck
  • Go swimming
  • Go to a splash park
  • Visit different parks in your area
  • Join an art class
  • Participate in a summer camp
  • Take swimming lessons
  • Go kayaking
  • Go fishing
  • Go for a walk
  • Go to a museum
  • Catch butterflies
  • Fly a kite
  • Go horseback riding
  • Find out what tourists do in your town and do something you haven’t done

Actual Trips and Vacations

Sometimes you want to do something big for summer. Here are some ideas.

  • Go on a road trip. This can be a planned vacation or a spontaneous road trip
  • Visit a national monument
  • Go to the beach. Visit a lake or the ocean. Build a sand castle
  • Go to a national park
  • Go to an amusement park
  • Go camping

>>>Read: Utah National Parks with Kids Travel Tips

>>>Read: Tips for a Successful Camping Trip with Children

Organizing Your Weeks

Some people love to break up their days by focusing on different categories each day. Here is a common set-up

  • Make it Monday: This is the day you do a craft, bake something, or do art
  • Take a Trip Tuesday: This is the day you do something away from home. Go on a scavenger hunt, head to the splash pad, check out a new park, go to the lake, etc.
  • Water Wednesday: This is the day you play in the water. This is your lake day, pool day, or backyard water party
  • Thinking Thursday: This is the day you focus on learning activities
  • Fun Friday: Do something super fun this day! Perfect for a backyard drive in or going camping
  • Super Saturday: Do something fun from your list

Summer Bucket List Printable

I have made a couple different free printables for you to organize your summer bucket list. You can print a more detailed version here. You can print the more simple version here.

Summer bucket list free printables

You can have your kids each fill out a simple version then look at those plus my ideas above to compile a master list for your family for summer on the detailed version.

Conclusion

This ultimate summer bucket list for kids should give you lots of ideas of things you can do with your kids this summer. Remember, you do not need to do them all. I don’t know if you even could do them all in just one summer. These ideas for kids can be fun. Choose what you want to do and revisit next year. Have a great summer!

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Summer Bucket List for Kids Free Printables

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