Summer Bucket List Ideas … and Bucket

Well the time has come.  IT’S SUMMER! We have been all about planning a summer schedule for kids that is both relaxing and productive. Now it’s time to get our summer bucket list in order.

I have to admit, the idea of a bucket list kind of creeps me out.  I don’t  know why exactly.  Maybe because I prefer to think of things in terms of things I’d love to do. (Strong period there.)  Adding in the … before I die, feels a little morbid.

However, the idea of a summer bucket list gets me all excited.  Weird.  The first time I saw a diy summer bucket list bucket I jumped out of my seat.  What could I use as a bucket?  I started jotting down ideas and waiting for the perfect time to make it a family affair.

Summer bucket list ideas plus a super cute DIY summer bucket list BUCKET! So fun!

To make our summer bucket list bucket I used an old yogurt container, construction paper, clothes pinscolored craft tape and markers. (These are affiliate links. Thanks for supporting A Mom with a Lesson Plan.)

20 Summer Bucket List Ideas

  1. Art week (or weeks).  Read books on art and artists.  Create art inspired by artists. Red Ted Art has a great series called Kids Get Arty, it’s all about exploring artists.
  2. Play the games we have and find new games to add to the collection! I have an entire Pinterest board dedicated to family games.
  3. Explore new libraries. We have a great county library system, last year we visited several new libraries. It was so much fun.
  4. Reread Poppy (Tales from Dimwood Forest) by Avi. The kids were really little when we read it the first time. I think they would love it again. (Affiliate link)
  5. Read as many Brixton Brothers books as we can manage. (Affiliate link)
  6. Have a kids in charge day.  Let them plan the entire day from start to finish.  They cook, plan outings and have our full attention all day.
  7. Bubbles!
  8. Build a massive fort.
  9. Join the Double Page Spread challenge.  (Better late than never!)
  10. Get a map of our city and use it to plan a day.
  11. Make a water wall.
  12. Create a sewing camp to teach M and M the basics.
  13. Create a Lego camp for Big M.  (Including make Lego Maze.)
  14. Visit the Zoo at night.
  15. Make a shadow puppet theater.
  16. Balloons, balloons and more balloons.
  17. Visit 3 museums.
  18. Have a family date night.
  19. Set up a weaving station.
  20. Hug, kiss and cuddle A LOT! I want to soak up every minute.

What’s on your summer bucket list?

This post originally appeared on May 1, 2012.

42 Comments

  1. I love your bucket 😀 and your list has some fabulous ideas on it. We’re spending this weekend planning ours – but so far we have had a request to see a Crocodile in a pond!!!! – could be interesting in the UK

  2. I want to create my own bucket list this summer because I will have a lot of things I want to do and I don’t want to miss them..

    1. DynnaLou,
      That’s how I feel too. It was a lot of fun creating the list and I bet actually doing all of those great things will be even better!

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  4. What a splendid idea! And I love your web site…my first time here. My children are grown; well I have my just-graduated-daughter at home, but my son is out of town for a college internship. So it’s a little late for me to have a real mommy and kids kind of list. But I decided to do one any ways! If my husband and daughter want to participate, fine. If not, it will just be my personal summer bucket list. I’m like you. Things change a little around here during the summer, even if I no longer have children to take to the pool or buy popsicles for. So thanks for the great idea, and have a super summer accomplishing your bucket list.

    Oh, and what’s on my list? Read three fiction books, redesign my office space, do a mom-and-daughter Bible study together, eat breakfast outside, shop at the local farmer’s market, and more!

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  6. I also thought it would be fun to have a “kid in charge day” too! Now I just need to decide if they have to share the throne for the day or if each child gets his own day to rule the kingdom…. as long as I get to be the kid and take a nap…I might let them each have a turn 🙂

    Have a great summer!!!

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  9. I’m so with you on the morbidity of a “bucket list”….but I think of BEACH bucket when I think of Summer Bucket List’s so, not so creapy! LOL

    Great List! and thanks for linking up!

  10. Thank you for this! Usually the lists of summer activities that I find are about 500 things, but they’re all projects that would hold my kids attention for approximately 20 minutes. I don’t need A LOT of ideas. I need a handful of time consuming ideas! And this list is perfectly that!

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