Bucket List for a Great Summer with Kids

School’s out for summer! From staying up late catching fireflies to spending the weekend camping, there’s so much to enjoy with your family in the summertime! Here are some ideas to make it memorable.   

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Water Fun

1. Float on a Boat

tower-paddle-boards-a family paddle-boarding

Whether it’s a sailboat, a kayak, a canoe, or a paddleboard, being on the water is a perfect way to check off those summer bucket list items on a hot day.

2. Build a Sandcastle on the Beach

There’s something so therapeutic about playing with sand. Bring buckets and shovels, add water and some shells, and enjoy!

3. Swim at the Pool

a woman and a child lounge in a pool in Puerto Rico

It wouldn’t feel like summer if we didn’t check off this bucket list item (at least every week!). Swim as often as possible to build up your kids’ swimming skills and stay safe with some great swim vests!

4. Splash In the Puddles

After a rainy day indoors, there’s no greater way to burn some energy than to get outside and jump in some puddles. Get those rain boots out and find the deepest puddles you can for some splashing!

5. Go Fishing

Brothers fishing with fishing poles beside a lake. There is a boat in the lake.

Our family hasn’t actually done real fishing yet, mostly because I have never tried it in my life. Perhaps this year is the year for catching some actual fish! In the meantime, we use a practice rod and reel and enjoy “fishing” for hours.

6. Hunt for Rainbows

Kids love the magic of finding a rainbow. Run outside as soon as the rain stops and the sun comes out to check off this colorful summer bucket list item!

7. Play in the Sprinklers

a girl happily runs through a sprinkler. Photo credit: Elena Rabkina

Running through the sprinklers is a refreshingly wonderful way to cool off on a hot day. Minimal effort and loads of fun!

8. Throw Water Balloons

My kids ask to play with water balloons more than anything else during the summertime. If you loathe cleaning up all those little shards of latex from your lawn, reusable water balloons provide an incredible, long-lasting alternative.

9. Play in a Creek

Boy wearing rainboots plays in the riverbank

Playing in a creek can be just as fun as a day at the beach. Bring lunch and snacks because you might end up being there for a long while!

10. Visit a Splash Pad

Grab some friends and head over to your local splash pad! It is a wonderful cross between playing in a pool (without the deep water), and playing in the creek (without the mud). What’s not to love?

Summer Nights

11. Watch Fireworks

a child and adult watch fireworks together. Photo credit: Sebastien Cordat

It doesn’t have to be the 4th of July to check off this summer bucket list item! Many ball games, festivals, and boardwalks end with fireworks.

12. Stay Up Late to Catch Fireflies

Get the kids out of the house right after the sun goes down and enjoy the tiny glow of fireflies passing by. Bring some jars with you and see who can catch the most!

13. Go Stargazing

a family camps under the stars in the woods at night. Photo credit jonathan-forage

Growing up in New York City, I was more likely to see the occasional celebrity than an actual starry night star. Stargazing on vacation with my family still holds many a fond memory in my heart.

14. Watch a Concert in the Park

Concerts in the park are a fun and free way to make memories with your family and enjoy a warm evening outside.

15. Glow Sticks and Light-Up Fingers

Boy smiles as he holds glowing finger lights up to his face at night.

It’s amazing how much fun little colored lights can add to dusk. Disclaimer: Make sure you have extras because the neighbor kids are sure to want to join in too!

16. Drive-In or Outdoor Movie

We used to go to the drive-in before our neighborhood went ahead and got a giant screen and invited a food truck to the neighborhood field. It makes me feel like I’m in college again and I love it.

Animals & Nature

17. Go for a Hike

Boy walks through green woods

Even the hottest summer days can be enjoyed by going for a hike in the woods. Kids build stamina, develop balance, and explore until their hearts are content.

18. Ride a Horse

Horseback riding has been on my summer bucket list for years now. We don’t have many options where we live, but I think a little travel would be worth the trail ride.

19. Go Camping

Child looks out at a lake from inside his tent. He is wearing a winter hat and pajamas.

A few years ago, our family fell in love with camping and we have been keeping it on our summer bucket list every year since. It has been a great experience venturing out to the wilderness with the newest member of our family this year. Check out my best tips for camping with kids and babies!

20. Play in the Mud

If you have kids who love to get their hands dirty, this one is for you! Our boys love digging in some wet dirt, slopping it onto a tree, and making mud faces on the tree trunk.

21. Catch Frogs

Boy smiles as he holds a tiny frog in his hands in front of him

Hopefully we’re not the only ones, but my boys really love to catch frogs. This certainly makes it on our summer bucket list!

22. Visit a Sunflower Field

I have one child who asks periodically throughout the year if the sunflowers are ready to visit yet. Once the entire field of sunflowers is ready, it is truly a sight to behold and definitely makes it on the summer bucket list.

23. Pick Berries

When I mentioned to my boys that I wanted us to go pick strawberries a couple days ago, they were less than enthusiastic. I somehow convinced them that they only had to be there for 10 minutes, and after about an hour, I really had to work hard to convince them to leave. It can really be a thrill to find those juicy red berries!

24. Build a Natural Fort

Find some sticks and start stacking! It doesn’t take more than that to start building an epic fort in the woods.

25. Visit a Farm

Big brother pulls little brother behind him in a red wagon.

Yesterday, we had “Farm Day”, which makes it past my summer bucket list onto the list of one of my very favorite days of the year. We get invited each year to the farm of a lovely Amish family. We have the joy year after year of chatting with their family, petting the animals, riding in the buggy, and partaking in some of my favorite foods. Regardless of the type of farm, this is sure to be a blast!

26. Care for a Garden

Caring for a garden is so great for kids. They experience the fun of playing in the dirt and get to enjoy watching as their little seeds grow into plants. Give kids their own kid-size gardening tools and they’ll be begging to help!

Foodie Fun

27. Make a Homemade Popsicle

A hand raises a homemade popsicle in front of a green tree. Photo credit: Fernando  Andrade

My boys learned a couple days ago that if you can’t finish your snow cone in one sitting, then you can always put a spoon or popsicle stick in the middle of it and freeze it to make a homemade popsicle!

28. Host a BBQ

Oh the smell of some burgers and dogs on the grill. Hosting a BBQ is always a friendly way to bring people together.

29. Campfire with S’mores

a plate of graham crackers and marshmallows and chocolate by a campfire

No sticky food says summertime better than an ooie-gooie s’more next to a campfire. Pre-set your s’more ingredients into ready-made s’more stacks so that no one is straining their eyes to find the milk chocolate once the sun goes down! Rough it with sticks from the ground, or use these extra long s’more sticks for the kiddos!

30. Visit a local Farmer’s Market

No matter where you live (except for Antarctica maybe), there is no time like the summer to get the freshest local food that your town has to offer. Add some fresh fruit and veggies to your summer bucket list and you won’t be disappointed!

31. Ice Cream Truck

woman sits on the road beside an ice cream truck - Photo credit: Karl Muscat

I’ll admit that we didn’t save this summer bucket list item for summer. When we heard that music on the first hit day of the year, we just had to go for it.

32. Outdoor Seating at a Restaurant

Gotta love that time of year where restaurants open up the walls and bring the tables outside! No matter where you are, you might just feel like you’re on vacation.

Get Creative!

33. Shower Curtain Paintings

A little boy paints a shower curtain outside.

When our kiddos were super young, my neighbor invited us to do some outdoor finger painting, and we LOVED it! The boys painted the curtain, the ground, and most of all, themselves.

34. Paint Rocks

If the messy shower curtain idea is a little much for you, try painting some rocks. Find the smoothest rocks you can and see what creative pictures and words you can make to remember this fun summer.

35. Nature Journaling

Boy writes in his journal while sitting on a bench in an azalea garden.

Nature journaling is one of our very favorite outdoor activities. Just grab a journal and a pencil and copy down the beauty of nature all around you to the best of your ability.

36. Make a Bird Feeder

As the years go by, I become increasingly more interested in the names of the birds I am seeing. Pretty soon I’ll be really old and I’ll go bird-watching. For now, I’ll just feed them.

37. Fairy / Dinosaur Garden

A tiny house in a fairy garden. Photo credit: Katherine Cavanaugh

Even my boys love Grandma’s fairy garden. Of course, they might be pretending to be Godzilla as they tromp through it, but they still get great fun out of it. This little addition to your garden is sure to be a worthwhile summer bucket list item.

38. Scavenger Hunt

Kids of all ages love a good scavenger hunt. A couple times each summer, we dress up like pirates and hit the local trails to do a family treasure hunt.  If your family wants to make some quality memories this summer, a scavenger hunt is definitely one way to do it!

39. Chalk Drawings & Games

Boy jumps along alphabet letters written on a trail with sidewalk chalk

What kid doesn’t love chalk? I recently watched in amazement as a brilliant mother drew lines on the concrete and had a whole row of preschoolers following her every move as though she were the Pied Piper! Add this to your summer bucket list for an extremely low prep great time.

40. Lemonade Stand

A lemonade stand is a great summer bucket list item for the entrepreneurial kids among us. So many great life skills are bundled up into this one experience!

Making Family Memories

41. Playground Hop

Brothers hug each other as they play at the playground. Photo Credit Hisu Lee

You know the best playgrounds and so do your kids. Why not try to see how many playgrounds you can hit in one day? Our personal record is three.

42. Visit a theme Park

Even if you aren’t as much of a thrill-seeker as you were before you had kids, a theme park can still be a wonderfully memorable time with your family. Add this to your summer bucket list and I know your family will appreciate it.

43. Attend a Family Camp

A large family looks out at the ocean while holding hands. Photo credit: Tyler Nix

This is one that I’m so happy to add to my summer bucket list simply because it was our annual tradition in my family growing up. I have so many beautifully vivid memories of learning the Bible, playing silly games, and enjoying the lake.

44. Carnival or County Fair

Carnivals and County Fairs can make kids eyes light up around every corner. Jump on that ferris wheel and check off this memorable bucket list item that you might just make into a tradition.

Swings and Ferris Wheel at a carnival. Photo Credit: Grace Ho

45.  Take a Staycation or Day Trip to a Nearby Town

Have a “Staycation” and explore what your local area has to offer. Not as expensive as traveling to a vacation destination, but guaranteed to be just as fun!

46. Play Mini Golf

No matter where we visited when I was a kid, my mom was sure to find the local mini golf. We got pretty good at it and I bet you can too.

47. Serve Together

Hands in a circle as a team. Photo credit: Hannah Busing

It’s a joy to see kids getting so excited about making something in life more beautiful. It is such a beautiful things to clean up the town together or make a meal for a friend in need.

48. Have a Garage Sale

If you need a little extra cash or some extra room in your storage closet for your new camping gear, having a garage sale is a great way to go!

Go out there and make the most of these summer days because they sure have a way of flying by! For a printable version of this list, click HERE!

What are some of your favorite summertime activities with kids? Leave a comment below!

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