Kids everywhere are cheering for the end of school. But moms? Not so much. If you are like me, the thought of keeping your children entertained for a couple of months without losing your mind is a little overwhelming.

But I have an easy solution to the dreaded what-are-we-going-to-do-today question. A summer bucket list!

I tried a summer bucket list with my then five and two year olds last year. My toddler didn’t really understand what was going on, but my son loved it. He enjoyed coming up with bucket list ideas, checking them off, and knowing what was left to do.

As a work-at-home mom, I have my kids with me all summer. But the great thing about a summer bucket list it works for your family’s schedule. It can include activities for the babysitter, at camp or childcare, for your vacation, or for the weekends. Since the summer bucket list is a DIY project, you make it fit your own situation.

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Summer Bucket List Ground Rules

Before you sit down with your kids to make a summer bucket list, I want to lay out a few ground rules. Without them, you could end up with a very unrealistic list and opportunity for disappointment.

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1 – Only put things on your kids’ summer bucket list that you would actually consider doing.

I highly recommend letting your children brainstorm ideas for the bucket list, but you need to be in control of what goes on it. For example, if your son wants to go to Legoland or your daughter has been begging for a Disney trip, don’t put it on there if you know it’s out of the question. You don’t want them asking you about something every day when your answer will always be no. Go ahead and crush their dreams up front. (Kidding! Kinda…) Then move on to fun ideas that can happen before school starts again.

2 – Include skills you want your child to master on your bucket list.

Your summer bucket list is a great way to incentivize a skill you want your child to gain. For instance, our kindergartener hadn’t quite learned how to tie his shoes. So we put that on the list last year. I’m going to add potty training to the list for 2019 for my preschooler. Who says the summer bucket list can’t be fun and practical?

3 – It’s okay if your kids don’t check every item off the list.

Last year, I was a little overambitious with our summer bucket list. While everything we included was a doable activity, we just didn’t have time to get to everything. The weather didn’t always cooperate. A place was closed on the day we could go. And the summer was over before the list was. I used it as a teachable moment for my kids. Sometimes you don’t get to do everything you hoped, but disappointments shouldn’t take away from the fun you did have. Plus, activities that are left over can be added to next year’s list.

4 – Include a variety of things on the list.

Every activity on the list doesn’t have to be a grand gesture. Include things the kids can do at home or on their own. If you are going on a family vacation, add events you plan to do there. Think about summer holiday fun to add. Put both indoor and outdoor items on there. Have summer bucket list ideas that are free or inexpensive. But if you know that there are big-ticket activities in the works, be sure to include those as well.

To help you get started, I have provided tons of ideas for making your own summer bucket list below.

Kids Summer Bucket List Ideas

Whether you start with a blank paper, bulletin board, or poster, these ideas can serve as a template for creating a summer bucket list for your family. Before I sat down with my kids last year, I searched for activities for families in my area. We live in Lexington, Kentucky so I looked online for kid-friendly sites within easy driving distance.

This is our summer bucket list for 2018. We live in Lexington, Kentucky so this is specific to Central KY.

Here are some ideas to get your summer bucket list started:

• Storytime or activity at the local library (check their calendar for upcoming events and add those as well)
• Watch fireworks
• Go to the beach, lake, river or other natural body of water around you
• Read outside (a swing hammock makes this more enticing)
• Go to a donut shop
• Learn to swim, dive, float, go under water, etc.
• Visit different parks in your area
• Go to your child’s school playground
• Do a scavenger hunt of your city 
• Catch a lightning bug (this critter catcher kit makes it seem more official)
• Feed the ducks
• Go to the pool
• Visit the farmer’s market
• Play with a slip ‘n’ slide (here’s a hack for using it with young kids!)

• Go to a baseball game
• Visit grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.
• Include any scheduled vacation plans (here’s my tips for a beach vacation with young kids)
• Pick somewhere fun to walk to
• Do something to give back to the community
• Go for ice cream
• Visit a parent at their office
• Do a nature walk
• Listen to live music
• Have a family movie night
• Take a hike
• Take a tour of a local factory or food shop
• Jump in a bounce house
• Schedule playdates with friends
• Ride bike without training wheels, up a hill, for a longer time without stopping, etc.
• Play in the rain
• Make homemade ice cream
• Learn to tie shoes, potty train, switch to a big kid bed, drink from a cup, take a shower, etc.
• Go garage sale shopping (bonus points if it’s to an adoption fundraiser yard sale!)
• Play with water balloons (get the self-sealing balloons to make this easier)
• Have a picnic (I carry a waterproof blanket in the car to make impromto picnics easier)
• Go to an arcade
• Go to a movie theater
• Complete a reading bingo card (check out this cute summer reading bingo set)
• Fly a kite
• Learn a new skill
• Go fishing
• Hold a snack taste test
• Walk around downtown
• Bake a cake
• Climb a tree

I’d love to see your summer bucket list! What would you be sure to include? Leave your ideas in the comments.

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