40 Fun things for your Kids Summer Bucket List! (+ a free printable!)

Summer is such a fun season once you have kids to make it special for! But if your household is anything like mine you start the summer with grand plans of all the things you want to do with the kids but things get busy, you say “we’ll do it next weekend” and before you know it the next weekend is September and you haven’t got around to half of them. A summer bucket list helps you keep track of all the opportunities to create lifelong memories with your kids. After all you only get so many summers while they’re small! 

To help your family make the most of this summer, I’ve put together 40 fun ideas (many of which are free or cheap!) to do with your littles plus a free printable checklist you can download at the end of this post. 

Outdoor Adventures

One of my favourite parts of summer is spending as much time outside as possible. Whether you are exploring a hiking trail, picking fresh berries, or simply taking a walk somewhere new, there’s always a new adventure waiting.

• Go Berry Picking

Strawberry picking is a staple beginning of summer tradition in our house. We always pick enough to eat but most years we pick enough for jam or even to freeze to make strawberry sauces for deserts later on. 

• Fly a Kite

I honestly think this is something everyone should do more of! Theres nothing quite as fun as laughing while your kite has a mind of your own, even as an adult. 

• Take a Walk Somewhere New

This could be a new hiking trail or just a different area of your neighbourhood! Make it super fun for the kids by pretending you are adventurers discovering a new landscape. 

• Go Fishing

Another classic summertime activity! I think my kiddo enjoys playing with the worms more than the actual fishing though! 

• Nature Scavenger Hunt

Make a list of items you can find in nature at your local trails, park or even just in your neighbourhood. You can even use a strip of packing tape sticky side out around their wrists and make a fun nature bracelet with their finds. 

• Visit a Petting Zoo

• Collect Seashells

• Plant Something

• Raise a Butterfly

• Go to the Zoo

Beat the Heat

Summer and heat go hand in hand! When the temperatures start climbing, these activities will help you cool off and make the most of the hot days!

• Make Popsicles

A super fun way to get the kids involved in making their own treats for a hot day! Let each kiddo pick flavours for their own popsicle and see how creative they can get with it!

• Run Through the Sprinklers

Not only is this one a great way to cool off but it will be a core memory for your kiddos for years to come! 

• Have an Ice Cream Party

Get a few flavours of ice cream and a variety of fun toppings like sprinkles and chocolate sauce and have a DIY Ice Cream Sundae party. Make it even more fun by inviting some of your kiddos friends!

• Splash Pad

• Watch the Clouds

• Beach Day

• Go out for Ice Cream

Get Creative

Not every summer activity has to involve a big outing! Some of the afternoons are spent creating something together.

• Paint Rocks

One of my core memories is collecting rocks on the beach by my grandmas house and painting them with my cousins every summer. You could paint uplifting messages and leave them around your community for others to find! 

• Make Play-Dough

Play-dough is super inexpensive and fun to make at home and easy enough you can get the kiddos involved in mixing, measuring and choosing colours! 

• Create Sidewalk Chalk Art

• Tie-dye Shirts

• Try Bubble Painting

• Make Dandelion Crowns

• Blow Bubbles

• Get your Face Painted

Family Traditions

Summer doesn’t have to be expensive or packed with plans.Sometimes slowing down, spending time together, and enjoying simple moments is exactly what everyone needs.

•Backyard Movie Night

Pop some popcorn, let the kiddos stay up will it gets dark, choose a family friendly movie and set up a projector and a white sheet (or even a laptop if you don’t have a projector!) for a way to make a simple movie night even more special. 

•Family Game Night 

 This game is one of my favourites for littles! 

• Family Pictures

Kids change and grow so fast. Make it a family tradition to get Family Portraits done every summer!

• Have a picnic

• Make Lemonade

• Bake Cookies

• DIY Pizza Night

• Eat Dinner Outside

Explore Your Community

Adventure doesn’t have to be far away. Sometimes there are amazing memories to be made right in your own community.

• Try a New Park

We all have our go to parks but it’s fun to switch it up and look for a new one! Who knows? Maybe your kiddos will find a new favourite! 

• Play Mini Golf

Another core memory building activity! And a great way for siblings to burn off some of that competitive energy they may have.

• Visit a Local Festival

• Watch Fireworks

• Go to a Fair

• Take a trip to a Renaissance Fair

• Play Hopscotch

At the end of the day your summer bucket list isn’t about checking off everything on the list. It’s about creating moments to slow down and enjoy the time you have with your kids and create moments that turn into cherished memories. After all, your children’s favourite memories may not be the biggest adventures, but the little moments where you were able to slow down and connect: like eating homemade popsicles on the porch, creating something beautiful together, or laying in the grass watching clouds drift by on a lazy afternoon.

I hope this list inspires your family to get outside, slow down, and make the most of every day. If you’d like an easy way to keep track of your adventures, don’t forget to download the free printable below and hang it on your fridge for the whole family to enjoy!

I’d love to hear from you in the comments below! Let me know what activity you are most excited to check off your list!