Make Memories This Summer With the Ultimate Summer Bucket List for Kids

Summer is a great time for relaxing with family and catching up on much-needed to-do list items. However, it can also be the perfect time to create wonderful memories with your kids and family. Summer bucket lists are nothing new. A bucket list is a great way to organize all the activities and things you want to do, whether it's during the fall, your lifetime, or, of course, the summer time.

This list contains over 200 fun activities to do with your children this summer. Whether you prefer to be outside, soaking up the sun, or indoors, relaxing in the shade, there is something on this list for every person. Don't wait, start checking things off the ultimate summer bucket list today!

Why Every Family Should Make a Summer Bucket List

Creating a bucket list can be a fun way to bond together as a family. It can be as simple as printing off a Word document. However, one of my favorite ways to create a bucket list is by grabbing a large poster board from Dollar Tree and writing out a list of all the activities you would like to do as a family.

A summer bucket list may seem daunting, but it doesn't have to be. The activities don't have to be anything elaborate. Honestly, throw activities like going to the library or eating ice cream on there, and your kids will still have a blast. It's all about intentionality; that is what truly matters.

How to Tailor a Summer Bucket List to Your Family

Creating your own family bucket list that is tailored to your interests and likes is quite easy.

The first step is thinking about your family life. How adaptable are you? What kind of free time do you have as a family? How many activities do you want to put on your summer bucket list? After you have given it some thought, grab a piece of notebook paper and start jotting down fun ideas. Use this list for inspiration. A good starting point is at least 15 to 20 activities. After all, summer is a few months and most of these activities are quick and easy!

Add to the fun by letting your kids pick out several activities they would like to do and add them to the list. When you are all done, think about how you're going to display this summer bucket list as a reminder. You could print it off and hang it on the fridge or make a large poster board to display. Do whatever works for your family.

The Ultimate Summer Bucket List

Now, let's take a look at some awesome activities to add to your summer bucket list. This ultimate summer bucket list gives ideas in categories, including outdoor adventures, indoor activities, and even local places to visit during the summer (depending on where you live).

Grab your pen and paper and let's get started gathering fun activities to do with your family this summer.

Outdoor Adventures

Being outside is the highlight of summer. The weather is amazing, and it feels like the days last forever. Take a look at these fun outdoor adventure ideas.

1. Go for a Walk
2. Watch Fireworks
3. Play Red Rover
4. Blow Bubbles
5. Use a Telescope
6. Play Capture the Flag
7. Play Tag
8. Lie Down in a Hammock
9. Do a Treasure Hunt
10. Go to the Beach
11. Play Beach Volleyball
12. Have a Campfire
13. Make a Birdhouse
14. Build a Sandcastle
15. Swim in a Pool
16. Go Kayaking
17. Roast Marshmallows in a Campfire
18. Make S'mores
19. Create a Lemonade Stand
20. Visit a Water Park
21. Catch Fireflies
22. Paint and Lay Out Kindness Rocks
23. Plant a Garden
24. Visit a Farm
25. Go Ziplining
26. Go on a Boat Ride
27. Go to the Dog Park With Your Dogs
28. Visit a Splash Pad
29. Go Camping in Your Backyard
30. Have a Picnic at the Park
31. Give the Cars a Wash
32. Go Fishing
33. Spend the Day at a Waterpark
34. Go Camping
35. Run Through the Sprinklers
36. Play a Round of Mini Golf
37. Have a Water Gun Fight
38. Run and Dance in the Rain
39. Fly Kites
40. Create Chalk Art in the Driveway
41. Have a Water Balloon Fight
42. Go to a Drive-In Movie
43. Play Frisbee
44. Go on a Picnic
45. Buy Ice Cream From the Ice Cream Man
46. Pick Wildflowers
47. Ride a Carousel
48. Stay Up Late to Stargaze
49. Go Hiking
50. Have a Nature Scavenger Hunt
51. Go to a BBQ
52. Slide Down a Water Slide
53. Play Flashlight Tag
54. Go on a Road Trip
55. Go Horseback Riding
56. Go to an Outdoor Concert
57. Have a Picnic in the Park
58. Go to a Summer Festival

Creativity

Summer is the perfect time to crank up the creativity, get messy, and explore the imagination. The creative ideas below are perfect for when you want to add a little bit more spark to your day-to-day routine.

1. See a Magic Show
2. Make a Scrapbook
3. Create Family Tie-Dye Shirts
4. Make Homemade Play-Dough
5. Start a Bug Journal
6. Make Slime
7. Make Bubble Art
8. Create Your Own Sailboats
9. Float Your Sailboats
10. Go to an Art Class
11. Start a Summer Journal
12. Learn Origami
13. Write and Illustrate a Story
14. Create Coffee Filter Butterflies
15. Do a Science Experiment
16. Make Suncatchers
17. Make Art Out of Your Handprints
18. Create Your Own Summer Song Playlist
19. Have a Yes Day
20. Make Homemade Pizza
21. Make Friendship Bracelets
22. Create Your Own Picture Frames
23. Design Tote Bags
24. Create DIY Baseball Hats
25. Make Greeting Cards and Send Them Out
26. Design Jewelry Together as a Family
27. Have a Watercolor Painting Night
28. Make Bookmarks
29. Design a Diorama
30. Decorate Cupcakes (Make it a Contest!)
31. Make Unicorn Popcorn

Free Activities

Free is icing on the cake when it comes to kids. The more children you have, the more the dollars can add up when planning fun activities. Don't fret, there are so many free activities to do with your children, sometimes it just takes thinking a little outside of the box.

1. Join a Book Club
2. Swim in a Lake
3. Try a New Sport
4. Visit a Waterfall
5. Learn a New Language
6. Volunteer
7. Make Homemade Popsicles
8. Have a Movie Marathon
9. Go Bird Watching
10. Stay Up Late
11. Have a Pillow Fight
12. Watch the Sunset
13. Climb a Tree
14. Watch a Sunrise
15. Make a New Friend
16. Start a Thankful Jar
17. Play Catch or Baseball as a Family
18. Have a Movie Night in Your Pajamas
19. Watch the Clouds
20. Go on a Rock Hunt
21. Jump in Puddles
22. Go on a Family Bike Ride
23. Do a Puzzle
24. Listen to an Audio Book
25. Show an Act of Kindness
26. Swing on a Tire Swing
27. Build With Legos
28. Make Your Own Obstacle Course
29. Write a Song
30. Create a Comic Strip
31. Hang Out With a Friend
32. Paint
33. Jump on a Trampoline
34. Collect Seashells
35. Attend a Parade
36. Skip Stones
37. Write a Letter to a Relative
38. Play Hide and Seek
39. Have a Talent Show
40. Go Rollerblading
41. Surprise a Relative With a Visit
42. Finger Paint
43. Find a Pen Pal and Start Writing to Them

Local Places to Go Together as a Family

Sometimes the travel bug hits, but you don't want to go far. Depending on where you live, there are so many fun and interesting places to visit together as a family. Try a few of these this summer.

1. Go to an Ice Cream Shop
2. Go to an Arcade
3. Take a Visit to the Library
4. Visit a Farmer's Market
5. Go to a Baseball Game
6. Visit as Many New Parks as You Can
7. Go to the Movie Theater
8. Visit a Nature Preserve
9. Check out the Local YMCA
10. Go to a Children's Museum
11. Stargaze at a Planetarium or Observatory
12. Check out a Living History Museum
13. Spend the Day at a Petting Zoo
14. Go to a Botanical Garden
15. Go to an Amusement Park
16. Visit an Aquarium
17. Make a Donation to the Animal Shelter
18. Feed the Ducks
19. Visit a Nursing Home
20. Explore the Town or City Museum
21. Play at the Park
22. Pick Berries at a Local Berry Farm
23. Go Bowling
24. Visit a Rolling Rink
25. Go Ice Skating
26. Enjoy the Local Fair
27. Go to the Carnival

Indoor Activities

On some days, staying home is simply the right choice. That doesn't mean your day has to be boring. Take a look at these compelling activities that may just brighten your day a little bit.

1. Have a Family Dance Party
2. Build an Indoor Blanket Fort
3. Eat an Ice Cream Cone
4. Have an Indoor Scavenger Hunt
5. Go to or Create Your Own Escape Room
6. Make Ice Cream in a Bag
7. Find a New Recipe and Cook it Together
8. Drink Root Beer Floats
9. Have a Family Game Night
10. Play Family Charades
11. Bake Cookies
12. Make Up Your Own Board Game
13. Learn a New Card Game
14. Play Freeze Dance
15. Eat Snow Cones
16. Have a Bake-Off Challenge as a Family
17. Make Homemade Slushies
18. Create a Reading Challenge as a Family
19. Read a Book
20. Build Your Own Indoor Museum
21. Have a Family Trivia Night
22. Watch a Documentary as a Family
23. Eat a Watermelon
24. Play Minute to Win It
25. Make a Family Time Capsule
26. Take a Pottery Class
27. Have a Family Photoshoot
28. Play Bingo as a Family

Miscellaneous Activities

Sometimes an activity doesn't fit neatly in a box, but it still deserves to be included!

1. Create a New Dance Routine
2. Create a Gratitude Journal
3. Unplug From Electronics for One Day
4. Sing Karaoke
5. Have a Backyard BBQ
6. Throw a Themed Party Just Because
7. Read a Classic Book
8. Try a New Restaurant
9. Ride a Train
10. Put Together a Charcuterie Board
11. Face Something That Scares You
12. Learn an Instrument
13. Create a Fairy Garden
14. Write a Poem
15. Play Glow-in-the-Dark Mini Golf
16. Memorize a Famous Poem
17. Paint a Mural
18. Learn how to Crochet
19. Create Your Own Vision Board
20. Visit a New City
21. Try Pilates or Yoga as a Family
22. Visit a Trampoline Park
23. Go to an Indoor Climbing Gym
24. Have a Career Day as a Family
25. Do a Jenga Challenge
26. Play Simon Says
27. Put Together a Family Timeline
28. Host a Debate (Pick a Unique Topic!)
29. Create an Indoor Bowling Alley
30. Have a Lip-Sync Battle
31. Host a dance-off
32. Play Musical Chairs
33. Make a Family Music Video
34. Put Together a Family Play
35. Watch a Silent Movie

One Last Note

Creating a summer bucket list is a must for every family. They can be a great way to bond together, add some excitement, and try something new. However, putting together one can feel a bit overwhelming. That is where the ultimate summer bucket list comes in handy. Chances are, you will find at least a handful of fun activities your children will love on this list.

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