Ultimate list of the best summer bucket list ideas for families!
Creating a summer bucket list is a great way to get excited about the season and encourage the whole family to spend time together.
The best part about this list is that even though many of these ideas are intended for families with young kids, most of these summer bucket list ideas are fun for adults and kids of all ages!
If you want to organize your bucket list, consider breaking it up into sections:
- At-home ideas – things you can do at home
- Places to go – list everywhere you want to visit this summer
- Big ideas – big-ticket items, vacations, etc. can go in this section
If you don’t care about organizing your bucket list, simply start writing down anything that sounds fun or will bring you joy this summer! Let me know if you have more ideas that aren’t on this list. 🙂
Summer Bucket List Ideas for Families
- Have a family picnic
- Visit a local splash pad
- Go to the beach (lake or ocean)
- Play at a new park (we plan to visit at least one new park each week!)
- Eat watermelon
- Go on a family bike ride
- Ride scooters
- Go to the pool
- Play in the sprinkler
- Make a DIY slip-n-slide (check out how here)
- Have a grill out with friends
- Jump on a trampoline (bonus if you add water to the jumping fun!)
- Go to the zoo
- Walk to a local ice cream shop & get a sweet treat
- Go on a road trip (a day trip or a longer journey)
- Have a bonfire
- Make S’mores
- Visit a farm
- Go camping/sleep in a tent (even if it’s in your own backyard)
- Stargazing
- Make homemade popsicles & enjoy them outside
- Go Hiking
- Draw with chalk
- Watch a parade & fireworks on the 4th of July
- Catch lightning bugs
- Play soccer
- Tie-dye shirts
- Read books outside
- Play with a water table
- Shoot hoops outside (find a local park if you don’t have a hoop)
- Order ice cream from an ice cream truck
- Play outdoor hide & seek
- Jump in puddles/play in the rain
- Wash the family car at home
- Play car wash with a mini car/cozy coupe car
- Ride in the car with the windows down
- Watch the sunset with a pretty view
- Visit a local farmers’ market
- Do an outdoor family workout
- Play t-ball or baseball
- Make fresh lemonade
- Go fishing
- Play tag (or flashlight tag!)
- Family game night
- Go strawberry or blueberry picking
- Pick apples at a local orchard
- Play dates with friends
- Go on a nature walk and collect items (rocks, acorns, pinecones, sticks, etc.)
- Climb a tree
- Play yard games (giant Jenga, cornhole, ladder golf, bocce, croquet, etc.)
- Go disc golfing
- Make a hopscotch course
- Go on a summer vacation
- Play mini golf
- Have a scavenger hunt
- Eat outside at a restaurant with a view
- Build a fort
- Visit a State or National Park
- Paint outside (my toddlers love painting on broken-down cardboard boxes!)
- Create an obstacle course
- Glow-in-the-dark bowling (see the DIY here)
- Go to an amusement park
- Play pickleball
- Make an ice sensory bin (There are many ways you can do this, but here is a specific tutorial)
- Watch an outdoor movie
- Go kayaking, tubing, paddleboarding, canoeing or boating
- Listen to live music outdoors (find a local concert, event, or festival)
- Attend a baseball game
- Grow produce or plants in your own garden or visit a botanical garden
- Have a water balloon fight
- Buy something at a garage sale (or host your own!)
- Eat corn on the cob
- Go to a fair
- Take family photos
- Run or walk a race
Here is our family of five (2 toddlers + a newborn) 2024 summer bucket list!
That rounds out our list of the best summer bucket list ideas for families with young kids! I hope this gives you some great ideas and inspiration to create a custom summer bucket list for your family!
