100+ Fun & Simple Ideas for a Summer Bucket List for Kids (2024)

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Summer can be filled with a lot of free time for kids being out of school. If you are planning to hear, “Mom, I’m bored” then we have the perfect summer activity for you. Here is asummer bucket list for kids with over 100 ideas to get you started! Print this off and get your kids excited to check off some of these fun ideas!

RELATED: Indoor Activities for Kids

Summer Bucket List

What is a bucket list?It’s a list of experiences you want to achieve in a lifetime or in this case, during the summer. We really love them for summer as it helps to overcome the teen or kid boredom that often arises. It can empower kids to make or plan their own fun!

A lot of these bucket list ideas are great for getting kids outdoors! Some of our favorite outdoor activities include:

  • Go fishing
  • Go rock hunting
  • Go on a nature walk
  • Blow bubbles – then make some bubble art!
  • Stargaze
  • Build a sandcastle
  • Fly a kite
  • Have a picnic

There are also so many arts and crafts ideas including:

  • Make Homemade Slime
  • Make Homemade Playdough
  • Paint Pet Rocks
  • Make recycled crayons
  • Make handprint art
  • Make suncatchers
  • Color with sidewalk chalk
  • Finger Paint
  • Make paper bag puppets
  • Make Tie-Dye Shirts
  • Make paper boats
  • Make Story Stones
  • Make A Bird Feeder
  • Write a Story and Illustrate It
  • Make Friendship Bracelets

There are also a lot of fun outdoor activities, including:

  • Go fishing
  • Go rock hunting
  • Go on a nature walk
  • Stargaze
  • Build a sandcastle
  • Fly a kite
  • Have a picnic
  • Catch Fireflies (catch and release)
  • Play At The Park with Friends
  • Blow Bubbles
  • Watch Fireworks
  • Dance In The Rain
  • Play Frisbee
  • Watch The Sunset At the Beach
  • Watch A Thunderstorm
  • Collect Seashells
  • Bonfire and S’mores
  • Fly A Kite
  • Watch The Sunrise At the Beach
  • Make Wishes on Dandelions
  • Climb A Tree
  • Plant Flowers
  • Build A Sand Castle
  • Jump in Puddles
  • Plant Vegetables
  • Go Cloud Watching
  • Jump on A Trampoline
  • Go Fishing
  • Go Kayaking
  • Bury A Time Capsule

Who doesn’t love a fun excursion in the summer? Have fun checking these ideas off your summer bucket list!

  • Drive-in Movie Theatre
  • Visit an aquarium
  • Go to a children’s museum
  • Go to a water park
  • Go To the Library
  • Visit national monuments
  • Visit A Farmer’s Market
  • Visit Mom or Dad at Work
  • Go Camping
  • Go on a Nature Walk
  • Visit A Water Park
  • Visit A Zoo
  • Attend A Free Kids Workshop
  • Go To A Children’s Museum
  • Ride Your Bike on a Trail
  • Go Mini Golfing
  • Go Bowling
  • Go Rock Hunting
  • Go To Chuck E Cheese
  • Visit An Aquarium
  • Ride a Ferris Wheel

Summer wouldn’t be summer without some fun water activities. These are all high on our to-do list!

  • Marco Polo
  • Run Through Sprinklers
  • Water Balloon Fight
  • Make Sponge Water Bombs
  • Go Swimming
  • Wash the Family Car
  • Make and Sail Paper Boats
  • Play on a Slip ‘n Slide
  • Have a Water Fight

There’s nothing better than fresh lemonade and ice cream. We had to include some treats on this list:

  • Make Homemade Ice Cream
  • Eat Watermelon
  • Roast Marshmallows
  • Eat A Snowcone
  • Make Root beer Floats
  • Eat Breakfast For Dinner
  • Eat Popsicles
  • Help Cook Dinner
  • Make Fresh Lemonade
  • Make Homemade Pizza
  • Drink A Slurpee
  • Buy From the Ice Cream Truck

Summer is time off of school but kids will still love these learning activities and challenges:

  • Read At Least 10 Books
  • Do A Science Project
  • Learn Origami
  • Attend a Free Kids Art Class

These are some of our favorite summer games and activities:

  • Play Hide And Seek
  • Play Dodgeball
  • Play Flashlight Tag
  • Play Messy Twister
  • Play Tag with Friends
  • Family Game Night
  • Play Bingo
  • Play Capture the Flag
  • Have A Slumber Party
  • Have a Pillow Fight
  • Host A Scavenger Hunt
  • PJ Movie Day
  • Start a Blessings Jar
  • Make A Blanket Fort
  • Start A Summer Journal

And don’t forget to give back to your community. We love these easy ideas to help others:

  • Random Acts of Kindness
  • Donate To An Animal Shelter
  • Write a Soldier a Letter
  • Visit A Nursing Home
  • Make Cookies For A Neighbor

Over 100 ideas are included in this summer bucket list for kidsfree printable. Get the PDF printable delivered straight to your inbox as a gift for subscribing to our newsletter. You can sign up at the bottom of this post.

100+ Fun & Simple Ideas for a Summer Bucket List for Kids (3)

We hope you have fun checking off these fun summer bucket list ideas! We’d love to know after the summer is over, which one was your favorite?

More fun summer craft ideas and activities:

Sidewalk chalk ideas and activities

100 Would You Rather Questions for Kids (with printable cards which are great for road trips!)

Looking for more fun summer ideas with the kids?

– This DIY sidewalk paint is so fun to make and play with!

Make your own homemade playdough this summer!

Related Ideas:

Activities

Cloud Dough

Sensory

The BEST Playdough Recipe

Slime

How to Make Slime With Contact Solution

Christmas

50+ Christmas Crafts for Kids

100+ Fun & Simple Ideas for a Summer Bucket List for Kids (2024)

FAQs

What's on your bucket list this summer? ›

Summer Bucket List Ideas
  • Visit the Ocean. Visit the ocean for a day full of sand and sunshine. ...
  • Go for a Swim. Swim in a lake, an ocean, a river or a pool. ...
  • Gaze at the Stars. ...
  • Try Whitewater Rafting. ...
  • Take a Road Trip. ...
  • Barbecue Some New Recipes. ...
  • Splash at a Waterpark. ...
  • Take a Family Photo.

How to make a summer bucket list? ›

Here's everything to have on your summer bucket list:
  1. Watch the sunset on the beach.
  2. Go to an outdoor movie screening.
  3. Take a road trip.
  4. Go on a hike.
  5. Have a picnic in the park.
  6. Learn a new language.
  7. Attend a music festival.
  8. Go camping.
Apr 25, 2023

How do I entertain my kids all summer? ›

Here are 10 creative activities to keep your kids entertained over the summer.
  1. Neighborhood Nature Walk.
  2. Go on a Local Adventure.
  3. Summer Reading.
  4. Plant a Seed.
  5. A Night Under the Stars.
  6. Family Game Night.
  7. Creative Writing.
  8. Picnic.

How do you make an awesome bucket list? ›

  1. 1) Find Accountability.
  2. 2) Have multiple things you can do on a random Saturday.
  3. 3) Have other things that will take you years to accomplish.
  4. 4) Tell EVERYONE about your new bucket list goals.
  5. 5) Postcards don't always make the best bucket list items.
  6. 6) Think about all facets of life.
  7. 7) Add Something You've Already Done.
Apr 7, 2023

What is 1 thing on your bucket list? ›

Here are 56 exciting bucket list ideas to inspire your next adventure.
  • Sleep under the stars. Seksan Mongkhonkhamsao / Getty Images. ...
  • Visit your dream destination. France? ...
  • Go back to school. ...
  • Learn how to paint. ...
  • Read 100 books in a year. ...
  • Jump out of a plane. ...
  • Go on the most romantic date ever. ...
  • Bake a cake from scratch.

What is a lifetime bucket list? ›

A bucket list is a list of the experiences or achievements that a person hopes to have or accomplish during their lifetime. A bucket list is an itemized list of goals people want to accomplish before they “kick the bucket” — or die.

How do you have fun in summer? ›

Pack a picnic to enjoy at your favorite park, beach, or other outdoor spot, Take a solo day to go on a hike, shop, and do all your favorite things. Take photos with a Polaroid camera to document your summer. Practice your video skills by creating fun homemade videos with family, friends, and pets.

What is a bucket list activity? ›

A bucket list is a list of tasks or experiences that one would like to have prior to their death. Create your bulleted bucket list of at least 10 items. You may choose to have more items than 10 for this list. You may want to think of the following questions as you create your list: Who do I want to meet?

Can a bucket list be anything? ›

A bucket list is a list of experiences someone wants to have at some point in their life. They're a fun method of life-planning that can include professional and personal goals or anything else you can imagine.

How do I keep my 12 year old busy this summer? ›

10-12 year old summer activities ideas
  1. Go to camp (instead of just sitting at home) ...
  2. Take a class (not just watch a show) ...
  3. Design something (instead of just doodling) ...
  4. Create an online brand (not just operate a lemonade stand) ...
  5. Sell clothes online or donate them (not just playing dress up)
May 7, 2023

What should a 13 year old do over the summer? ›

Summer Activities for 13-, 14- and 15-Year-Olds
  • Explore artistic passions: Encourage your teen to tap into their creativity. ...
  • DIY projects: Hands-on projects are a fantastic way to keep your teens busy. ...
  • Outdoor adventure: Summer is the perfect time to engage in outdoor activities.
Jul 19, 2023

How to keep a 10 year old busy at home? ›

35 Activities to Keep Kids Busy While You Work or Study
  1. Build a Fort. Create a fort using blankets, coffee tables, couches, boxes or whatever you've got in your home. ...
  2. Gather Donations. ...
  3. Start a Journal. ...
  4. Learn to Draw. ...
  5. Hear a Story from Space. ...
  6. Build the Ultimate Paper Airplane. ...
  7. Put on a Play. ...
  8. Collect Broken Crayons.
Mar 18, 2020

How many items are on a bucket list? ›

Bucket lists may be 10 or 100 items long and consist of a range of different categories. The examples listed above may help you discover which category is most or least important to you. It's also important to hand-write your bucket list opposed to typing it or not solidifying it at all.

Where to start with a bucket list? ›

How to make a bucket list
  • Start with the easy stuff. ...
  • Think about the things you wanted to do when you were a kid. ...
  • Add some predictable stuff. ...
  • Add some weird stuff. ...
  • Think about the overall experience you want. ...
  • Decide what's super important and move that to the top of your list. ...
  • Ask friends for their suggestions.
Oct 18, 2012

When to start a bucket list? ›

Today, the meaning has expanded to encompass goals people want to achieve by certain ages or other milestones. So, whether you're five or 95 years old, sick or healthy, it's never a wrong time to create a bucket list.

What does summer bucket list mean? ›

From TIME. Start by coming up with a summer bucket list -- a list of things you'd love to do that aren't too far from home. From Fast Company. For others, it's just an item checked off a bucket list.

What's in my bucket activity? ›

Steps for attention bucket –

“I have something in my bucket, in my bucket, in my bucket, I have something in my bucket, I wonder what it is. (Sing and sign as shown in the video. An adult will then take out an item from the bucket, name the item and demonstrate using the toy. (Child is required to sit and observe).

What is a travel bucket list? ›

The term 'bucket list' is derived from the phrase 'kick the bucket', which is an English expression for dying. A travel bucket list is your personal list of destinations and experiences you want to of visiting and accomplish in your lifetime.

What is Bucket List Day? ›

April 24 celebrates National Bucket List Day to remind us it's never too late to set new goals, go on a dream vacation, and inspire people around you to enjoy life to the fullest.

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