At the start of Summer 2025, we created our very first family summer bucket list, and it quickly became one of my favorite traditions. In fact, I already know it’s something we’ll do every year from now on.
We sat down together as a family and let the kids dream up all the things they wanted to do during the summer (within reason, of course!). I purchased an editable bucket list printable on Etsy that included 50 spots to fill in, along with little checkboxes so we could mark each activity off as we completed it.
Since we already had a few trips planned, we added things like "visit a new state" and "go tubing" to the list because we knew those adventures were coming. But some of our favorite ideas came straight from the kids, things we never would have thought to add ourselves.
What I loved most was how useful the list became throughout the summer. On rainy afternoons, scorching hot days, or those moments when everyone was bored and asking, “What should we do today?” we could simply pull out the bucket list and choose an activity together. It turned ordinary days into memories and gave us so many fun experiences we might have otherwise skipped.
Looking back, this simple bucket list ended up being one of the best things we did all summer.
Why a Summer Bucket List Works for Families
Gives kids ownership of summer plans
Reduces "I'm bored" complaints
Encourages family time
Creates anticipation and excitement
Helps balance screen time with activities
Makes summer memories more intentional
How We Created Our Family Summer Bucket List
Gather everyone together.
Let each child suggest ideas.
Mix free activities with special outings.
Add any planned vacations or events.
Print and display the list somewhere visible.
Check off activities as you complete them.
Summer Bucket List Ideas for Kids
Visit a playground (we picked 10-12 playgrounds for the summer)
Have a picnic
Catch fireflies
Make homemade popsicles
Camp in the backyard
Visit a zoo
Fly a kite
Have a water balloon fight
Go berry picking
Build a fort
Make sidewalk chalk art
Visit a splash pad
Watch a sunset
Go fishing
Paint rocks
Have a movie night outdoors
Where We Kept Our Bucket List
We hung ours on the refrigerator where everyone could see it. Seeing those empty checkboxes slowly fill up throughout the summer became almost as fun as the activities themselves.
Our Favorite Bucket List Activities
A few activities quickly became family favorites. One of the biggest hits was visiting 12 different parks, which pushed us to explore new playgrounds and parks instead of always going to our usual spots. The kids also loved making fun desserts and immediately asked to add that to this year's list again. Our local library's summer reading program was another must-repeat activity that kept them excited about reading all summer long. And of course, picnics, s'mores, and camping remain staples on our bucket list every year. They're simple, inexpensive, and always create some of our favorite family memories.
If you want to make some fun desserts, check out my Visual Recipe Cards For Kids: Fun Summer Recipes blog post for some fun ideas!
Summer doesn't have to be packed with expensive vacations or elaborate plans to be memorable. Some of our favorite moments came from simple activities we completed together from our bucket list. If you're looking for a way to be more intentional with your family this summer, I can't recommend creating a summer bucket list enough.