Summer Bucket List for Kids- Ultimate Guide

Summer is full of hours outside, playing with friends, and exploring. There are so many amazing opportunities during the summer, and I know you don’t want to miss a thing, so try out these summer bucket list activities!

As parents, we really only get 18 summers to plan for our kids. Create the best memories while you can!

In our family, summer is sacred. As a teacher, this is the time I get to fulfill my dream of being a stay-at-home mom and spend all the quality time possible with my little ones. I do that by using this summer bucket list.

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We try to pack in as much fun as we can into our summers, which means we need a summer bucket list plan.

My summer planning actually begins in January. This is when our local zoo opens up registration for their summer camps.

This is the time of year we also start to plan for vacations and camping trips with our friends. Those campsites fill up quickly!

In the following months I keep an eye out for other camp registrations, swimming lesson sign-ups, and sports registrations.

I grew up in an agricultural family, living on a farm, and so I love the county and state fairs. My children now love to have these memorable summer experiences as well, so fairs are on our schedule too!

Once vacation, camping, summer day camps, swimming lessons, fairs, and sports have been added to our calendar, then it is time to start filling in our days with other amazing summer experiences.

We have memberships to our local science center, zoo, outdoor museum, and theme park. I figure out the minimum NUMBER of times we need to visit each of those attractions to make our membership pay for itself.

Our family always ends up utilizing our memberships way more than the minimum necessary to make it worth it (last year we saved over $500 by having memberships), but I still like to have a number in mind when planning.

Some of our summer days are busy from sunup to sundown, and some are lowkey. On the simpler days, we start our expedition in the morning and try to end by lunchtime.

This is a perk of memberships to your favorite attractions- you don’t feel like you’re wasting money if you go only for a couple of hours. This makes it so we can still have nap time at home.

We love to do a mixture of free activities and those that cost. You will find a ton of budget-friendly ideas on our Ultimate Summer Bucket List.

Our family’s favorite summer bucket list ideas

Nature Hike

This is something we like to do year-round, but especially in the summer. There is so much to see outdoors during these warm months. 

My children love searching for butterflies and watching them fly from flower to flower. We walk quietly to listen for woodland animals.

It is so simple, but there is something so magical about exploring and noticing all the amazing things nature has to offer. 

I love to see the magic in my children’s eyes as they play in the dirt, find interesting rocks, discover an insect they’ve never seen before, and notice the differences in trees. It’s a reminder to slow down and enjoy what is around you.

We live near many wonderful county and state nature parks. Actually, we have found that some of our favorite nature parks are little and cared for by the city or county.

This summer, encourage your child to find an awesome walking stick and set out on a journey through the woods. Remember the sunscreen and bug spray!

Theme Park

An absolute must-do on our family’s summer bucket list is to visit a theme park. Luckily, we live near one and are able to go about once a week in the summer.

If you do not have a theme park near, this will definitely be a trickier item to check off the list. I do encourage you to try to plan a weekend trip to a theme park within driving distance from you.

Our theme park is so fun! There is something for everyone! My kids like the smaller rides geared toward younger kids, and there are many of them to enjoy.

My daughter is getting taller and starting to become more of a risk-taker. There are some roller coasters and spinning rides that she likes to check out.

Don’t forget to attend some shows to rest those tired feet, get a snack/drink, and cool down.

The games and arcades are also a great way to regain your bearings after some of those intense rides. We usually let our kids play one or two games.

Many theme parks also have a water park. Ours does and it is definitely a highlight of our day at the theme park.

With our membership, we are okay with riding three or four rides, hanging out in the water park for a couple of hours, and then riding a few more rides on our way back out of the park.

For those without a membership, it often is not cost-effective or the best use of your time to try to do both parks in one day if you would like to do and see everything.

Creek Stomping

Get ready for the messiest, silliest, time of your life! This one may be new to some people, but it will for sure become a family favorite.

Dress your little ones in old clothes you are okay with getting dirty, if not ruined. Find a small, shallow creek at a nature park and let your children PLAY IN THE MUD!

I guarantee this will be a fun time! If your kids don’t really like to get dirty, give them time to acclimate. I don’t think they’ll be able to resist playing in the water and finding interesting rocks.

This is not an activity you can do spur of the moment when you are out and about. You will need to do some planning.

For a successful creak stomp, you will need a change of clothes, towels, wet wipes, sunscreen, bug spray, and a bag to put the wet and muddy clothes in. You may also want to put down a trash bag or small tarp in the back of your vehicle, so the mud doesn’t run your car’s interior.

Wildflower Search

This summer bucket list item can go along with your nature hike or be totally separate.

Make a list of wildflowers native to your area and go on a search for them. Bring your camera or phone and have your children take pictures of each of the varieties of flowers they find.

Your children can observe the flowers- noticing their stems, leaves, petals, pollen, etc. This can become a science project for a plant or living things unit of study.

Backyard Water Play

This one is so easy! All kids love playing in the water and most people have some sort of water play toys.

My kids can spend hours outside doing our favorite water activities. It wouldn’t be summer at our house without a pool. We just get an inflatable pool, nothing fancy or too expensive.

Diving rings or sticks, along with water balls are a must for a fun time in the pool. We also bring bowls, cups, funnels, spoons, etc. to play with in the water.

A water table can also entertain kids for a long time. Some of them have spinners, slides for toys, strainers, and more to engage little ones in water exploration.

More of our favorite water play necessities are water squirters, water balloons, water blob, sprinkler, and a slip and slide.

Zoo

This is always at the top of our list! The Carnes kiddos love animals and ask to go to our local zoo every week.

Our zoo is fairly small and very manageable to spend a couple of hours and feel like we did a lot. Of course, we can make a whole day trip out of it too.

If your local zoo is large, I definitely recommend looking into getting a membership. Some zoos are so large they are difficult to see everything in one day.

With a membership you can spend your time in one part of the zoo, visit another area on another day, and not feel like you wasted your money because you can visit as many times as you’d like.

Also, check to see if your zoo has summer camps. Ours does and they are amazing! Our membership also gets us a nice discount on camps.

Check out the list of zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to find one near you!

Outdoor “Living” Museum

These living history museums are more difficult to find than some of the other places and activities on this list, but if you have one near or go on a trip to an area with one, they are so fun!

The one in our area is called Living History Farms and it’s amazing. There is a town modeled in 1876, along with 3 farms from 1700, 1850, and 1900. The staff and volunteers dress in true to the period clothing.

These types of museums are completely interactive. The kids get to touch and feed the animals, watch how farmers tended to and harvested their crops, and experience meal preparation.

Kids get to purchase old fashioned candy sticks and sarsaparilla from the general store, walk through period homes, and visit the various trade shops.

Many of these living history and open-air museums also offer summer day camps. Again, you can get a discount if you have a membership.

Wikipedia has a list of open air and living history museums in the United States.

Camping

My kids absolutely love camping! My husband and I, not so much, but we are sure to take our kids for this rite of passage experience at least once a summer.

We do not have a camper, so we tent camp. We feel like this gives us the full camping experience.

The kids help set up the tent, make their beds, and set up the chairs and firepit area. They think it is awesome to make their own little space- home away from home.

Our friends have a camper, and they love camping. Their family goes camping many times during the summer, so a camper makes much more sense for them.

Whether you have a tent or camper many of the camping activities are the same. A favorite must-do activity for us is to roast marshmallows over the fire and make s’mores. 

We also grill out or cook our food over the open fire- aluminum foil wrapped corn on the cob is a staple. Bike riding is another activity we enjoy while living for a weekend in the great outdoors.

Fishing, boating, swimming, finding bugs, and taking a hike in the woods are other experiences we love while camping.

The Ultimate Summer Bucket List

Here it is! The Carnes Family Ultimate Summer Bucket List!

• Nature hike- so many options!
• Theme park- visit one local to you or make a family trip.
• Creek Stomping- messy, fun, and a tactile learning experience.
• Wildflower Search- make it a scavenger hunt.
• Backyard water play
  • Sprinkler
  • Water squirters
  • Water blob
  • Pool
  • Water painting
  • Water balloons
  • Slip and slide.
• Zoo- it is very likely you have a zoo near you!
• Outdoor “living” museum- so interactive and a meaningful, educational activity.
• Camping- go with options that fit your family’s needs.
• Fairs- animals, static exhibits, shows, rides, etc.
  • County Fair
  • State Fair
• Picnic
  • On the deck/patio
  • At a park
• Play at a park- many towns and cities have a ton of park choices.
• Swimming pool- hang out with friends at the neighborhood pool.
• Bubbles- my favorite container for bubbles is the Fubbles No Spill cup.
• Sand play- sandbox at home, a park, or the beach.
• Swim at a lake/pond- be sure to check your state and local guidelines for swimming.
• Boating- invest in high quality life jackets.
• Fishing- we catch and release because it’s just fun.
• Read outside- spread out a blanket under a tree or sit in your patio furniture.
• Garden work- kids can help with planting, weeding, and harvesting.
• Nature soup- those small natural items kids find are the ingredients for their play soup.
• Insect hunt- make it a scavenger hunt or just see how many different species you find.
• Stargazing- lie on a blanket and try to find constellations.
• Fireworks
  • Show- there are always so many great fireworks shows for 4th of July.
  • At home- do some smaller poppers, snakes, or sparklers to get into the spirit.
• Sidewalk chalk- do a directed drawing, or have your children decorate the driveway.
• BBQ/cookout- invite friends over, enjoy awesome food, warm weather, and fun.
• Virgin mocktails/margaritas- the kids will love drinking grown-up drinks.
• Frisbee golf- check out the parks in your area for a frisbee golf course; so fun.
• Attend a baseball game- minor league, college, high school, little league- all are fun!
• Summer day camp- many zoos, museums, science centers, etc. offer camps.
• Nature parts artwork- find small sticks, leaves, petals, seeds, etc. and glue to paper.
• Swimming lessons- a must-do to keep your little ones safe!
• Bike/scooter/hoverboard riding- do this in the neighborhood or bike trail.
• Roller skating- skating rinks are fun, but outside skating is awesome in summer.
• Lemonade stand- every kid wants to put on a lemonade stand!
• Garage sale
  • Attend sales at other homes.
  • Put on your own- be sure to plan weeks in advance.
• Bird watching- grab a pair of binoculars and watch from your deck or the trail.
• Vacation- what’s your favorite vacation spot?
• State and/or county fair- be sure to see the animals and eat all the yummy food.
• Art/cultural festivals- new experiences and learning from others in a fun way.
• Farmer’s market- another fun learning experience- so many different products.
• Golfing- if your kids can’t make it 9 or 18 holes, try mini golfing.
• School shopping- a yearly rite of passage for school age kiddos.
• Donate school supplies- if you are able, consider donating supplies to a school.
• Beach/sand volleyball- some parks have a court or set up a temporary one at a beach.
• Beach ball keepy-uppy- I don’t know a kid who doesn’t like keepy-uppy!
• Water park- slides, lazy rivers, splash pads, wave pool, need I say more?
• Outdoor/drive-in movie- our town has outdoor movie events.
• Summer library program- our library has activities, story time, reading incentives, etc.
• Swing set- in your own backyard!
• Nature scavenger hunt- make a list of things to find and go search.
• Rock/seashell collection- my kids love collecting natural items and comparing them.
• 4th of July festival- does your town have one? 
• Parade
  • 4th of July
  • Labor Day
  • Town celebration- Ours is called Log Cabin Days.
• Neighborhood basketball game- gather the neighbor kids for a friendly game.
• Family reunion- we love to have ours at a park.
• Botanical gardens- check out indoor tropical plants, and outdoor native gardens.
• Nature or conservation center- so much to learn, do, and play!

What are your favorite summer activities?

Comment with what your family loves to do during the summer. Is anything on this list one of your favorites? Or do your kiddos enjoy something I didn’t think of? 

I’m excited to read about your experiences! Your ideas help me update my list and give me new adventures to have with my own little ones.

Download your own printable Ultimate Summer Bucket List!