Blog

Child in a pool on a summer day.
blog tag image
MCCA
Back

Building a Summer Bucket List: Activities for the Whole Family

Now is the time to get the kids together and make a family summer dream list. This will help you have the best summer ever. Since school is over for the year, summer is a great time to take trips, spend time with family, and explore new places. Caregivers from our Silver Spring preschool suggest that if you want to do fun things with your family, let everyone help choose the activities.

Why Families Create a Summer Bucket List

There are different reasons why people make summer bucket lists. Here are just a few reasons why the families from our preschool in Silver Spring create one.

Summer is a time for fun and relaxation. A family bucket list can help people make the most of their free time. Families can be sure that their summer is full of memorable experiences by making plans and having goals for what they want to do.

During hot summer days, it’s easy for kids and adults alike to sit behind a computer or on a couch watching funny cat or dog videos or looking for the funniest memes. Creating a family bucket list helps people stay motivated this summer by making a list of things they want to do.

Making a summer bucket list allows families to experience new and exciting things. You can also create a photo book based on the summertime activities that your family chooses! This picture book will offer others a peek into your life while assisting you in remembering the moments for years to come.

How to Make a Summer Bucket List?

Talking with your kids about your summer bucket list is important so everyone’s ideas are heard and considered. There are many different ways to explain this process.

The planning stage allows everyone to come up with ideas for the summer bucket list. Allow your children to easily express themselves and accept their creative ideas. By letting them help make choices, you give them the power to own the summer bucket list and ensure the whole family has a memorable and happy summer.

Family Activities for a Summer Bucket List

Caregivers from preschools in Silver Spring, MD put together this list of summer family activities that you can use to spend time with your family this summer.

Mindfulness Nature Hike

Go on a new path or a well-known one. Show your kids different things to help them use all of their senses to learn about the world around them. Take turns being the spy and telling them what they hear and smell. Talk about how different parts of the trail feel under your feet. Making connections with their senses can help them stay in the present and value the world around them more.

Mother, Father and daughter going on a nature hike in the summer in Maryland.

Late Night Movie

Calm summer days that transition into carefree summer evenings are particularly delightful when your young ones are contentedly nestled up against you. Remember to enjoy your children’s aroma, touch, little fingers and toes, and the feel of their bodies against yours as they sleep soundly next to you, whether you’re watching a movie at home, drive-in, an outdoor park, or a theater.

Join a Book Club/Summer Reading Program

During the summer, local libraries are full of fun things to do, like yoga lessons outside, movie nights, meet-and-greets with community helpers in the afternoon, and book clubs. Most libraries have summer book clubs for kids of all ages, from babies to teens. These are a great way to keep kids reading and interested in books even when school is not in session. Make it a point to get some books that aren’t about things you already know and have the whole family learn them together.

young girl enjoying the summer, laying on grass with her hoola hoop.

Create a Bee-Friendly Garden

Everyone knows the bee population is in danger, but you might not know that you can help bring them back. Many common flowers, like oregano, rosemary, and mint, can be grown in your yard or on a windowsill to attract bees. You can also use these flowers in summer recipes. Your kids will learn not to be afraid of bees and ways to stay safe around them if you tell them why bees are important to the environment and food growth.

Attend an Outdoor Concert

Take some folding chairs and a picnic blanket, and go to a show outside. If the show is kid-friendly, it is a lot of fun to watch your kids dance and enjoy the music. If not, plan a night out with your partner or get a group of friends together.

Attend a Festival

This summer, go to a lot of fun events. There are many kinds of festivals in towns and places across the United States. These range from music festivals to wine festivals and fruit festivals. Go to a city you’ve never been to before and celebrate with the people who live there. Visit craft booths, eat food grown or picked in the area, and learn about the town’s past. Attend a small music festival to find new music, or find a music festival with your favorite artists.

Father with children playing under their backyard tent.

Nighttime Picnic

Because it becomes darker later in the summer, you can celebrate with a late meal and dessert outside. Snuggle under a blanket or by a backyard fire, look up, and enjoy your uninterrupted time together. You may even download an app pointing out different constellations and stars.

Visit a National Park

There are 423 national park places in the National Park Service. Check to see how many you can visit this summer if you live in an area with a lot of them. Or plan a family vacation to go visit one or two of them that look the most interesting. A lot of public parks also have fun things for kids to do.

Final Thoughts

Summertime is a time of unending sunshine, carefree days, and positive energy. This is the season when life is vibrant, and every second of the day feels like a getaway. So get out there and enjoy yourself while you cross everything off your summer bucket list as a family.

1258 0