Summer Bucket List

June 28, 2015

Summer is here and I am sure that many of you are trying to come up with different ways to make the most of your warm summer evenings as well as ways to keep the kids occupied long enough for you to put your feet up and enjoy an ice cold drink. This week I thought I would give you some ideas and/or inspiration for creating your own summer bucket list. Below you will find a mixture of indoor and outdoor activities, messy and more contained play experiences, and activities that are intended to inspire hours of independent imaginative play and as well as a few for the whole family.

1. Make a slip and slide with a plastic tarp and shaving cream
2. Paint with ice – just add food coloring to your ice cubes before popping them in the freezer.
3. Get the neighbors to collaborate and stage a summer Olympics for your block with different kinds of races, relays, and obstacle courses.
4. Set up a bike wash or lemonade stand to raise money for a local charity.
5. Go on a rock hunt and then paint them to make paperweights or pet rocks.
6. Take a trip to your local library.
7. Play balloon tennis.
8. Bake cookies for your local fire station. When you go to deliver them, chances are your little ones will get a personalized tour of the fire truck!
9. Paint the sidewalk either with plain old water or make your own sidewalk paint (1 cup corn starch, 1 cup water, and food coloring)
10. Make a masking tape race track around the living room for rainy day fun.
11. Build a DIY water wall. For step-by-step instructions click here.
12. Create packing peanut sculptures – a container full of biodegradable packing peanuts and a moist sponge are all you need. Dampen the peanuts with the sponge two at a time, and then press them together. Continue adding on to make towers, animals, or whatever your imagination desires!
13. If your little ones have a flair for theatrics, dancing, or singing, hang bed sheets between the trees to act as stage curtains and let the performances begin!
14. Create an A to Z scavenger hunt.
15. Make a backyard splash pad. All you need is a large plastic tarp and a sprinkler. A stationary or ring sprinkler will work best, not the oscillating type. The water from the sprinkler will collect on top creating puddles to splash around in.
16. Make a solar oven with a pizza box and then make a yummy treat like s’mores.
    For step-by-step instructions click here.
17. Help your child plan a backyard teddy bear picnic.
18. Take a trip to a local farmers market and let your child pick out veggies for dinner.
19. Play flashlight tag!