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Terri Thompson

Summer Bucket List: Our 2012 List

May 24, 2012 By Terri Thompson

I gave you tips on creating your own summer bucket list, found inspiration for displaying the list, and even provided a mega-list of 200 ideas for your bucket list.

Now, it’s time to share our 2012 Summer Bucket List.

We kept it simple and only have 20 things on the list. Our time may or may not be limited, so I wanted a very doable sized list.

Plus, if we finish too quickly, I do have 200 more ideas we could use!

Disclosure: There are Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links in this article which means, at no additional cost to you, we could receive compensation for our recommendations. You can read our full disclosure policy on our Disclosure Page for more details.

Here’s our list:

1. Eat breakfast outside

2. Go camping

3. Learn to swim

4. Try a “new to us” fruit

5. Blow bubbles

6. Play in the sprinklers

7. Do messy painting outside

8. Buy fresh corn from a roadside stand

9. Make a leaf collection

10. Make popsicles

11. Go to the zoo

12. Go out for ice cream

13. Learn to ride a bike

14. Make a driveway obstacle course

15. Paint rocks

16. Go fishing

17. Paint with sidewalk paint

18. Make sponge water bombs

19. Go to the farmer’s market

20. Wash the car (by hand!)

I decided not to make a large display for our wall. We’re currently trying to sell our house, so that wasn’t a realistic option for us.

Instead, I made a pretty booklet. I wrote each activity on a separate index card and illustrated it with simple pictures to help my non-readers know what the activities are.

I then punched a hole in the upper corner and secured the cards together with a binder clip. I added a few pony beads to the ring for a fun touch.

Your bucket list doesn’t have to be complicated or even long. Just remember, it’s all for fun!

Are you making a summer bucket list?

200 Fun Ideas for Your Summer Bucket List

May 23, 2012 By Terri Thompson

Have you ever made a summer bucket list for your family? It’s a great way to list out all the things you hope to do over the summer and it holds you accountable to having some family fun. I’ve got 200 fun ideas that you can add to your list. But, caution, don’t add all 200! Pick and choose the best summer bucket list ideas for your family. And, don’t list so many that you’ll stress out!

Note: This post was updated on May 28, 2016 with updated links and graphics.

Disclosure: There are Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links in this article which means, at no additional cost to you, we could receive compensation for our recommendations. You can read our full disclosure policy on our Disclosure Page for more details.

Go Swimming

Go Camping

Go on a hike

Make homemade lemonade

Make popsicles

Make homemade ice cream

Go stargazing

Plant a garden (Rainy Day Mum)

Go to a farmer’s market

Go to a pick-your-own farm

Go to the zoo

Go to an amusement park

Go to a “new to you” park

Go on a bike ride

Play hopscotch

Do splat painting (Mummy Mummy Mum)

Play Red Light Green Light

Play tag

Have a family board game night

Have paper airplane races

Host a cook-out

Make ice cream sundaes

Bake a pie

Go on a scavenger hunt

Make story stones

Make garden stones (NurtureStore)

Walk on a balance beam (In Lieu of Preschool)

Have an outdoor movie night (Word Play House)

Experiment with baking soda and vinegar (Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas)

Make a rain gauge & measure the rain (The Imagination Tree)

Make a mud pie (Small Potatoes)

Make a wormery (NurtureStore)

Climb a tree (Childhood Beckons)

Decorate flower pots (NutureStore)

Start a rock collection (Inspiration Laboratories)

Catch fireflies

Read books outside

Go to story time at the library

Go on a color palette nature walk (Glittering Muffins)

Keep a nature journal (Rainy Day Mum)

Go bird watching

Make homemade play dough (The Imagination Tree)

Make pool noodle hurdles (Learn Play Imagine)

Put shaving cream on the slide (Growing a Jeweled Rose)

Make nature wands (Sun Hats and Wellie Boots)

Fly a kite

Run a race

Go on a picnic

Paint with patio toys (Sun Hats and Wellie Boots)

Visit a pond

Visit a garden

Build a sand castle

Play with ice

Make land art (Playful Learning)

Make dirt cake (Kids Activities Blog)

Dig for dinosaurs (Let’s Go Fly a Kite)

Go to a museum

Visit a nature center

Make butter (Kids Activities Blog)

Hunt for bugs

Play paintman (Kids Activities Blog)

Build a boat

Make your own board game (Mama Scout)

Do science experiments with candy (Mama Smiles)

Paint with your mouth (Crayon Freckles)

Do a raised salt painting (One Perfect Day)

Trace shadows

Make plaster balloon sculptures (The Artful Parent)

Play with sticks

Play with frisbees

Play tic-tac-toe on the sidewalk

Make suncatchers

Write a story and illustrate it

Make smoothies

Learn to hula hoop

Make s’mores

Cook over a camp fire

Eat watermelon

Make strawberry jam

Make a fruit salad

Make fresh salsa (Craft Create Cook)

Hunt for sea shells

Have a water balloon fight

Look for shapes in the clouds

Be a nature photographer

Go to a splash park

Watch a fireworks show

Make your own slip & slide (Inner Child Fun)

Go for a walk on the beach

Go on a sound hunt (Strings, Keys, & Melodies)

Go to a parade

Watch the summer Olympics

Have a lemonade stand (Curly Birds)

Make bird feeders

Have a puppet show

Paint with bubbles (Housing a Forest)

Make homemade bouncy balls (Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas)

Go to a baseball game

Play mini golf

Write a letter

Make homemade cards and mail them to faraway friends or relatives

Make a marble run (Inner Child Fun)

Paint on cardboard

Paint a self-portrait

Watch the sunset

See what happens when you add salt to ice (Juggling with Kids)

Have a root beer float

Make coffee filter butterflies

Make friendship bracelets

Participate in your library’s reading program

Eat fresh peaches

Make rainsticks (Mama Pea Pod)

Swing as high as you can

Learn about a different country

Try a new food

Build a fort

Make tie-dyed socks (Juggling With Kids)

Put on a play

Slide down a water slide

Go to an outdoor concert

Bake cookies and deliver them to a neighbor

Have a dance party

Make giant bubbles (The Enchanted Tree)

Grill pizzas (The Kitchn)

Make finger paints

Play beach ball volleyball

Examine a tidal pool

Memorize a poem

Do a sink or float experiment

Tell ghost stories

Play Pooh Sticks

Go to a local festival

Go pretend fishing (Childhood Beckons)

Make nature mandalas (The Golden Gleam)

Play hide & seek

Learn to paint like Monet (The Crafty Classroom)

Play with water beads (The Artful Parent)

Play book bingo

Play with cloud dough (Happy Hooligans)

Have a party for no particular reason

Make a terrarium (Kids Activities Blog)

Play t-ball

Have silly races

Play with a messy spaghetti sensory box (One Perfect Day)

Go for a walk at twilight

Learn how to use real tools (hammer, screwdriver, wrench, etc.)

Go to an art museum (Mama Scout)

Make recycled crayons (Make and Takes)

Make super hero capes and pretend to be a super hero (Racks and Mooby)

Paint with cars (Hands On: As We Grow)

Make ribbon wands and dance outside (Sun Hats and Wellie Boots)

Make old-fashioned silhouette pictures (123 Homeschool 4 Me)

Fill a sketch book

Make frozen banana pops (Mess for Less)

Make a life-size robot (Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas)

Learn to sew a simple pillow (Kids Activities Blog)

Make campfire cones (Come Together Kids)

Make egg carton finger puppets (Red Ted Art)

Watch carnations change colors

Make your own compass and learn how to use it (Kids Activities Blog)

Go to a local festival

Make an Olympic Rings collage

Build Lego towers

Make a cork-print tree

Make a hat out of newspapers

Make your own jump rope (Mama’s Little Muse)

Make homemade alphabet books (Life with Moore Babies)

Make raisins dance (Juggling With Kids)

Examine nature with a magnifying glass

Learn a few jump rope rhymes

Learn a new card game

Paint with fly swatters (Reading Confetti)

Paint with water color spray paint (Creative Connections for Kids)

Make your own paper dolls (Imagination Soup)

Have a 3-Legged Race

Work a jigsaw puzzle

Go geocaching (The Flourishing Abode)

Make hand print fireworks (No Time for Flashcards)

Make stick men (Red Ted Art)

Mail a hug (Tons of Fun)

Learn to do a cartwheel

Dive off a diving board

Paint the sky (Growing a Jeweled Rose)

Make a twig & twine raft (Word Play House)

Paint with golf balls (Mess for Less)

Create a fairy garden (Inner Child Fun)

Build a ramp for your toy cars (Hands On: As We Grow)

Play Follow the Leader

Swim in a lake

Swim in the ocean

Be a tourist in your own town

Play flashlight tag

Make a cd hovercraft (Relentlessly Fun, Deceptively Educational)

Set up a pretend potion lab (Inspiration Laboratories)

Go on a road trip

Wash the car

Have a sleepover

Go to a movie

Read a chapter book together as a family

Make a scrapbook of all your summer fun!

Did I forget anything? What would you add to this list?And if that’s not enough, here are 100 more fun ideas for your summer bucket list!

Are you making a summer bucket list? Here are 200 fun summer bucket list ideas to choose from. Have fun with your kids this summer!

Summer Bucket List: Inspiration Roundup

May 22, 2012 By Terri Thompson

Have you started writing your summer bucket list yet?

We have!

Notebook – check, Pen – check, fun ideas – check.

Ours always starts out in a notebook and usually stays in that notebook. We don’t usually take the time to make it pretty, but I’m considering doing something different this year. I want it someplace where we remember all the fun we can have this summer. It’s so easy just to stash a notebook somewhere and forget about it.

So, I did what I normally did and turned to the Internet for inspiration.

Disclosure: There are Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links in this article which means, at no additional cost to you, we could receive compensation for our recommendations. You can read our full disclosure policy on our Disclosure Page for more details.

Put your bucket list in a bucket! Little Wonder’s Days has a cute example of  a bucket for your bucket list.

Display it on a bulletin board. I love these pretty ideas from Home Stories A2Z and Embellishing Life Everyday.

Write it on a chalkboard and display it proudly. 320 Sycamore has a wonderful example and so does Whatever…

Use a poster board or large piece of paper.

Blog about it!

Or, just keep it in your notebook.

Are you looking for ideas to fill your summer bucket list? Here are four places to get you started:

Inner Child Fun as a great list of 10 Simple Ideas for Summer Fun and this list of 10 Cheap Ways to Beat the Heat.

No Time for Flashcards has a list of 50 Simple Outdoor Activities for Kids.

Kids Activities Blog has this fantastic list of 50 Activities for the Summer. It is full of links to all sorts of wonderful blogs as well as a link-up with even more ideas!

Where do you find inspiration for your summer bucket list?

Summer Bucket List: Creating a Summer Bucket List

May 21, 2012 By Terri Thompson

Summer bucket lists have become quite popular lately. This will be our second year to do one and I’m so excited about the possibilities.

Have you ever made a summer bucket list? Or are you wondering just how to get started?

Disclosure: There are Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links in this article which means, at no additional cost to you, we could receive compensation for our recommendations. You can read our full disclosure policy on our Disclosure Page for more details.

What is a summer bucket list? A summer bucket list is a simple concept with a fun name. It’s a list of fun activities you & your family want to do this summer. The ideas don’t have to be complicated; in fact, it’s fun to list simple, yet fun activities. It gives you something to look forward to and an ongoing list of things to do instead of being bored.

Why make a summer bucket list? Why not? It’s fun, simple, and a great resource for family time!

How do you make a summer bucket list? Making a summer bucket list takes a little bit of planning. First, you’ll want to check your calendar. Make note of any vacations, holidays, family reunions, summer camps, or sports schedules. How much time do you realistically have to complete your list? Use this to determine how many things you have on your list. Last year, our bucket list had only 20 items on it. List only as many items as you are comfortable with. Remember, the point is not to add pressure to your summer. Instead, it’s to add a bit of fun!

When making your bucket list, keep in mind budget, time, and distance. Going on numerous weekend trips may not be realistic for your family, but a weekend camping trip may be. Include activities that are inexpensive and easy, such as eating breakfast outside or playing hopscotch. Other activities may require a bit or planning or money, such as going out for ice cream or going on a hike. Are you already planning a fun vacation this summer? Add it to your list. Don’t forget to ask your family what they want to include on the list. It will keep them excited and they’ll probably come up with ideas that you didn’t even think of.

Just remember, when making your summer bucket list: keep it simple, ask for input, add a variety, and most of all have fun!

Stay tuned for more summer bucket list fun. I’m preparing a post full of bucket list inspiration as well as working on our 2012 summer bucket list!

Are you making a summer bucket list this year?

Weekends: The Pinterest Challenge

May 19, 2012 By Terri Thompson

Are you addicted to Pinterest yet? I’m definitely addicted.

Can you see that little number up in the corner of the picture? Yep, it says 3237 pins.

That was the number when I made this graphic a few days ago. It’s bigger now. I pin kid’s activities, recipes, household hints, sewing projects, home decor ideas and many, many more things.

Disclosure: There are Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links in this article which means, at no additional cost to you, we could receive compensation for our recommendations. You can read our full disclosure policy on our Disclosure Page for more details.

But, up until recently, I’ve only done 1 or 2 or things I’ve pinned.

So, what was my point in saving all these pretty pictures and great ideas?

I’ve been thinking about this ever since I read this wonderful post on Creative With Kids, “Stop Letting Pinterest Make You Feel Like Poo.” Alissa talks about how we shouldn’t let the pretty pictures on Pinterest make us feel like we are inadequate. So what if our finished product is not as pretty! Did you do it and enjoy it? That’s the important part. This post got me motivated to actually try and do some of these wonderful ideas I’ve been saving.

I set a goal recently to start doing some of the things I pin. Ideally, I’d like to do one thing each day, but I know that won’t ever happen. Instead I’m aiming for 3-4 ideas a week.

So far, I’ve made an incredible dip and a yummy apple bread. We’ve played with ice and made really cool finger puppets. It’s been a lot of fun!

Would you like to join me in this challenge? There’s no pressures, no link-up, no nothing. The only person that will hold you accountable will be you.

Make that great recipe you’ve been saving. Sew that skirt or do that craft with your kids. It will be fun! Set yourself an achievable goal. You can do 3-4 ideas a week like I will or even just 1 a week. And, if you don’t meet you’re goal, so what! At least you’re having fun… or eating yummy food.

I’ll be sharing the things I try on my Facebook page, so if you’re interested, you can join me there. Plus, I’ll be opening up my page for you to share the fun things you discover. Please feel free to post any fun ideas you find for the rest of us to try!

Are you going to join me in this challenge? Let me know in the comments!

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