The Ultimate Summer Bucket List!

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School is out and that means Summer has officially arrived!! Here in the PNW (Seattle area especially) we get a LOT of rain. So when we get nice weather we try to take advantage of it! To kick off the season, I’ve created this Ultimate Summer Bucket List! With over 60 options, there is something for every age! And almost all of the suggestions below are either free or nearly free! Awesome-sauce ;)!!

1. Visit a beach and go swimming, build sand castles and enjoy the weather!
   
2. Visit the Grandparents.
3. Plan a play date with friends.
4. Check out a playground. Bonus tip: If you live close to a park/elementary school, try biking/running/walking there for an added health benefit!
   
5. Make fun summer treats. Like popsicles and ice cream. I love scopping out Pinterest for simple/healthy homemade recipes! I hate the idea of all the dye, sugars and processed ingredients going into my kids tummies from most store bought options.
6. Go on a Family hike. Check community websites for walking/biking trails and hikes.
   
7. Look up local splash parks/pads. Helpful tip: Make sure the little’s wear non-slip water shoes to help prevent slips on the concrete. (My kids love these for splash parks, water parks and rocky beaches. They are a top seller and backed with thousands of reviews on Amazon,)
8. Play outside with bubbles. My kids love this machine and (mom really loves their) mess-free blowers like these. Tip: By the large refillable jugs of bubbles at The Dollar Store for a much cheaper way to keep the fun blowing! Because if your kids go through bubbles like mine (or spill it), you’ll be glad you only spent $1.
   
9. Go for a bike ride. When we head out on a trail, we attach a bike trailer to my husbands bike since our kids are only 2 and 4. Definitely, a must have for a day on a bike trail with littles.
10. Make a Water Play Sensory Bin. If you don’t already have a kids water table, DIY one out of a large, shallow bin or tub like this. Tips for extra fun: dye the water blue with a few drops of food dye, add sand, small ocean animals, water toys, cups etc.
11. Draw with chalk. Some fun ideas to do with chalk are, practicing letters/numbers/names, tracing bodies and drawing outfits on themselves, drawing scenes for fun photo opportunities like these (from One Little Project) and more!
    
12. Ride bikes/scooters/roller blades/skates.
13. Research local events. In our area, we have summer concerts in the park, movies at local parks and discounted movie theater tickets, festivals and more. All free or nearly free!
14. Smores! What goes better with camping than smores? Even if you aren’t camping, smores are a fun summer must do! (Which is why I requested a smores cook out after my birthday dinner, last weekend ;))
    
15. See a parade. This will be easy to catch around July 4th in most places. But around here we also have a Strawberry Festival Parade which takes place in June. There is a parade, fireworks, carnival and more!
16. Have a picnic. Try fun new places like at parks, on hikes or even just your backyard!
17. Go to the Fair. Usually, fairs are pretty cheap to gain entrance too. But you can always check the fair’s website for free/discount days!
    
18. Have some good old-fashioned family fun at a Drive-In! If you’re lucky enough to still live near a Drive-In, they can be a lot of fun and easy with little kids! We love going to The Blue Fox Drive-In on Camano Island near us in WA.
19. Play outside. Frisbee, basketball, soccer, bikes, jump rope, skate.
20. Explore a local farmers market. Here in Seattle, we have a really popular, year-round farmers market called Pike Place Farmers Market. You can find anything from gorgeous (and insanely cheap) flowers, fish (the famous “fish throwers”), souvenirs, produce, donuts and more!
    
21. Visit a water park. This is always a great fun activity, especially when it’s hot out. If you’re planning a trip to one soon, scope out their website first to see if you can take advantage of any free days/sales.
22. Have a water balloon fight. Last year these popped up on the market and went crazy! And for good reason! You can fill up multiple balloons at a time without having to tie every. single. one. They pop off when they are full and instantly seal themselves. We used them last Summer and they were great! I will definitely buy more of them again for this summer.
    
23. Scavenger Hunt. You can get really creative here. From nature inspired hunts outside to learning ones like hunting for certain colors, items that start with a particular letter, or maybe clues to a big summer surprise!
24. Swim at the lake. Soak up the sun, build castles, go floating (like on a flamingo or pizza), paddle a boat. We have a raft similar to this one which is great for a day at the lake because it compresses to save space when not in use.
    
25. Build a fort. Besides lots and lots of blankets, these clips are great for fort building! Looking for a fun twist? Try a DIY air fort. Or building one outside!
26. Run through sprinklers. From Fanning to Rotating to inflatable splash pads for babies, there is something for everyone to enjoy!
27. Go camping. Whether it’s deep in the forest, at a local campground or your backyard. Camping is a fun way to disconnect from the world and spend quality time with family and friends.
    
28. Go Put Put Golfing.
29. Tie Dye Something.
30. Play in the mud. What kid doesn’t love that?
    
31. Have a food fight… Or a shaving cream, water gun, mud or paint fight. Whatever you come up with, it’s bound to get everyone up and having a blast!
32. Go fishing.
33. Plant some flowers/vegetables or fruits. Faith planted a flower seed in a little pot at school a few weeks ago. And when it finally bloomed a couple days ago… her excitement made my heart smile!
    
34. Paper Airplane Contest. Try launching up high, from a deck or balcony for added fun.
35. Set up a Pool and/or Slip-in-Slide. Adults want in on the action? Try making a DIY slip-in-Slide with plastic sheeting and lots of water and soap to make it extra slippery.
36. Feed Ducks at a local pond/lake.
    
37. Paint in Creative New Ways. Instead of paintbrushes, think flowers, sticks, leaves, cotton balls, q-tips, fingers, feathers, whatever you can find and come up with!
38. Wash the Car. Beyond Mom and Dad’s car. You can let the kids wash their own ride on cars, bikes, scooters etc.
39. Fly a kite. Besides the character kites like Frozen and Transformers they have some pretty cute ones like this Ice Cream Cone, Dragon, Butterfly, 3-D Shark or for you Star Wars fans a Millenium Falcon. I suddenly want to fly a kite now!
    
40. Hunt for Bugs. When I was little and living in Kansas we had this pond on our property which attracted all sorts of critters. I remember having a blast, catching crawdads and fire flys!
41. Look up crafts on Pinterest.
42. Grow a Frog. What?! Yep, apparently it’s a thing! You can buy your very own “Grow a Frog Kit” here!
    
43. DIY a Water Blob. I want to try out this easy looking tutorial from the DIY Gals for my kiddos, nieces and nephews this summer.
44. Build and Race Origami Boats. Use old gutters as perfect race “tracks”.
45. Star at the Stars.
    
46. Take Swimming Lessons. Faith and Alexander will be taking their first swimming lessons this summer. I’m excited for them to gain better knowledge of water safety and to learn this important life lesson!
47. Play Board/Card Games. Some popular, not too talked about games are Monkey’s Up, Spontuneous, HedBanz and Qwirkle. And of course don’t forget about the classics like Connect Four, Candyland, Chutes and Ladders and Monopoly Junior.
    
48. Join a Day Camp. Faith and I are super excited for her to do her first Cheer Camp. For a small fee, she gets two classes, a cheer shirt and will be performing in the Kiddie’s Parade at our city’s festival, with the rest of the Cheer squad and campers!
49. Water Sports. Like SUP (Stand-Up Paddle) boarding, kayaking, and canoeing. I like checking for deals on Groupon and Living Social. For $10 total, last year, my friend and I each got a SUP rental for two hours, life jackets and straps to secure to my truck to get them to the lake. Score!
    
50. Indoor Spa Day.
51. Go to the Zoo. This can be very affordable and “free” if you get a membership. For only $50 or $60 my kids and I have unlimited admission for a whole year plus benefits. I renewed my membership last visit. So on our next trip, it will be “free” 🙂 Check your local zoo’s website for details.
52. Visit the Aquarium. Like the zoo, if you invest in a membership, then you can visit an unlimited amount of admissions without paying each time.
    
53. Float down a River. Don’t forget your donut!
54. Paint with bubbles. Just add some dye to the bubble solution.
55. Watch the Clouds go by. Take turns telling each other what you see in the clouds.
    
56. Make Play-Doh, Gak, Kinetic Sand etc.
57. Have a Tea Party. Faith has a few tea party sets and a nice assortment of play food with baskets that we use.
58. Set up a Lemonade Stand. This can not only be a fun activity and a way for kids to earn a little money. But it’s also a great way to teach about money, numbers, counting, how to make change, social skills and more!
    
59. Replace the ball in Baseball with water balloons. Try these water balloons for a quick and easy bucket full.
60. Set up a sprinkler under the trampoline and toss some water balloons on top.
61. Go to a Baseball Game. In Seattle we have the Mariners. While they may not always have the best winning streak… it’s an inexpensive and fun outing with family and friends!
    
62. Join the Summer Reading Program at your Local Library.
63. Turn your backyard into a water park! Turn a slide into a water slide with a hose at the top and pool at the bottom. Set up sprinklers, inflatable splash pads, water/sand tables, slip in slides and more! This baseball field looks fun!
64. Run Through a Field of Wild Flowers.
    
65. Play with Shaving Cream. Shaving cream fight, cover your slide in it, mix it with elmers glue and food coloring for a fun painting project, fill a baby pool with shaving cream and water balloons and whatever else you can come up with!
66. Make a painting with skirt guns filled with dyed water. This makes a fun outdoor painting.
67. Go Berry Picking.
    
    

What is your favorite summer memory/activity growing up? If I missed anything you think I should add, comment below to share it with other parents 🙂 If you have travel plans this summer with your family, make sure to check out these helpful posts…

-Tips for Flying with Babies and Toddlers
-How to Keep Kids Safe on Vacation Part 1
-Five Common Car Seat Mistakes you Might be Making

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