This is a collaborative post.
Have you ever gotten to the end of the summer season and realized you didn’t get to do even half of what you had planned? It’s so easy to spend the winter and spring months dreaming up fun summer activities, but what happens when those plans just never seem to come to fruition?
Creating a summer bucket list can be one way to involve the whole family in the summer plan and have a visible reminder of what you wanted to do. A rainy day in July? Choose a bucket list item! Too hot to visit the park? Check movie night off the bucket list.
An excellent bucket list isn’t one where you grab the nearest scrap of paper and randomly jot down ideas. Before you start your list, keep these five things in mind:
Involve the whole family
Turn a dinner conversation into what should be included on the summer bucket list and make sure everyone gets a turn to participate. If you have a family where the age ranges are significant, little ones might need a little help thinking of ideas, and the older ones can help them. If it’s just you and a partner, you can have a grown-up bucket list, too!
Be realistic
Remember this is a list of things to do that require money, time, and other resources. While it might sound incredible to take that trip to New York City you’ve been dreaming of, be realistic about whether or not that kind of extensive travel is practical. No one wants to be disappointed at the end of summer when the big, fantastic trip just never panned out.
Include a range of activities
Summer bucket lists don’t always have to involve expensive trips or even venturing outside of your neighbourhood. Fun summer activities like reading a new book, learning to draw, or painting a bedroom may not be at the top of your list but are great additions. It never hurts to include some fun, whacky, and alternative activities, too!
Plan for rainy days
The majority of summer bucket list items tend to be outdoor adventures that are often weather-dependent. By including various indoor ideas, no one will be disappointed by the poor weather, and choosing something like building a fort, making an obstacle course, or cooking a new recipe will keep everyone happy.
Include alone time
A summer bucket list of non-stop family fun might sound appealing to some and like a nightmare to others. Include plenty of ideas that allow kids (and adults) to rest and recharge alone, like reading a great book, putting together a puzzle, stargazing, watching a movie, or individuals trips to visit other family members.
Once you have your summer bucket list created, post it somewhere in the home where everyone can see it and contribute to checking items off the list. You can even create a system where each family member gets to choose the following thing to do and surprises everyone else. Prefer to keep it simple? Make a plan over the weekend for what you’ll do the next week.
With a carefully planned and exciting summer bucket list, you will greet the fall season full of great summer memories and be grateful for how the list helped you spend your summer season.