Summer bucket list {free printable}

I love summertime. Summer is the time to really enjoy our freedom, be spontaneous, and do things we just don’t have the time to do as much of during the school year. Having more time with my kids is such a great thing, but it can also be challenging to keep them busy as the summer goes on, once the excitement of being out of school has rubbed off.  Summer boredom can definitely occur at our house, and every year I try to put different plans in place to help prevent it, including a summer bucket list!

summer bucket list | oldsaltfarm.com

In addition to set activities that are written on the calendar, the bucket list includes activities that are for the most part ones that we can just pick up and do, without a lot of planning or effort ahead of time.  This gives my kids something to look forward to every day–after chores are done in the morning. I love it because it gives our summer a little more structure, while keeping some spontaneity at the same time. These activities aren’t expensive or fancy, and many of them are things we do all year round, but something about doing them in the summertime makes them seem extra special!

summer bucket list | oldsaltfarm.com

To keep track of our list, this year I did something a little different than past years.  I created tags with 30 or so boredom busters along with  things my kids really wanted to do this summer, then printed them out on cardstock, and punched them out with a 2 inch circle punch. I punched a small hole at the top, then slid the tags on a silver book ring.  Then I HAD to add a little ribbon.  ☺  I love how small it is–it doesn’t take up a lot of room, and I can hang it in on our calendar in the kitchen for easy access.

summer bucket list | oldsaltfarm.com

So…what are some things on our bucket list? 

A few of these things are specific to where we live, like the trolley and waterway fountains, but most of them are ordinary activities that can become extraordinary when you make it an “event”.

summer bucket list | oldsaltfarm.com

-Put up the pool in the backyard

-Go to the beach

-Bake cookies

-Meet Dad for lunch

-Ride the trolley

-Ride the carousel

-Play in the waterway fountains

-Feed the ducks

-Visit a museum

-Go bowling (www.kidsbowlfree.com)

-Family move night with concession stand (more on this later)

-Play outdoor night games (Kick the Can, anyone?)

-Go to the $1 movie

-Build a fort

-Have a pillow fight

-Plan board games

-Invite friends over for an ice cream party

-Go to the pool

-Put on a play or concert

-Visit the library

-Read stories together

-Have a water fight

-Sidewalk chalk!

-Play water games

-Run through the sprinklers

-Have a watermelon seed-spitting contest

-Go to storytime

-Individual lunch dates (a tag for each child)

 Kids will take turn choosing the activity, as a bonus for earning our “two thumbs up” award the night before, and everyone will get a turn!  School has been out a week now, and I’m looking forward to introducing the completed bucket list in the morning!

summer bucket list | oldsaltfarm.com

I’ve included the printable tags for you to use, which include all of the activities listed above (except the ones specific to us), plus a bunch of blank ones, so you can add your own!

Download your free tags here!

Here are a few of the blank ones as jpg, images if you’d like to add text.  Just right click and save to your computer, then upload it in picmonkey.com.  You can add any text you like, then save to your computer.  Insert it into Word as a picture, re-size as necessary (mine are 2 inches), then print and cut!!!

summer bucket list | oldsaltfarm.com summer bucket list | oldsaltfarm.com summer bucket list | oldsaltfarm.com summer bucket list | oldsaltfarm.com

Happy Summer!!!

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16 Comments

  1. Very cute idea to keep track of fun summer activities! I am not on Facebook, and I was wondering if there was another way for me to download your list. Thanks!

  2. Cute and simple, I love it! Thank you… :) I love the textured paper you used, it’s the perfect touch!

  3. Hi Kierste, Love these tags and the summer organization calendar. I’m not on FB and I think that is why I can’t download to print. Any other way to obtain a copy?

    1. The Facebook app is down, so I changed the link on the original post. You should be able to download them now! Let me know if you can’t…

  4. I LOVE these!! Thanks so much for sharing. Is there anyway we can edit the text to create our own for the blank? My handwriting is awful..haha

  5. So cute! Is there any way to type in the blank templates? If not, did you create this in Pic Monkey? Thank you.

    1. Yes–upload the blank template into pic monkey and add your text! Save as an image to your computer, then insert into a Word document. You can re-size to match the others (I used a 2 inch circle punch), and print! Let me know if you have any questions. xo

    2. I realized that I hadn’t added the circles as jpg. files, which is why you couldn’t do it. I added them to the post at the very bottom, so you can use them now! Just right click the image you want, save to your computer, then you can upload it into picmonkey and add your text. Let me know if you have any other questions!!! xo

  6. These are darling!!! I love the simplicity (I tend to overcomplicate things) and that you can simply hang it right with the calendar! Now I just have to decide if I try it with the rest of this summer or try to remember until next summer. Decisions decisions. Hmmm, perhaps I’ll try both. :)

    1. Just do a few this summer, then you can do more next summer!!! :) So glad you dropped by!!! xo

  7. Thanks for creating these. I have never used pic monkey but maybe now is the time. These will also be great for advent activities. I am already trying to get a jump on those ideas. Thanks for making them available to everyone and not just “fans” of social media.

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