Summer Activities for Kids: A Printable Summer Bucket List

Summer holidays stretch out like a long, empty page. A bucket list gives them shape and makes sure the fun things actually happen. Here are 50 easy ideas, most of them free or nearly free, plus tips on how to make your own list with your children.

How to make a family bucket list

1. Sit down together at the start of the holidays.
2. Brainstorm. Everyone suggests ideas; write them all down.
3. Pick a mix: big adventures, small everyday treats, rainy-day ideas and things to learn.
4. Make it visible. Write the list on a big sheet of paper or color a summer coloring page border around it, and stick it on the fridge.
5. Tick them off as you go. Add photos or drawings.

Don't aim to complete everything. The list is a menu of ideas, not a to-do list.

Outdoor fun

1. Have a picnic in the park.
2. Run through a sprinkler.
3. Have a water-balloon fight.
4. Build a sandcastle.
5. Go on a nature scavenger hunt.
6. Fly a kite.
7. Climb a tree (a small one!).
8. Catch and release a bug. Color it on a bug page.
9. Ride bikes to somewhere new.
10. Go fruit picking.
11. Have a backyard campout.
12. Watch the sunset.
13. Go stargazing. See space activities.
14. Make a mud kitchen.
15. Play hopscotch with chalk.

Creative ideas

1. Paint rocks and hide them in the park.
2. Make a summer scrapbook.
3. Draw a giant chalk mural.
4. Make a coloring book of summer pictures.
5. Create a comic strip.
6. Build a cardboard box rocket, car or castle.
7. Make friendship bracelets.
8. Put on a puppet show. See puppet making.
9. Make a time capsule.
10. Try tie-dye.

Food and cooking

1. Make homemade ice lollies with fruit juice.
2. Bake cookies.
3. Have a lemonade stand. It's great for practising money.
4. Make pizza from scratch.
5. Have a breakfast picnic.
6. Grow herbs or tomatoes.
7. Make a fruit salad rainbow.
8. Try a new food.

Learning (that doesn't feel like school)

1. Read ten books, and keep a reading chart.
2. Visit the library every week.
3. Try a kitchen science experiment. See kitchen science experiments.
4. Learn a few words in a new language.
5. Keep a summer diary.
6. Solve mystery pictures.
7. Learn a card trick or a magic trick.
8. Make a map of your neighbourhood.

Ten minutes of reading or math a day helps prevent the summer slide. See how to prevent the summer slide.

Kindness and community

1. Make a card for a neighbour.
2. Donate toys you've outgrown.
3. Help in a community garden.
4. Write a letter to a grandparent.
5. Do a litter-pick in the park.

Rainy days

1. Build a blanket fort.
2. Have a movie marathon with homemade popcorn.
3. Put on a family talent show.
4. Do a big jigsaw puzzle.

See our rainy day activities for more.

Ideas by age

Toddlers: water play, bubbles, picnics, sandpits and nature walks.

Preschoolers: sprinklers, ice lollies, chalk, bug hunts and simple crafts.

School age: campouts, lemonade stands, bike rides, science and scrapbooks.

Tweens: let them plan a day trip, cook a meal, organise a neighbourhood event or learn a new skill.

Tips for a happy summer

• Keep a loose routine. Regular mealtimes and bedtimes make long days easier.
• Mix busy and calm days. Not every day needs an outing.
• Let children be bored sometimes. It sparks creativity.
• Protect from the sun. Hats, sun cream, shade and plenty of water.

Common mistakes to avoid

• A list that's too long or too expensive. Most of the best memories are simple and free.
• Treating it as a checklist. Enjoy each idea instead of rushing to finish the list.
• Forgetting the grown-ups' ideas. Add your childhood favorites too.

Frequently asked questions

How many items should be on a summer bucket list?

Anywhere from 10 to 50. A shorter list feels achievable for younger children; older kids might enjoy a longer one.

How do I keep the list going all summer?

Pick one or two ideas each week and put them on the calendar.

What if we can't afford days out?

Most ideas on this list are free or very cheap: parks, libraries, picnics, chalk, nature walks and baking.

Make a printable bucket list

Turn your list into something to keep:

1. Write the title in big bubble letters: "Our Summer Bucket List."
2. Number each idea down the page.
3. Add a tick box next to each one.
4. Decorate the border with suns, ice lollies and waves.
5. Leave space at the bottom for photos or drawings.

At the end of summer, look back at what you did and choose one favorite memory to write or draw about.