101 Summer Bucket List Ideas

Looking for Summer bucket list ideas to keep you and your kids busy and happy this summer? Here are tons of ideas for friends and families to do together – and a FREE printable list!

Summertime is my favorite time of the year. It’s hot, the days are long, and it feels like there are so many special occasions.

However, if you are off of your normal routine – kids are home from school, college is out, you have a break from work – the days can feel long and the weeks can feel longer.

Enter the summer bucket list.

A bucket list is a great way to make a big list of fun ideas to have in your back pocket. When someone feels bored or restless, refer to the bucket list for a new activity.

Let the summer fun begin!

Click here to download the FREE printable summer bucket list!

What is a bucket list?

A bucket list is a list of activities or accomplishments you want to get done by a set date or time. Traditionally it’s before you “kick the bucket,” but in our case, it is by the end of summer!

What makes a great bucket list for kids?

A great way to make your kids get excited about a bucket list is to let them be involved. You can give them ideas – and I have tons of ideas for you! – but you should also let them come up with some ideas and get to choose what makes the cut.

A lot of these are ideas for kids but a lot of them could also work for teens, college students, roommates, or couples. Fun activities have no age limit!

How to use the bucket list

Print the list and hang it up on your fridge or bulletin board. Or, write ideas on slips of paper and create a Bored Jar for the summer!

How to make a custom bucket list

If you want to make a bucket list that is perfect for you, you need to first think about your priorities and what you want to do!

Do you want to spend time outside? Focus on outdoor activities!

Want to learn new skills? Think about classes you can take or museums you might visit.

Pick specific bucket list ideas that suit your goals for the ultimate customized summer bucket list.

Ultimate Summer Bucket List Ideas

Here are a ton of fun summer activity ideas to get your summer bucket list started! I tried to focus on things that were very cheap or free and could be done with or without kids. Enjoy!

1. Pick strawberries
2. Have a water balloon fight
3. Make ice cream from scratch
4. Visit a museum
5. Fly a kite
6. Decorate a sidewalk with chalk
7. Blow bubbles
8. Paint rocks
9. Tie dye t-shirts
10. Try origami
11. Go for a hike
12. Have a picnic
13. Stargaze
14. Catch fireflies
15. Watch fireworks
16. Dance in the rain
17. Watch a sunrise
18. Watch a sunset
19. Have a food fight
20. Plant a garden
21. Host a scavenger hunt
22. Bury a time capsule
23. Go to the library
24. Go for a bike ride
25. Play in the sprinklers
26. Play on a slip and slide
27. Make s’mores
28. Have a pillow fight
29. Camp in the back yard
30. Do a random act of kindness (here are ideas for Random Acts of Kindness for Kids!)
31. Play flashlight tag
32. Paint a wall
33. Play bingo
34. Bake treats for a neighbor
35. Make homemade pizza
36. Identify plants in your neighborhood
37. Make paper airplanes
38. Skip rocks on a pond
39. Have a yard sale
40. Decorate cookies
41. Have a favorite movie marathon
42. Host a game night
43. Make popsicles
44. Take a class and learn a new skill
45. Feed the ducks
46. Make pickles
47. Go to a local festival
48. Do a craft
49. Have a “yes” day
50. Build a sandcastle
51. Have breakfast for dinner
52. Organize a drawer or closet
53. Cook a new recipe
54. Build a fort
55. Start a collection
56. Make sushi
57. Play hide and seek
58. Eat a watermelon
59. Walk through a new neighborhood
60. Catch fireflies
61. Make ice cream floats
62. Try a new vegetable
63. Wear your pajamas all day
64. Sit by the fire and sing
65. Invite someone new to dinner
66. Set up a bird feeder
67. Play dodge ball
68. Take a nap in a hammock
69. Make mud pies
70. Read at least ten books – check out this summer reading list!
71. Go fishing
72. Make a new friend
73. Get a pen pal
74. Visit a new park
75. Get a house plant
76. Wrap a gift with recycled wrapping paper
77. Play Marco Polo
78. Plant flowers
79. Feed ducks or birds
80. Cook dinner over a bonfire
81. Visit a farmer’s market
82. Have a slumber party
83. Go to an outdoor concert
84. Do a good deed
85. Make slime
86. Have a water gun war
87. Shop at a yard sale
88. Write and mail a handwritten letter
89. Ride in a boat
90. Make ice cream sundaes
91. Roast marshmallows
92. Teach a dog a new trick
93. Petsit for a friend
94. Decorate bikes and have a parade
95. Unplug for 1 day
96. Sleep in a tent
97. Visit an ice cream truck
98. Make tortillas from scratch
99. Attend a sporting event
100. Paint a landscape
101. Video chat a friend or relative

Free printable Summer Bucket List!

Want to print your bucket list and hang it on the fridge or a bulletin board? You are in luck! Click here to sign up and I will email you a Summer bucket list printable!

You will get two files – one is filled in with 50 Summer bucket list ideas and the other has blanks so that you and your family can add your own ideas!

What’s on your summer bucket list?

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