NatWest Rooster Money is currently only available in the UK
StartGet started

Article by Ruth

80 Summer Bucket List Ideas for Kids

Exams are done, school’s out and summer time starts now. The thought of no school is enough to get any kid excited for the summer break, but with six long weeks ahead, it won’t be long before you hear the dreaded ‘Mummm I’m bored’- sound familiar? Well you can wave goodbye to the days of boredom, as we’ve packed this article full of fun summer bucket list ideas for kids. Take your pick from the bunch and you’ll have enough things to do this summer to keep the kids entertained all the way up to the new school year in September.

What is a summer bucket list?

It’s a list of ideas or experiences that the kids want to do over the summer. Writing down a summer bucket list is a great way to motivate the kids to come up with new experiences they want to try out, as well as bringing back a few old favourites. When boredom strikes, it’s the perfect time to reach for the list and pull out a fun activity that the whole family can get involved in.

While it’s great to have a list of fun ideas, it could also be a time where kids write down some goals for the summer. With so much time on their hands, summer is the perfect opportunity to hone their football skills at the local park, ace that instrument they’ve been wanting to learn, or even set a savings goal to save up for that special something they’ve been wanting. Ask the kids what summer goals they might have, then try and tie some of the ideas back to their goals. That way their summer bucket list will have helped them to achieve something this summer and they’ll have loads to tell their classmates when they head back to school. If you’re looking for more info on goals for kids, read this article to learn how to help your kids set up their own goals.

80 of the best summer bucket list ideas for kids

We’ve pulled together a list of our favourite summer bucket list ideas to give you some inspiration this summer. Read through with your kids to pull out ideas that you’ll love or use them as inspiration to come up with ideas of your own.

1. Have a picnic.
2. Watch a sunset at the beach.
3. Fly a kite.
4. Camp in the backyard.
5. Play tag with friends.
6. Run through sprinklers.
7. Eat too many ice lollies.
8. Plant flowers or vegetables.
9. Go berry picking.
10. Make your own lemonade.
11. Have an underwater tea party in the pool.
12. Paint pet rocks.
13. Ride your bike from sunrise to sunset.
14. Watch fireworks.
15. Learn how to skip a rock.
16. Go for a canoing or kayaking adventure.
17. Swing at the park until you’re out of breath with giggles.
18. Have a water-balloon fight.
19. Go mini-golfing.
20. Get ice cream from the neighborhood ice cream van.
21. Make a chalk masterpiece on the driveway.
22. Learn how to whistle through a blade of grass.
23. Play in the rain.
24. Catch bugs in a jar.
25. Collect seashells.
26. Make tie-dye creations.
27. Wash cars by hand.
28. Blow bubbles.
29. Build a sandcastle at the beach.
30. Eat watermelon slices that look like smiles.
31. Go on a nature walk.
32. Make wishes on dandelions.
33. Watch a movie outdoors.
34. Hike a new trail.
35. Create your own scavenger hunt.
36. Try a new food at the local farmer’s market.
37. Visit a nearby nature centre and learn about plants and animals.
38. Hang out in the treehouse (if you don’t have one, add build a treehouse to your list)
39. Check out a local park nearby that you’ve never visited.
40. Look up local outdoor concerts (many of these are free.)
41. Stay up late and do some stargazing.
42. Visit a local museum (these are sometimes free or have special free days)
43. Play frisbee.
44. Turn on some oldies and have a dance party in the living room.
45. Make a slip-and-slide in the backyard.
46. Go to a sports game.
47. Take a trip to a swimming pool.
48. Learn how to make simple origami.
49. Plan a road trip somewhere you haven’t been.
50. Finger paint outside.
51. Have a puppet show.
52. Make necklaces with homemade clay beads.
53. Make a birdhouse.
54. Go to the zoo.
55. Cool off in the warm weather by playing in the sprinklers.
56. Make a DIY beauty recipe and have a spa night.
57. Have a game night and learn new card games.
58. Teach kids how to practise with a skipping rope.
59. Take a nap! (Maybe in a hammock?)
60. Build a pillow or blanket fort, and stay up late on a summer night.
61. Climb trees.
62. Join the library’s summer reading club.
63. Make paper airplanes and race them.
64. Let the kids plan and cook dinner.
65. Learn how to knit.
66. Learn to play a new instrument
67. Spend a lazy afternoon reading books.
68. Ride a roller coaster.
69. Take the entire family on a bike ride.
70. Go on a boat ride if you live near a lake.
71. Practice random acts of kindness for your friends and family.
72. Try out a new smoothie recipe for a refreshing mid-day snack.
73. Learn how to hula hoop or do a cartwheel.
74. Have fun playing in the rain (perfect for the unpredictable British weather).
75. Make a list of any playgrounds you want to try out and hit them all.
76. Invite some friends over for a BBQ.
77. Learn how to make friendship bracelets and trade with your friends.
78. Write your own story.
79. Create your own play and act it out to your family and friends.
80. Create a new dance routine.

That wraps up our summer bucket list ideas for kids. We hope you’ve found plenty of ideas that your family can enjoy together over the summer. For even more summer holiday days out and activities, check out this article for more ideas to keep your kids busy over the summer. The summer break isn’t all just fun and games (sorry kids), so read our article on summer chore ideas for kids if they want to earn some extra pocket money to afford their ice creams.