100+ Fun & Simple Ideas for a Summer Bucket List for Kids (2024)

Summer can be filled with a lot of free time for kids being out of school. If you are planning to hear, “Mom, I’m bored” then we have the perfect summer activity for you. Here is asummer bucket list for kids with over 100 ideas to get you started! Print this off and get your kids excited to check off some of these fun ideas!

RELATED: Indoor Activities for Kids

Summer Bucket List

What is a bucket list?It’s a list of experiences you want to achieve in a lifetime or in this case, during the summer. We really love them for summer as it helps to overcome the teen or kid boredom that often arises. It can empower kids to make or plan their own fun!

A lot of these bucket list ideas are great for getting kids outdoors! Some of our favorite outdoor activities include:

• Go fishing
• Go rock hunting
• Go on a nature walk
• Blow bubbles – then make some bubble art!
• Stargaze
• Build a sandcastle
• Fly a kite
• Have a picnic

There are also so many arts and crafts ideas including:

• Make Homemade Slime
• Make Homemade Playdough
• Paint Pet Rocks
• Make recycled crayons
• Make handprint art
• Make suncatchers
• Color with sidewalk chalk
• Finger Paint
• Make paper bag puppets
• Make Tie-Dye Shirts
• Make paper boats
• Make Story Stones
• Make A Bird Feeder
• Write a Story and Illustrate It
• Make Friendship Bracelets

There are also a lot of fun outdoor activities, including:

• Go fishing
• Go rock hunting
• Go on a nature walk
• Stargaze
• Build a sandcastle
• Fly a kite
• Have a picnic
• Catch Fireflies (catch and release)
• Play At The Park with Friends
• Blow Bubbles
• Watch Fireworks
• Dance In The Rain
• Play Frisbee
• Watch The Sunset At the Beach
• Watch A Thunderstorm
• Collect Seashells
• Bonfire and S’mores
• Fly A Kite
• Watch The Sunrise At the Beach
• Make Wishes on Dandelions
• Climb A Tree
• Plant Flowers
• Build A Sand Castle
• Jump in Puddles
• Plant Vegetables
• Go Cloud Watching
• Jump on A Trampoline
• Go Fishing
• Go Kayaking
• Bury A Time Capsule

Who doesn’t love a fun excursion in the summer? Have fun checking these ideas off your summer bucket list!

• Drive-in Movie Theatre
• Visit an aquarium
• Go to a children’s museum
• Go to a water park
• Go To the Library
• Visit national monuments
• Visit A Farmer’s Market
• Visit Mom or Dad at Work
• Go Camping
• Go on a Nature Walk
• Visit A Water Park
• Visit A Zoo
• Attend A Free Kids Workshop
• Go To A Children’s Museum
• Ride Your Bike on a Trail
• Go Mini Golfing
• Go Bowling
• Go Rock Hunting
• Go To Chuck E Cheese
• Visit An Aquarium
• Ride a Ferris Wheel

Summer wouldn’t be summer without some fun water activities. These are all high on our to-do list!

• Marco Polo
• Run Through Sprinklers
• Water Balloon Fight
• Make Sponge Water Bombs
• Go Swimming
• Wash the Family Car
• Make and Sail Paper Boats
• Play on a Slip ‘n Slide
• Have a Water Fight

There’s nothing better than fresh lemonade and ice cream. We had to include some treats on this list:

• Make Homemade Ice Cream
• Eat Watermelon
• Roast Marshmallows
• Eat A Snowcone
• Make Root beer Floats
• Eat Breakfast For Dinner
• Eat Popsicles
• Help Cook Dinner
• Make Fresh Lemonade
• Make Homemade Pizza
• Drink A Slurpee
• Buy From the Ice Cream Truck

Summer is time off of school but kids will still love these learning activities and challenges:

• Read At Least 10 Books
• Do A Science Project
• Learn Origami
• Attend a Free Kids Art Class

These are some of our favorite summer games and activities:

• Play Hide And Seek
• Play Dodgeball
• Play Flashlight Tag
• Play Messy Twister
• Play Tag with Friends
• Family Game Night
• Play Bingo
• Play Capture the Flag
• Have A Slumber Party
• Have a Pillow Fight
• Host A Scavenger Hunt
• PJ Movie Day
• Start a Blessings Jar
• Make A Blanket Fort
• Start A Summer Journal

And don’t forget to give back to your community. We love these easy ideas to help others:

• Random Acts of Kindness
• Donate To An Animal Shelter
• Write a Soldier a Letter
• Visit A Nursing Home
• Make Cookies For A Neighbor

Over 100 ideas are included in this summer bucket list for kidsfree printable. Get the PDF printable delivered straight to your inbox as a gift for subscribing to our newsletter. You can sign up at the bottom of this post.

We hope you have fun checking off these fun summer bucket list ideas! We’d love to know after the summer is over, which one was your favorite?

More fun summer craft ideas and activities:

– Sidewalk chalk ideas and activities

–100 Would You Rather Questions for Kids (with printable cards which are great for road trips!)

Looking for more fun summer ideas with the kids?

– This DIY sidewalk paint is so fun to make and play with!

Make your own homemade playdough this summer!