Sometimes our life gets crazy, running from pillar to post. Satisfying family obligations and checking off to-do lists become our top priority. But one of the traditions I’d like to start doing is having a seasonal bucket list for our family. With kids of varying ages – 2 to 14 and one on the way! – it can be tricky to come up with a family activity that everyone can enjoy, especially on short notice. My plan to make it easier is to have a ready-made list of kid approved activities for whenever the perfect opportunity arises.
Here’s what we’ll be aiming for this summer:
- Blueberry (June/July) & peach picking (July/August)
- Local ice cream shop
Visiting VA grandparents – June- Liberty Science Center in NJ
- Camden Aquarium in NJ
- Visit the local zoo
- Picnic outside at the park
- Eat dinner outside on our deck
- Eat outside at our favorite restaurant
- Take the boat out on the lake
- Visit the local music festival – August
- Host a BBQ
- Host a family movie night
- Playdates with friends: outdoors – park/picnic, indoors – trampoline park, local indoor theme park
- Hiking at local trail/waterfalls
At first it seemed like a short list, but I think 15 activities is just the right amount, and several can be duplicated or varied. We have tried many activities that just don’t seem to work for everyone: mini-golf is great for the grown-ups and the teen, but the two littles just want to climb all over the equipment and ignore the ball completely. Same with bowling.
So, for right now, with our ages and stages, this list is a good baseline. And of course, we plan to do many things separately as well because it really helps the teen feel less limited by how young her siblings are. There will also be date nights for mom and dad, and maybe even a date night here and there with only one of the kids. Weekends at grandma’s house are great for one child at a time, too.
Want to follow along as we check each item off our list? Follow the fun on Instagram here!
Do you have any special plans for the summer? Do you create a family bucket list? If so, I’d love to hear what’s on your list in the comments below.