50 Ideas for Easy and Inexpensive Summer Fun (including a free printable 2019 summer checklist)

This is the 8th summer for our family's summer checklist. Every year, we make a list of all the fun adventures we plan on completing during my boys' break from school. We fill our summer bucket list with easy and inexpensive ideas for summer fun. This is one of my absolute favourite annual family traditions, and it has helped us to create many priceless memories. Today, I am sharing our 2019 summer checklist (that you can download for free below). I've also included several links to additional info about the activities.

To download and print the summer checklist: click on the checklist below, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 8X10 photo. I sent mine to my local copy store and printed it for $0.59. That's a lot of fun for less than a dollar!

We always have 50 items on our list, but feel free to adapt the list to fit your family. You can choose 10, 20, 30 or 40 of your favourites and add them to this blank list. It's not meant to be stressful... it's a template for family fun!

To download the blank version: click on the picture below, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 8x10 photo.

And... in case you need more info about the items on my list, or you are looking for items to make your own list, check out the helpful links below.


1) Celebrate Canada Day or the 4th of July - Find simple and fun ideas for photo props, crafts, decor and recipes here.

2) Watch fireworks or attend a parade

3) Have a picnic or BBQ and eat outside - All picnics are great, but a teddy bear picnic is extra special. You can get the recipe for our favourite teddy bear picnic cookies here.

4) Go to a splash pad or swim in a pool

5) Host a "half sleepover" or backyard carnival - Hosting a fun event for friends is a really fun way to spend a summer afternoon or evening. Click on the links above for some of my favourite DIY party details.




6) Go to a farmer's market or visit a yard sale

7) Visit the library and read a book outside - If you are looking for some great books to get your kids reading this summer, you can find a list of some of our favourites here.

8) Have a water fight or NERF gun battle - I have simple tips for transforming your backyard into a water park here and easy and inexpensive NERF battle ideas here.

9) Go fishing or hiking

10) Have a family movie night outside or attend an outdoor concert - Outdoor movie nights are a family favourite in our house. You can read my best tips and tricks for an easy, inexpensive and fun movie night here.

11) Eat donuts from a string (with no hands) 




12) Pick out a toy or treat at the dollar store

13) Plant something and watch it grow

14) Visit a wildlife park, farm or zoo

15) Build a fort (inside the house or outside) or a trail through the woods

16) Get ice cream in PJs (drive throughs are OK) 

17) Play baseball, soccer, golf or street hockey

18) Make homemade ice cream or another cold treat - I have tons of great ideas for ice cream on my blog here. They are all delicious, but I highly recommend giving the DIY ice cream pie a try.

19) Go for a bike ride

20) Decorate a cake or bake cookies - I have tons of recipes for sweet treats on my blog, but if you are looking for a tried and true favourite, check out my soft and chewy chocolate chip cookie recipe here.

21) Spend time at a cottage, beach or park

22) Do a science experiment or make a craft - Science experiments and crafts are perfect ways for kids to have fun, be creative, and continue learning during their summer break. Find some of our favourite science experiments here and some of our favourite crafts here.

23) Play a board game or chocolate bar bingo (which is like regular bingo... but with chocolate bars as prizes) - Playing games together is always fun. I have a great idea for a board game day here and a fun DIY outdoor game here.

24) Go geo-caching or bowling

25) Have a "kids pick the meals" day

26) Play mini golf

27) See a play or visit a museum

28) Have a lemonade stand or yard sale

29) Try a new food

30) Have a theme day (e.g. a pirate day, superhero day, "parents say yes" day, or "spend our gift cards" day)

31) Camp at a campground, in the backyard or in the living room

32) Have a PJ day

33) Build a large puzzle

34) Make a summer reading list, set a reading goal or keep a summer journal

35) Fly a kite

36) Have a dance party or sing karaoke


37) Go on a scavenger hunt - Scavenger hunts are fun for kids of all ages. You can find one for younger kids (with pictures) here, and you can find a fun idea for older kids here.

38) Organize a drawer, closet or room

39) Play with water balloons

40) Do a good deed or raise money for charity

41) Go on a road trip to another city or town

42) Play "tag" or run in a race

43) Roast marshmallows, make s'mores or cook a different campfire treat - Check out my favourite ideas here. 

44) Write and mail a letter or postcard

45) Visit at least 5 different ice cream stands




46) Go stargazing


47) Choose your own
48) Choose your own
49) Choose your own

50) HAVE ICE CREAM FOR SUPPER! - This is the last item on our checklist every year. It's the perfect way to celebrate the completion of our summer checklist and remember all the fun memories we made together.

Creating and completing a summer checklist really is one of my favourite family traditions. It's always a lot of fun, and definitely something my boys look forward to each year.

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Summer Checklist {2015}

Every year my boys and I start the summer by coming up with a summer checklist.  We always have 50 items, we print the list, and we "check off" items as they are completed. Our last activity is always a "have ice cream for supper" celebration!  Here's our 2015 Summer Checklist.

To print a copy of this checklist: right-click on the picture (above), save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 8X10 photo.  (I sent mine to our local supply store and had it printed for $0.39.)

I have also included some helpful links below.

1) Celebrate Canada Day or the 4th of July
2) Watch fireworks or attend a parade
3) Have a teddy bear picnic

4) Go to a splash pad or swim in a pool
5) Host a "half sleepover"
6) Go to a farmer's market
7) Visit the library and read a book outside
8) Make homemade bubbles
9) Go fishing or hiking
10) Have a family movie night outside
11) Paint rocks or make patio stones

12) Pick out a toy or treat at the dollar store
13) Plant something and watch it grow
14) Visit a wildlife park, farm or zoo
15) Build a fort
16) Create a simple backyard water park

17) Play baseball, soccer, golf or street hockey
18) Make ice cream or go to an ice cream stand
19) Go for a bike ride
20) Decorate a cake or bake cookies
21) Spend time at a cottage, beach or park
22) Do a science experiment
23) Play a board game
24) Go geo-caching

25) Have a "kids pick the meals" day
26) Play mini golf
27) See a play or visit a museum
28) Have a lemonade stand
29) Try a new food
30) Have a theme day (e.g. a pirate day or superhero day)
31) Camp in the backyard or living room
32) Have a PJ day
33) Build a large puzzle
34) Make a summer reading list or keep a summer journal
35) Fly a kite
36) Have a dance party in the living room
37) Go on a scavenger hunt

38) Build an obstacle course
39) Play with water balloons
40) Do a good deed or raise money for charity
41) Visit a new city or town
42) Play "tag"
43) Roast marshmallows or make a different campfire treat
44) Write and mail a letter or postcard
45) Run in a race
46) Craft a boat and float it down a river
47) __________________________
48) __________________________
49) __________________________
50) HAVE ICE CREAM FOR SUPPER!

Do you have a favorite summer checklist activity? I'd love to hear about it!  The boys and I are always looking for new adventures.

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Super Summer Checklist

We had our first sunny day yesterday, and it got me thinking (and excited) about summer.  I LOVE summer!  So.... I made a "to do" list today... and it doesn't involve cleaning the dust bunnies out from under my couch.  :-)  Here is a list of:

50 fun things the boys (including my handsome husband whenever possible) and I are going to do this summer.

1) Celebrate Canada Day

2)  Read a book outside

3)  Have a teddy bear picnic

4)  Go to a splash pad

5)  Swim in our blow up pool

6)   Go to a farmer's market

7)   Go to the library

8)   Make homemade bubbles

9)   Play pirates

10) Have family movie night – outside

11) Collect shells at the beach

12) Build a sandcastle

13) Swim in the ocean

14) Visit a wildlife park

15) Draw with sidewalk chalk

16) Run through the sprinkler

17) Play baseball

18) Play soccer

19) Ride our bikes

20) Take a ferry boat ride

21) Spend time at a cottage

22) Do a science experiment
23) Watch fireworks

24) Go on a nature walk

25) Make cookies

26) Play mini golf

27) See a play

28) Have a superhero birthday party

29) Make play dough

30) Play hopscotch

31) Camp in the backyard

32) Take a trip to Halifax

33) Take a trip to PEI

34) Play with our giant Frisbees

35) Make an obstacle course

36) Fly a kite

37) Go on a scavenger hunt

38) Make a summer craft

39) Ride Theodore Tugboat

40) Play street hockey

41) Visit a museum

42) Attend the Antigonish Highland Games 

43) Paint with chocolate pudding

44) Have ice cream for supper

45) Roast marshmallows 

46) Make a collage

47) Mail a letter

48) Take a bubble bath

49) Have pancakes for supper

50) Have a PJ day

 

The boys decorated our lists, and we bought some cheap frames at the dollar store.  Every time we do something on the list, they "check" it off by putting a sticker over the number.  This is already so much fun!

You can download a pdf version of our list here.

What is your favorite summer activity?  Did it make my list?

♥ 

Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

PS...**You can find the 2013 version here.**

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