When it comes to summer fun, it's always great to have inspiration and a plan. Today, I'm sharing both! You can pick one or two items off of my summer adventure checklist, or you can tackle all ten.
To download a copy of the list: click on the picture above, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 8x10 photograph.
And... here are the details...
1) Eat ice cream – Make homemade ice cream, have ice
cream for supper, or try a NEW ice cream stand.
2) Do something good – Run a lemonade stand or yard sale for
charity, visit the grocery store and buy things to donate to a food bank, or
participating in a few random acts of kindness.
3) Buy a meal from a food
truck and eat outside – Grab burgers,
fries, fish, or pizza, and have a picnic in the park.
4) Visit a beach – Go for a swim, play catch on the shore,
collect sea glass and shells, fly a kite, or go on a scavenger hunt.
5) Cook on a campfire – Avoid dinner dishes by roasting hot dogs
over an open fire. Then, cook campfire treats for dessert.
6) Plan a theme day –Some options include: “spend gift cards
day”, “play board games day”, and “kids pick the meals day”.
7) Have an outdoor movie
night – Watch a movie under
the stars with blankets, pillows and treats.
8) Plan a parent / child
date – Parents pick the time frame and
budget, and the kids pick the activity.
9) Get creative – Make a craft, bake something, decorate
a cake, try a new recipe, or film a video. The only limit is your imagination.
10) Explore – Go on a hike, hunt for waterfalls, swim
somewhere new, or go a road trip.
Which of these summer adventures are you going to go on with your family? Let me know in the comments below.
I love summer, and one of my favourite summer traditions is creating a summer checklist with my boys. We make a list of 50 fantastic summer activities, we print out a copy of the list, and we use it as a blueprint for summer fun! Today, I'm sharing my 2022 summer checklist... including a FREE copy you can printfor your own family. Fun, right?!?
Here are the items we have on this year's list:
1)
Celebrate Canada Day
2) Watch fireworks or play with sparklers
3) Have an outdoor picnic or BBQ
4) Swim in a pool, at a lake, or in the ocean
5) Buy a meal from a food truck or local restaurant
6) Paint a rock and leave it on a trail for someone to
find
7) Read a book outside
8) Have a water fight or NERF gun battle
9) Have a movie night outside or go to a drive in
10) Play a boardgame outside
11) Eat donuts from a string (with no hands)
12) Have a “one on one” date with mom (kid’s
choice… under $20 & less than 2 hours)
13) Have a “one on
one” date with dad (kid’s choice… under $20 & less than 2 hours)
14) Make a craft (design a t-shirt, personalize a water
bottle or have a "paint night")
15) Learn a new
dance move
16) Get ice cream in PJs (drive throughs are OK)
17) Play catch, basketball, tennis and street hockey
18) Make a homemade ice cream cake or milkshakes
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) Sing around a campfire
24) Go geo-caching
25) Have a "kids pick the meals" day
26)
Play chocolate bar BINGO (like regular BINGO, but with chocolate bar prizes)
27) Play golf or mini golf
28) Do a “trick shot” or learn a magic trick
29) Try a new food or a new recipe
30) Have a theme day ("spend
our gift cards" day is a fun one)
31) Camp at a campground, in the backyard or in the
living room
32) Spend an afternoon in PJs, eating snacks, and
watching a movie
33) Build a large puzzle
34) Make a video and post it on YouTube or Tik Tok
35) Fly a kite
36) Have a dance party or sing karaoke
37) Go on a scavenger hunt
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) Go on a hike or a short walk in the rain
43) Roast marshmallows, make s'mores or cook a different
campfire treat
44) Write and mail a letter or postcard
45) Visit at least 5 different ice cream stands
46) Go stargazing
47) Celebrate Owen and Jack's birthdays
48) Go to PEI
49) Go to Toronto
50) HAVE ICE CREAM FOR SUPPER!
To download a copy of the list for your family: click on the picture below, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 8x10 photo
I also have a blank one you can print and add your own activities.
We put our summer checklist in a dollar store frame, and check off the items as we complete them.
Do you have a summer checklist / summer bucket list in your home? I hope our list inspires you to add a couple new things to your "to do" list this summer.
Every year my family puts together a summer checklist of 50 of our favourite summer activities, and we spend our vacation checking items off the list. When my kids were small, we had a lot of simple crafts and low effort activities on our list... but as my boys got older, we started adding more sophisticated adventures. Below, you will find a FREE printable version of our 2021 summer checklist, as well as some really helpful links.
To download our 2021 checklist:click on the picture below, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 8x10 photo.
Then, check out the links below for more helpful hints, tutorials, recipes, and ideas.
10) Do an “at home” escape room or play a boardgame outside - You can use store-bought games, or you can make your own inexpensive outdoor games like we did here.
11) Eat donuts from a string (with no hands) - My boys have been enjoying this activity since they were little, and they still think it's hilarious. I don't think they'll ever let me leave this activity off our summer list!
12) Have a “one on one” date with mom (kid’s choice… under $20 and 2 hours) - It doesn't need to be fancy. It's really about the time spent together. A lunch date and a walk is a fantastic option.
13) Have a “one on one” date with dad (kid’s choice… under $20 and 2 hours) - Again... it doesn't need to be fancy... it's about the time spent together. My boys enjoy a trip to the driving range or a round of mini golf with their dad.
14) Make a craft (design a t-shirt, personalize a water bottle, or have a "paint night" - Crafts aren't just for young kids. The key is to provide older kids with more sophisticated craft materials. If you need inspiration, check out my top craft ideas for tweens and teens here.
15) Plant something and watch it grow - My boys and I planted a garden all there favourite fruit and vegetable snacks... but planting flowers is fun too. You can even make this adorable planter using the tutorial you can find here.
16) Get ice cream in PJs - Drive throughs are OK!
17) Play catch, basketball or street hockey
18) Make homemade ice cream or make milkshakes - This is a fun way to get older kids into the kitchen. They'll love all the recipes here.
19) Go for a bike ride - My boys learned to ride bikes at an early age, and it's still one of their favourite activities. Older kids will enjoy packing a lunch and going on a long ride... or experimenting with riding on rougher terrain.
20) Decorate a cake or bake cookies - Allowing older kids to experiment in the kitchen is fun... but it also helps teach them an important life skill. Check out some of my family's favourite recipes for sweet treats here.
21) Spend time at a cottage, beach or park
22) Do a science experiment - Science experiments are fun and educational... the perfect way to spend a rainy summer afternoon. Find OVER 15 science experiments here.
25) Have a "kids pick the meals" day - We make the rule that everyone needs to agree on each meal, so I don't go crazy in the kitchen. I also let the kids pick one meal out. Fun, right?
26) Play chocolate bar BINGO(like regular BINGO, but with chocolate bar prizes) - You can do it for your family, or you can invite some friends to join in the fun.
27) Play golf or mini golf
28) Learn a “trick shot” or magic trick - You should check out a few examples below.
30) Have a theme day("spend our gift cards" day is a fun one)
31) Camp at a campground, in the backyard or in the living room
32) Have a PJ day - We started PJ days whem my kids were small, but there really is no age limit. Who doesn't want to spend a rainy summer day in their PJs, watching movies, and eating popcorn?
37) Go on a scavenger hunt - A simple scavenger hunt is a great way to get the kids outside and running around. Check out the one I put together for my boys here.
38) Organize a drawer, closet or room - Kids can learn the joy of being able to find their favourite shirt... and what could be better than that? lol
39) Play with water balloons - Everyone loves a water balloon on a hot day. There really is no age limit on water balloon fun.
40) Do a good deed or raise money for charity - A good deed is it's own reward, and kids will love the feeling they get from doing something to help others. Yard sales and lemonade stands are great options, but kids can use whatever talents they have.
44) Write and mail a letter or postcard - Writing old fashioned letters is becoming a lost art, so it's a great activity for kids.
45) Visit at least 5 different ice cream stands - The last couple of years, we have done an "ice cream stand challenge", and it's been a lot of fun. Summer and ice cream are the perfect match.
46) Go stargazing - Lay a blanket on the ground, stare up at the sky, and try and find constellations and shooting stars. It's a simple activity... and the perfect way to spend a quiet summer evening.
47) Pick your own
48) Pick your own
49) Pick your own
50) HAVE ICE CREAM FOR SUPPER! - This is the way we celebrate the completion of our checklist every year... and it is always a lot of fun. You can find some of our favourite ice cream recipes here.
Creating and completing a summer checklist really is one of my favourite family traditions. Does your family have a summer checklist? Are you planning to print mine? If you feel like 50 items is a lot, you can just choose your 10 or 20 of your favourites. Have fun!
♥ Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)
You might also be interested in the summer DIY decor ideas here.
