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)

Summer Checklist 2017 (free printable)

Every year, my boys and I put together a summer checklist of all the fun adventures we plan on completing during their break from school. Our list is filled with simple and inexpensive ideas, but this annual tradition has proven to be a valuable tool for building priceless childhood memories. Today, I am sharing our 2017 checklist (that you can download for free), including many links to additional info about the activities. We have 50 items on our list, but feel free to just choose 20, 30, or 40 of your favourites.

To download and print the summer checklist: right-click on the checklist below, 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 $0.39. 

And... in case you need more info about the items on list, check out the 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) Have a water fight
9) Go fishing or hiking
10) Have a family movie night outside

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

47) __________________________
48) __________________________
49) __________________________
50) HAVE ICE CREAM FOR SUPPER!

As you can see, there are blank spaces at the bottom of my checklist for you to add a few of your own activities/ideas. Or, you can create an entirely new list using the template below. Right-click on the template, save it to your computer, print it like a regular 8X10 photo, and add as many activities as you like!

This 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)

2020 Summer Checklist... Covid Edition

Every year my boys and I put together a summer checklist. We include 50 of our favourite summer activities, and we spend our vacation checking items off the list. This year, our list has been adjusted to conform with Covid social distancing and travel restrictions, but there are still tons of easy and inexpensive adventures in our future. Below, you will find a FREE printable version of our 2020 summer checklist, as well as some really helpful links.

To download our list: click on the picture above, 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.


1) Celebrate Canada Day

2) Watch fireworks or play with sparklers

3) Have an outdoor picnic or BBQ

4) Go to a splash pad, swim in a pool or run through a sprinkler

5) Buy a meal from a food truck or local restaurant

6) Paint a rock and leave it 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) Do an “at home” escape room

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

12) Have a parent/child “one on one” date (kid’s choice… under $20 and 2 hours)

13) Plant something and watch it grow

14) Make a craft

15) Build a fort (inside the house or outside)

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

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 outside

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) Learn a “trick shot” or magic trick

29) Try a new food or a new recipe

30) Have a theme day (e.g. spy training 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 video

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) Make an obstacle course in the yard or go for a 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) Pick your own

48) Pick your own

49) Pick your own

50) HAVE ICE CREAM FOR SUPPER!

Creating and completing a summer checklist really is one of my favourite family traditions. We've had to "tweak" it a bit this year due to Covid, but we still have lots of wonderful activities planned. 

Does your family have a summer checklist? Are you planning to print mine? If you don't want to include all the items on the list, you can just choose your favourites. Have fun!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)