100 Summer Bucket List Ideas for Families: Fun Ideas to NOT Miss!

Summer is in full swing, and along with it comes family time! There are many fun, exciting and educational activities in which you can participate with your family during the summer months. Here, we have compiled the ultimate “bucket list” of summer activities and ideas for families.

Some of these ideas might not be practical for you to do this summer, with the current social distancing regulations. You can save this list and refer to it in summers to come, when movement is not as restricted!

You don’t have to limit your bucket list to planned out, expensive ideas and experiences. Free, spur of the moment, unplanned ideas can be just as much fun for families, if not more fun!

Don’t feel that you need to limit yourself to this list of ideas, either. Feel free to add your own ideas to the list, based upon the likes, dislikes and interests of your family members. This bucket list doesn’t have to be limited to 100 ideas, either – family fun time can be endless!

100 Summer Bucket List Ideas for Families:

Attend a local event in your community. Check Facebook or your local newspaper for information.
Go to storytime at your local library.
Bake and decorate cupcakes together as a family.
Become a tourist in your own city, visiting places and seeing things you’ve never seen before.
Be amateur photographers for a day, taking photos of things around your neighborhood and in your environment.
Put together care packages to send to soldiers overseas.
Build a sandcastle. If you can find a beach or live near sandy areas, or even if you just have a sandbox in your backyard, this can be a fun activity for the whole family.

Built a fort in the living room, using chairs, sheets, pillows – whatever is available.
Catch fireflies outdoors in a jar. (Make sure to let them go!)
Complete a jigsaw puzzle together as a family.
Bake peanut-free treats, like cookies, together and offer them to delivery and mail persons who deliver mail and other items to your home.
Create a memory book for each person in the family.
Create a family time capsule.
Clean the house together. This can be fun as everyone in the family will be involved.
Discover a new playground together.
Perform a random act of kindness. Some ideas include: reading a book to an older person, donating old clothing to a shelter, putting change in someone’s almost-expired parking meter, pay for someone else’s order at a drive thru. See this list for more inspiration.
Conduct a science experiment together. Consult this list for ideas.
Use chalk to draw on the sidewalk and play some games (remember hopscotch?) together.
Dress up and have dinner together at the table, as a family.
Go for a family bike ride together.
Enjoy a family picnic outdoors in a favorite area or spot.
Enjoy a screen-free day together. No one is allowed to look at any screens, including phones, for the entire day.
Explore a cave together. The National Caves Association provides this list of caves in the U.S.

Explore a local farmer’s market together. The USDA offers this list of farmers’ markets across the U.S.
Fly a kite together.
Go bowling together.
Let one of your children lead you for a day and follow their lead all day. You might be surprised where you end up!
Have fun together in a kiddie pool in your backyard.
Go on a chocolate tasting tour. If you have a local chocolate or candy factory, tour that! Here is a list of some chocolate and candy factories that offer tours across the U.S.
Go on a nature scavenger hunt.
Go on a vacation to an exciting family holiday destination. Put your heads together to come up with a destination that pleases the entire family.
Go paddle-boarding.
Stargaze together at night.
Go canoeing or rafting together.

Go to the lake.
Hold a family dance party.
Go on a camping trip for the weekend.
Have a family game night marathon.
Go to the skate park or a skating rink.
Have a family photoshoot.
Create a lemonade stand and sell it (or offer it for free) from your yard. This can be a lifesaver to passers-by on a hot day!
Have a water fight in the backyard.
Head to the local swimming pools for the day.
Have breakfast for dinner.
Hike a new trail.
Hold a garage or yard sale.
Have an arts and craft day.
Hug a giant tree.
Join a book club or create your own family book club.
Learn a magic trick. Here’s a list of easy magic tricks for kids.
Make ice cream from scratch.
Learn a new sport together.
Make a family music video.
Learn a new language from many resources available online like Duolingo or Babbel.
Learn a new card game.
Make bird feeders together.
Work together at a local shelter, serving food or helping to clean up.
Make paper airplanes and race them.
Learn to ride a horse.

If you’re looking for other fun activities for the whole family, check out our guide to fishing, and gardening with kids.

Make sun catchers together.
Make tie-dye t-shirts.
Learn to create simple origami animals.
Make a slip-and-slide in the backyard.
Decorate rocks with bright colors and sayings, and leave them in places around your town for others to fine!
Organize a street or neighborhood party.
Write short stories together, with each person adding onto what the previous person wrote.
Volunteer at your local animal shelter together as a family. Many shelters offer special times that families can volunteer together.
Create cards of encouragement together and take them to a local nursing home to give to residents.
Go fishing together.
Put on a family talent show.
Research your family tree together. Start with free sites like FamilySearch.org and FindMyPast.com.
Roast marshmallows over a real fire and make s’mores together outdoors.
Watch the sunrise or sunset together.
Provide a meal for workers at your local police or fire station.
Spend the day at a theme park.
Spend the day at the beach collecting seashells.
Go play a game of the miniature golf. Here are some of the best mini golf courses in the U.S.
Start a family blog.
Start a family music band. Make your own instruments if necessary!
Have everyone clean out old toys they no longer use, and donate them to a shelter together.
Take a road trip to somewhere you have never been.
Take a factory tour together (whatever is closest or easiest for you to access – snack factories, chocolate factories, etc.). Here are some ideas of factory tours you can take in the U.S. Some are free!
Take a history tour of your town, seeing things you’ve never noticed. Every town has its own history. You might have to do a little research online or at your local library.

Take the family geocaching. If you don’t know how, read this.
Try a new food. Everyone in the family must list something they’ve never tried.
Try out a free kid’s workshop at a local home improvement store. Home Depot offers them in-person and online.
Visit a local farm. Many local farms offer tours to families if you call ahead and ask nicely!
Take a train or bus ride to a new city.
Pick your own strawberries, blueberries, or favorite fruit at a local fruit farm.
Pick up trash and litter in your neighborhood together. Make sure everyone has gloves, pickers or grabbers to pick up trash with, and trash bags to collect all the litter you find.
Visit a museum. Here’s a handy list of museums across the United States to get you started.
Visit an aquarium. Here’s a list of aquariums in the U.S.
Visit the local fire or police station. (Call ahead to make sure you can bring the whole family).
Visit the zoo.

Volunteer as a family together. This can be done in a variety of places – nursing homes, hospitals, library, or even helping out at a community event.
Watch a movie at the drive-in theater (if you aren’t sure if one exists near you, consult this list).
Attend a sports game together.
Watch an outdoor movie together in your backyard. All you need is a projector and a white sheet.
Create back-to-school bags for children in need, including school supplies like pencils, crayons, and notebooks, and donate them to a church or somewhere that can distribute them for you.

Check our The Ultimate FAQs For Parents, Kids and Babies. Learn how to address the specific needs and concerns of your babies and kids!

Don’t forget to check out unique outfits for your future superstars!

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Liliana

Liliana is a Licensed Montessori teacher known for her passion and dedication to education. She's been a teacher in the United States for many years, and she truly believes that education is the key to making the world a better place because today's students are tomorrow's leaders. Her experience with Toddlers, Beginners, VPK with Montessori methodology approach; Kindergarten, and first grade made her an authority and trusted resource. Liliana's family taught her important qualities like love, a positive attitude, strong motivation, and leadership. These values have guided her on her journey to becoming a professional and expert teacher. Her mission is to help children grow and contribute to a brighter future for the country.