Summer Bucket List Ideas for Moms with Littles
I’m having all the thoughts as I make this summer bucket list because a) I realized that creating a bucket list is sort of personal. Not personal as in, you know, my underwear drawer, but personal as in unique to where you’re located and your season of life and ages of your kids and all the things. And b) your family’s interests may be wildly different from my family’s, which is really a beautiful thing, but it may mean this list serves more to ignite your own creativity than actually launch you with a ready-set-go.
With that in mind, I’ve written this list as my actual, personal summer bucket list with this lens that I hope is helpful for you too:
What experiences do I want my kids to have this summer?
What do I need to feel refreshed this summer?
Also, I don’t know about you, but there are some things that are just a given for the summer season, and not necessarily “bucket-list worthy.” For example, Henry, our almost-three-year-old, LOVES splash pads, so I know we’ll be all over finding his new favorite spots at least once a week. For me, a summer bucket list is more of a reminder of things that, if I didn’t write it down, I might forget to make time for it. They are things that may only happen once this summer, and that’s okay!
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Summer Bucket List #1: Orchard + Ice Cream Day!
One of the best parts about summer in Spokane is the peach season in August. My whole family is obsessed because they are completely delicious. We buy them in flat after flat and eat them and bake with them and put them on ice cream, and everything about that last month of summer feels warm and just right when there’s a heaping bowl of ripe peaches on your counter.
Because Henry is still pretty young (and is a 2020 baby), there are so many summer things he hasn’t experienced yet, and I think he’s going to be the perfect age this summer for an orchard and ice cream day.
You might not have a peach season where you live, but do a quick Google search to see if there are places near you where you can find seasonal, local fruit that you could pick (or just pick-up!), like strawberries or cherries. And don’t forget to stop for ice cream on the way home. 😊
And when I get up the mama courage to get a little messy in the kitchen and let Henry help me make a peach cobbler, I’ll be sure to share that recipe with you too!
Summer Bucket List #2: Get Henry on the Water
If your family doesn’t have a way to frequently jump in the water this summer, see how creative you can be and find a spot that becomes your go-to. Maybe it’s a community pool or a friend’s pool, a small, local beach or a family member’s cabin. Those memories in the water are what make summer feel like summer, and it’s worth being on your summer bucket list!
My parents live about 10 minutes from us on the Spokane River. It’s dammed and very still and just stunning, honestly. Even though it feels like we have to squeeze half our house in the back of our minivan when we pack up to go for a water day, once we’re at the beach, it’s all worth it.
We’re in the really wonderful toddler stage (genuinely) that’s everything curious and questioning and awestruck, so I can’t wait to get Henry out on the water in a kayak to explore all the things! He’s outgrown last year’s life jacket, so this is the one I’m planning to order for him this year. We haven’t tried it out yet, but the reviews look good!
Summer Bucket List #3: Get Outside in the Evenings after Bedtime
Something that’s challenging about the little years is that getting out of the house post-bedtime is rare. Yes, yes, of course, date nights, or we’ll have friends over after our kids are sleeping. But for the most part, after 7pm, we fold our laundry and take showers and start the dishwasher, and that’s a wrap.
The bummer about that little nighttime routine, especially in the summer, is that it means missing out on the sky turning orange and the air relaxing a bit and that quiet evening settledness of someone riding their bike past at 8:00pm. There’s something about stepping out of the house and leaning into the peace of a quiet evening that’s so restorative.
If you think you’d like to get outside in the post-bedtime hour too, here are a few ideas:
Sit on the patio with your spouse (or solo!) and your beverage of choice. Depending on your space, bring out a board game or some conversation cards. A friend gifted me these ones, and we really love them, and there are so many other great options out there too!
Go for a walk or bike ride around your neighborhood or your favorite park.
If you have a way to get on the water in the evening, do it! My absolute favorite thing to do outside after my kids are in bed is to paddle board while the sun is just starting to sink a little lower. The water is so still in the evenings, and you won’t regret the effort it takes. 🤍
Invite friends over for a bonfire or claim it as an at-home date night. Grab a few blankets, your favorite chocolate for s’mores, and this great deck of campfire story cards. Here’s a link! I first saw these campfire story cards at REI, but Amazon has them too!
Summer Bucket List #4: Visit a Zoo
Okay, if you live somewhere where there’s a really great zoo, you just count your blessings because, as it turns out, there are lots of cities where a fun zoo for kids is hard to find (ahem, Spokane).
We could just take a “quick trip” to the west side to visit a zoo in Seattle or Portland, but that’s quite a bit of effort to watch some lions take a nap. 🙂
Because Spokane doesn’t have any super big zoos, I decided to look into other, smaller zoos that Henry would still enjoy. Maybe you’re in the same boat, and I bet you can find something small and local that your kids will still love! Start by seeing if you have any local, summer events that will have a petting zoo, like a farmer’s market. We had the best time at a small pop-up petting zoo last summer!
Spokane does have a small zoo called “Cat Tales” where we can go to see tigers, cougars and leopards. Even though we’ve lived here for quite some time, we’ve never been! I’m really excited for Henry to get an up-close look after all the time we’ve spent reading about animals. The extent of Henry’s zoo experience is watching Blippi show us around a zoo (where are my Blippi fans at? 😀), so I can’t wait to take him for real!
Summer Bucket List #5: A “Few” Backyard Projects
Whew, when it comes to a summer bucket list, this one is the least fun upfront but will be the MOST fun next summer. Every year in January, my husband and I look ahead at the year and decide what house projects we want to take on in both time and budget. Our backyard is a decent size with two beautiful maple trees along the back fence. It’s truly a great place for kids to play, but it needs updating, and we decided this was the year to do it!
If you have a love/hate relationship with your yard, just come on over for a bonfire at my house and enjoy the stars next to our (very large) pile of old landscaping blocks. It’s real life around here, and honestly, that feels hard when I want our backyard to really be an extension of our home as soon as the weather is warmer.
Things to think about:
It feels great to pick one or two (or three) projects that will have a big impact on making your outdoor space more livable.
Think about what you can afford, what you know how to do or would rather hire.
And then, (the hardest part) choose to be thankful for whatever changes you’re able to make. It will add up one summer at a time!
This summer, we put up a swingset (already done!), we’re about to paint our patio awning and posts, and a couple of other odd jobs we’re planning to finish before September. I’d like to update our fire pit area and put in a sandbox, but it’s actually really helpful to keep your list small and to be realistic about your family’s current capacity to finish what you start.
Do you have any updates you’re hoping to make to your backyard this summer? I’d love to know! I’m always so inspired by the beautiful spaces friends create in their backyards for their families. And drop your favorite summer bucket list item in the comments below, or come let me know on Instagram! These are just a few simple ideas to get your list started, and I hope your family has your best summer yet.
