Our Summer Bucket List + Free Summer Planning Printables!
Plan an intentional summer with this summer bucket list and free planning printables!

Create a Summer Bucket List
Can you believe summer is here? Maybe you’ve already started celebrating summer activities with your family.
We’re planning to do a bit of homeschooling this summer, but we’re also looking forward to a break and enjoying some family time.
I’ve learned that nothing happens unless it’s planned, so I decided to set some goals for how we’d like to spend the summer. That way we won’t look back and wonder where the time went!
I decided to make a summer bucket list to keep track of what we hope to do together.
And while I was at it, I also created a blank bucket list and some free planning printables for you!
Affiliate links included below, which means I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Read my disclosure here.
Summer Bucket List Ideas
Here are some ideas for what you could put on your summer bucket list. Most of them are free are inexpensive. A few of them will cost a bit.
Use the ideas that are helpful to you and your family!
- go camping (We love making these campfire cherry hobo pies!)
- take a fishing trip
- go boating
- spend a day at the beach
- have a cookout (Learn how to make a simple fire pit.)
- plan a backyard barbecue with friends
- go to the lake
- visit a local swimming pool
- take a hike
- spend a night looking at the stars together
- go out for ice cream or snow cones
- make your own snow cones at home
- family movie night
- make homemade popsicles or fruit bars (These popsicle molds are great!)
- go to the zoo
- make s’mores
- have a pizza party (Here’s my homemade pizza recipe.)
- fondue night
- family game night (these are some of our favorite games)
- go to the fair
- go to the park
- make homemade bubbles
- visit a nature center
- go to the botanical garden
- plant something in your own garden (This is a great gardening resource list.)
- go bowling
- play in the sprinkler
- have a water balloon fight
- play tag in the backyard after dark
- read through a book series (Here are fun summer read aloud books.)
- bake cookies
- make your own ice cream sundaes for dessert (I love this simple no-cook ice cream!)
What’s on Our Summer Bucket List
- go to the lake (we love spending time at the lake every summer)
- fishing
- go camping
- go to the local aquatic center
- have a backyard barbecue
- have a sewing day
- read through a book series (I shared on Instagram which series we’re planning to read!)
- go to a frozen yogurt place
- make popsicles
- go on a picnic
- have an outdoor game night (play tag and other games outside)
- look at the stars together
- paint the kitchen (this may not sound fun, but the whole family is looking forward to getting this done!)
- make homemade ice cream
- go bowling together
- make a family music video (this could be interesting…)
- go boating (if you follow me on Instagram, you know we already did this once, but we hope to go again this summer! We just have a simple inflatable raft-type boat, but it’s still fun!)
- make homemade marshmallows
- have a family movie night
- go to the park
- make snow cones
- make suckers
- go to the local fireworks show on July 4th (we did this last year and it was so fun—and it was free!)
- board game night
- run through the sprinkler (my kids love it when I do this with them)
- go to the music fest (this is a local homeschool event we attend every year)
More Summer Inspiration
- 32 Simple Summer Activities for Kids
- 16 Summer Read Aloud Books
- Printable Summer Screen Time Rules
- 25 Screen-Free Summer Activities for Kids
- 25 Summer Nature Study Ideas
Enjoy an Intentional Summer
So, that’s what we have planned for this summer.
Most of these things are free or cost very little, which is a must for our budget right now.
But each one is still designed to make special summer memories, which is our main goal. 🙂
Would you like to make your own bucket list? I made a printable for you!

Download your free summer bucket list printables here!
And in addition to the above printable, I also made a summer reading list and two other forms you could use for whatever you like (notepaper, menus, chore lists, etc.).
Enjoy, and I’d love to hear what’s on your summer bucket list for this year!
This is a really fun bucket list! Thanks for linking up at a “Little Bird Told Me” Wednesday link party! You have been featured on Mama’s Happy Hive blog. 🙂
Thank you, Vanessa! 🙂
Sounds like you have a fun summer planned! What a great idea to make a bucket list for summer! Thanks for sharing at #LMMLinkup!
Thank you, Gayl! If only my kids would get well, then we could get started on our bucket list activities! 🙂
Love the printable! Thanks for including it!
Thank you, Kim! I’m so glad you like it!
Great list–I especially like stargazing–I need to always do that with someone who can point the constellations out to me though. Lots of fun stuff here. I just found you from Modest Monday
Thank you, Lisa! I know, I need help with the constellations, too. 🙂 So glad you stopped by today!
It’s about time for me to make a bucket list. First thing will be to graduate my daughter!
Please drop by and say hello!
ஐღLauraღஐ
Harvest Lane Cottage
…doing what I can with what I’ve got where I am
on a short shoestring budget!
~~~~~
How exciting that your daughter will be graduating! My oldest will be a senior this coming school year. It goes by too fast!
This is making me look forward to summer, Joy! Thank you for sharing the printable 🙂
It feels like summer here today, except it’s raining. I’m looking forward to more sun! Hope you enjoy the printable! 🙂
What a great idea! 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
Sarah (www.sarahefrazer.com)
You’re welcome, Sarah! 🙂