Fun + simple ways to connect as a family this summer!
When you're in the thick of summer with your kiddos, it’s easy to feel like you should be doing more. More memory-making, more playing, more bonding. But honestly? It doesn’t have to be complicated to be magical.
We created this easy-to-check-off summer bucket list for families to help you slow down, soak it all in, and reconnect. These ideas are low-stress, screen-free, and designed for real life. Let’s make this summer one to remember.
A little paint, a few shells from your last beach day (or the craft store), and you've got instant summer vibes + keepsakes. Once you're done use your seashells as open play toys to create larger images, decorate photo frames, make stepping stones, add to your fairy gardens, use in sensory bins, hide in the backyard, and more. With you & your littles imaginations the options are endless!
Pack whatever you have—even if it’s just PB&Js in the backyard. Bonus points for a cute blanket and juice boxes. Use what you already have at home and add a bit of magic to any meal by eating it picnic style!
It’s messy, colorful, and your kids will think you're the coolest mom on the planet. Once you begin you'll want to keep going so don't limit yourself to just t-shirts. Be prepared to up your game and tie-dye socks, totes, bandanas, picnic napkins, and whatever else you can dream up! Pro tip: match your shirts to your swimsuits.
No campground required! A backyard (or even living room) sleepover can still feel like a big adventure. No tent, no problem! Pull those mattresses out to the living room and have a family sleepover under makeshift stars and fall asleep playing games will be just as memorable! It's together that counts!
Bring a sketchbook and watercolors to a park, the beach, or a local national park. It’s peaceful (maybe), a little quirky (for sure), and 100% quality time. Wear old clothes, bring a wipeable tablecloth to paint on, and start painting what you see. No need for fancy supplies a simple watercolor palette can go a long way!
Everyone loves roasting marshmallows, to create new memories this summer the only rule on this one is to roast anything BUT marshmallows. Try starburst, pineapple, even brownies on a stick. Unexpected = unforgettable. Let your kids get creative, let them choose items that may or may not work. Our kids are little scientists and what better way to get their imagination engaged!
Get your hands dirty and your hearts full. Let your littles pick the blooms—they’ll love watching them grow. You can plan them in the ground or in pots for your porch or window sill. If you want to get silly go to your local secondhand store or search around your house for unusual pots to put them in (think old shoes, jars, build one out of legos, egg cartons, milk jugs), skies the limit! Don't forget to add drainage holes!
Print out our nature photography scavenger hunt checklist (think: butterfly, red flower, bird nest) or create your own! You can use your phone camera or hand out disposable cameras and let them snap away. Get your kids in the photos and scrapbook your bucket list adventures as an additional activity.
Grab a fun mold at your local grocer and mix juice, yogurt, or blended fruit (& veggies if you can). Popsicles never taste better than when they’re homemade and it's a great on the go snack for all of your adventures and outdoor play!
Visit a farmers market, pick a fruit, and bake something delicious together. Pie, cobbler, crisp—whatever says summer to your crew. Bonus points if it's something you've never made before! Or you can use it as a topping to homemade ice cream!
Yes, they’ll be groggy. But the sparkle in their eyes when they see the stars? Worth it. Choose a clear night and drive out to where there is less light pollution and lay out a blanket! If stars are hard to see where you're at an imagination is just as magical. Cut out stars and tape them to the ceiling for the kids to look at with you (hide some hidden shapes and try to find them)!
Whether you check off all of these or just a few, the goal is simple: more togetherness, less pressure.
Want a printable version of this list? Click here to download it and pin it to your fridge!
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