Make a summer bucket list
Hooray! We're two weeks into summer and we're having fun, right? Right? Well ok, there may have been one or two days where those dreaded words "I'm bored!" have been uttered, and perhaps the odd day where it feels like you're tripping over kids in a way you never thought possible before school broke up... is that more accurate? If so, then never fear. NOW is the perfect time to write that summer bucket list and rescue the rest of the holidays before it's back to the grind of the school run. So what are you waiting for? Here are our top tips to help you make a summer bucket list of fun!
Getting prepared
A bucket list is, quite simply, a list of activities and ideas for days out that you and the kids would like to do this summer. That's it. It can be a great boredom buster, and it can help to rescue those days where nothing seems to be going right at all. Getting started is easy and can go one of two ways- it depends on how much you like to control situations with the kids.
If they're old enough, ask them to write their own list. Simple. But of course, read through the items together and decide which ones are doable or not. As the lovely Eve at Baba and Boo found out this summer, meeting Ronaldo, going to India and eating lobster might not be possible all in the same six weeks! If your child does have some items that are more 'fantasy' than reality, talk them through and make a pact to explore them in other ways. You could have an India theme day, for example, or a football themed day. That way your child knows their interests are being addressed still. By the way, Eve's son does have some fairly more reasonable requests on his list (to build a den with sticks and to visit London) while her daughter has one simple request- to play with mum. What a lovely way to tap into your child's way of thinking!
If your children are not old enough to create their own lists, then you need to help. You could draw a mind map of their interests and suggest activities that would suit them. This is a lovely visual way of creating your bucket list and a lot simpler for younger children to follow. So if your little one is dinosaur mad, then you can collate a few activities relating to that topic- visit the museum, make dinosaur costumes, go on a dinosaur hunt, etc. Look on Pinterest for inspiration too, and don't forget to check local what's on guides for organised activities that might appeal too.
Also it's worth mentioning more person goals for the summer too. Kerry (@scrapbookerry) says her family bucket list mainly consists of helping her son learn to ride his bike. And what perfect timing, while the days are long and there's no school to interfere?
Ideas for your bucket list
Here are some ideas we've come up with ourselves, along side some super ideas from you lovely lot. Thanks to all who shared!
- Climb a tree. Stand at the bottom, ready to catch if you want to, but if your child is old enough to do this, its a perfect summer's activity.
- Have a water fight. No explanation needed!
- Explore with ice play. Huge thanks to @ToddlerSlave for this idea. She plans to freeze lots of objects and invite her little ones to melt the ice and rescue the treasures within. A fab activity while it's warm, and great to learn about freezing and melting too.
- Learn to knit/ sew. The world is loom band crazy, but knitting and sewing never goes out of fashion. It's a great skill to teach older kids.
- Make a tie dye t-shirt. Another great activity for older kids, and one that @Redpeffer says her lot enjoyed loads this week!
- Write a holiday diary. What a wonderful way to collect memorabilia and to document your adventures this summer. Holiday diaries are also great to take into preschool/ school after the summer too.
- Visit the seaside. Eat fish and chips on the beach. Relax. All items from the fabulous list on Mama Owl's blog. Pop over to read what else she and the kids have planned!
- Go for a picnic. The ultimate summer activity- and food always seems to taste better when it's eaten outside (and there's no washing up!).
- Have a movie night. Let the kids stay up a little later, make popcorn and have a night of it. And yes, maybe it is a good idea to choose a new DVD (Frozen is getting a little old now, don't you think?) so going to choose one can be an activity in itself too. This idea comes from the wonderful bucket list over at Hayley from Home- go and have a look at what else she has planned for the summer!
- Learn to swim. A fab one if you're away this summer, but still achievable if you're not. Warmer weather makes swimming a lot more pleasant and you'll be surprised at how quickly kids can pick it up.
- Get busy in the kitchen. Make a teddy bear's tea party. Create a saucepan band. Make ice lollies. Just a few of the fab ideas over on the Betta Living blog- and there are plenty more to choose from too!
So, are you feeling inspired? Your list can be as fantastic or as simple as you like, as long as you have some idea of how to achieve each item. And next time the kids say they're bored? Remind them there is still so much to do this summer.