Buhata
Login Start for Free

Home › Life Terms

Family organization and routines

Summer bucket list

A family's list of things to do together over the summer break, written at the start and ticked off as the weeks go by.

What It Means

A summer bucket list is a list a family makes at the start of the school break of the outings, projects and small adventures they'd like to fit in before school starts again. Everyone adds ideas, the list goes somewhere visible, and items get ticked off through the summer. It works best when its size matches the free days the family actually has.

Try It: Size Your List and Your Active Minutes

Move the sliders to match your summer. The numbers are examples to adjust; the 60 minutes is CDC's daily activity guideline for ages 6 to 17.

Weeks8
Per week2
Items your list can hold16
Minutes40of 60

Short of CDC's 60 minutes. Add an active item or two to the list: a bike ride, a hike, a new sport.

How It Sounds at Home

  • "Can we put the water park on the summer list?"
  • "We've done eleven things on the bucket list so far."
  • "That's a bucket-list day, we're going to the lake."

The Breakdown

How to make one (Buhata's own suggestion)

  1. Count the free weeks between camps, trips and work, so the list fits the summer you really have.
  2. Hold a short family meetingFamily meetingA short, regular sit-down where everyone in the household shares news, looks ahead at the week and makes decisions together. See more where everyone adds ideas, from the youngest up.
  3. Mix sizes: big days out, small things at home, and a few free ones.
  4. Add active items on purpose. CDC suggests trying a new activity or sport, exploring nature, and walking or biking together as a family.
  5. Keep a few rainy-day items. CDC suggests movement games like fitness bingo, or dancing to music from other countries, for days when rain or heat keeps you inside.
  6. Post the list where everyone sees it and tick items off as you go.

A starter list (Buhata's own examples)

KindIdeas
ActiveLearn a new sport, a family bike ride, a nature walk
At homeBackyard picnic, a living-room dance party, fitness bingo
Out and aboutA free museum day, the library's summer program, a day trip
Bigger plansA camp or youth program, a trip to see family

Short version to try today. Give everyone three sticky notes, ask for one idea on each, and put them all on the fridge.

Good to Know

CDC says children and teens 6 to 17 need 60 minutes or more of physical activity a day, and its summer pages point to camps and youth programs as a way for children to try new things, build friendships and stay active. If a camp is on your list, Buhata's summer camp costSummer camp costWhat families pay for day or overnight summer camp; in a 2022 American Camp Association survey, most day camps charged $1 to $100 a day. See more page covers what day and overnight camps tend to cost. A list that's too long can turn summer into a checklist, so leave room for unplanned days.

FAQ

How many things should be on a summer bucket list?

There's no official number. Buhata's suggestion is one or two items for each free week, which for an eight-week summer is about 8 to 16 items.

What are good summer bucket list ideas for kids?

Mix active, at-home and out-and-about ideas. CDC's summer pages suggest trying a new sport, exploring nature, family walks and bike rides, and dance or movement games for days indoors.

How do I get kids involved in making the list?

Let each person add their own ideas, even the youngest, and make sure every person has at least one pick that's theirs. Buhata's suggestion is to let the youngest go first so their ideas aren't crowded out.

Do It in Buhata

Tasks, Household Space and Countdown

Make the bucket list as Tasks in your Household Space in Buhata so anyone can tick an item off, and add a Countdown to the last day of summer break.

Open Buhata

Related Terms and Categories

  • Summer schedule

    A family's plan for the school break: steady wake and bed times, blocks for camp, play and chores, and a slow shift back before school starts.

  • Summer camp cost

    What families pay for day or overnight summer camp; in a 2022 American Camp Association survey, most day camps charged $1 to $100 a day.

  • Unstructured play

    Play a child chooses and directs, with no adult-set rules, lesson or goal, like making up a game in the yard or building whatever comes to mind.

  • Quality time with kids

    Time a parent spends giving a child full, undistracted attention, like a few minutes of one-on-one play where the child leads.

Family organization and routines

Sources

CDC, "Summer and Health" (Physical Activity Education); CDC, "Summer and Health" (Healthy Schools); CDC, "Child Activity: An Overview"

Last updated .