72 Summer Bucket List Ideas for 2024 (Add Your Picks!)

Kelly R:  A drive-in theater is a fun summer bucket list idea that allows you to catch a new movie while enjoying your own space! Dress in PJs, bring plenty of fun movie snacks, and load up on pillows and blankets for a comfy experience. You might want to bring a board game to play while you're waiting for the movie to start.

Shila:  Whether it's a planned outdoor activity on a hot day or you're just watering your lawn anyway, invite your kids to come outside and run through the sprinklers!

Shila:  A backyard movie night works best if you own (or can rent) a projector, but rolling your big screen TV outdoors works well too! When the sun goes down, pop in a summer family movie and invite a couple friends over to watch outside.

Shila:  Say goodbye to training wheels this summer and teach your kid to ride a big kid bike! Achieving this skill can open the door to so many more family-friendly bike trail options to add to your summer bucket list.

Shila:  Every state in the U.S. has an abundance of reserved land for the public to enjoy and for nature to thrive untouched. See which ones are near you and add a day of hiking, boating, canoeing, biking, or bird watching to your family summer bucket list!

Shila:  Keep an eye out for the prefect breezy day and go fly a kite for your summer bucket list!

Shila:  Complete with a blanket and basket, one of my favorite family bucket list ideas is a picnic in the park (or even the backyard)! Packing the basket with picnic food is such an exciting activity for kids.

Shila:  Read a complete chapter book series! Kids are often very proud to say that they've accomplished this feat. Choose from any popular chapter books that your kids would be exited to read, from The Mouse and the Motorcycle to The Mysterious Benedict Society. You could read out loud as a family, too!

Kelly R:  Keep a giant coloring poster rolled out on your dining room table with colored pencils fully stocked, and it can be a project that the family works on a little bit at a time all summer long. We love doing this while listening to audiobooks!

Shila:  Fill up some water balloons and you know the rest! An eco-friendly, reusable alternative can be to make DIY water bombs. Just cut inexpensive dishwashing sponges into strips about an inch wide and 4 inches long. Then, tie a few strips together around the middle longwise, fan them out, soak and throw!

Shila:  Wake the gang early to capture a clear sunrise. A warm mug of hot chocolate will make the early wake-up easier, but opt for catching a sunset instead if that's more your style!

Alexandra F.:  Use a popsicle mold to make your own refreshing summer treat. Try any of these simple popsicle recipes or experiment with pureed fruit, juice, yogurt, ice cream and more. See if you can come up with your family's favorite signature flavor before summer is out!

Kelly R:  Kids in grades 1-6 can participate in the Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Program, where they read 8 books during the summer and bring in a completed reading log to earn a free book! My kids love this one best because the prize selection is great and they get to choose it themselves, but many local libraries and bookstores offer similar challenges. Print out a reading log at the link to get started!

Shila:  There are many family-friendly national parks in the USA, all magnificent in their own right.

Kristy Pepping:  Write a letter to family or a friend. Tell them what you have been up to during your summer and ask them to write back. Keep your pen pal letters going all summer long.