Summer Bucket List 2015

 

Summer 2015 Bucket List | Paper Doll Tales

So here’s my philosophy on a summer bucket list:  it’s meant for inspiration, NOT guilt trips.  Which means, I fully intend to leave boxes unticked by the end of summer.  This is not my “to-do” list, which comes with corresponding box-fulls of guilt if items go unattended.  A summer bucket list should provide plenty of fodder to fill the “what should we do today?” hours and still have some juice left over to jump start 2016’s list.

In my summer bucket lists, I try to cover things to play, things to make, things to eat, and places to go.  Some items are all about kids, some about family, and some about the grown-ups.  Basically, it’s my once-a-year purge of my Pinterest boards.  (And THAT is an item I can check off the “to-do” list.)

Summer 2015 Bucket List | Paper Doll Tales

Some of my Summer Bucket List 2015 items will only work for you if you live within driving distance of Pittsburgh, but many can be adapted to your neighborhood, wherever you make home.  I hope we have some plans that inspire your plans in Summer 2015!

If this list is just too long and gaaaahhhh! for you, my other favorite approach to a bucket list is Let’s Explore’s monthly 10 Ways to Play list, which I print and stick on my fridge for easy inspiration and motivation.  The activities are fun, doable, and open-ended.

Even simpler, our go-to, year-round activity inspiration is Kiwi Crate (get $10 off your first box with that link), which delivers carefully curated educational crafts and multiple extension activities to our mailbox each month, but also don’t miss their awesome (and free) Kiwi Crate Corner app for your phone that will give a gazillion ideas of play, make, or do at the swipe of a finger.


Download a Printable Summer Bucket List 2015 from Paper Doll Tales

Which boxes will you tick off this summer?


Play

Learn the full See You Later, Alligator list

Walking scavenger hunt

PNC Water Steps

Rain walk

Storytime at a local library

Dollar movies at local movie theater

Visit a park in a new neighborhood

Splash pad

Family yoga class

Slip n’ slide

Learn new knock-knock jokes

Visit local pool

Sign up for summer reading program at library

Zentangle for kids

Baseball game

Fancy tea party with neighbors

Swim classes

6 lines of tape games

Family games night

Read outdoors in tents

Stream stomping

Bowling

Summer ice skating

 

Make

Mermaid sock tails

Cardboard box city

Story starters grab bag

Bedtime shadow puppets

Art journals

Fairy play dough

Hula hoop rug  weaving

Monster feet

Cardboard box washing machine

Milk rainbow science experiment

Marshmallow sculptures

String telephones

 

Home

“More” summer, more love poster

Goodwill purge

Chalkboard paint on pantry doors

Dresser spice rack book shelves

Create mudroom

Catch up on family photo albums

Build deck furniture

Read Tinker Lab

Read The Artful Parent

Subscribe to Family Fun magazine

Organize art shelves in playroom

Learn how to fold fitted bedsheets

 

Eat

Smitten Kitchen’s Frozen coconut limeade

Taste test sandwich-free school lunch options

Grilled cherry milkshakes

Raspberry picking

Breakfast apricot crisp

Picnic lunch

Flourless lemon ricotta cake

David Leibovitz’s almond cake

The Yellow Table’s strawberry (or peach) shortcakes

Blueberry crumble (extra blueberries)

Nourished Kitchen’s Yogurt panna cotta with honey roasted strawberries

Simple Bites Rhubarb cornmeal muffins

Summer snacks for kids

 

Travel

Hike to a waterfall

Zoo

Fun Fore All

Three Rivers Arts Festival

Bach, Beethoven and Brunch

Meadowcroft

Fort Pitt Museum

Visit a French bakery

See a Children’s Theater play

Cousin Camp

Amusement park

BounceU

Sky Zone

Try a new restaurant (we’re opting for Pusadee’s Garden)

Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve

10 Best Road Trip Games

Washington, DC

Charleston, SC

Edisto, SC

Holland, MI

4 Comments

  1. Jo said:

    Just plain awesomeness!

    June 17, 2015
    Reply
  2. Nancy said:

    Sounds like a great summer.

    June 17, 2015
    Reply
  3. Papa Larry said:

    I read your list. I’m exhausted!

    June 17, 2015
    Reply
  4. […] pool.  We treated ourselves to donuts and coffee at our favorite Strip District stops.  We played bucket-list tourist in Pittsburgh by venturing out to Bach, Beethoven and Brunch for an idyllic morning […]

    July 20, 2015
    Reply

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