June is the month of the year when the school year wraps up and summer adventures begin! Summer has always been my favorite season. What’s there not to love about sunshine and lots of family time?! Two Peas in Two Pods is all about homemaking and though not all of these summer bucket list ideas are involved in the home, going different places and on different adventures make it that much more exciting to come back home. The best part of any vacation is coming back home! There is just something about returning to the comfort of your familiar bed and taking a nice shower after a camping trip.
I’ve complied this fun list of summer things to do for anyone planning an extraordinary summer break! It doesn’t mean that you need to break the bank, but it does take some intentionality to create memories that will last a lifetime. If you think about it, you only get a certain amount of summers with your children before they grow up and are out of your house! Here are some ideas for how to make each summer special.
- Go camping- whether that means setting up a tent in your backyard or going the proper route and setting up camp in the woods, take advantage of the warmer nights and go camping!
- Stargaze- usually, the best places to do this is up in the mountains due to minimal light pollution and higher altitude. While you’re out camping, don’t forget to stay up and look up.
- Catch some fish- grab your fishing pole and head out to the lake or ocean to catch some fish. The best tasting fish is always the one freshly caught and grilled!
- Sing around the campfire- the fondest memories of camping are the ones around the campfire, singing and talking with friends. What a way to spend some quality time with children while teaching them some safety precautions too.
- Hike a trail- get your blood pumping and be prepared for some jaw-dropping views. The harder the hike usually means the more beautiful the scenery is.
- Blend up some smoothies- use seasonal fruit to make some nutritious, vibrant, refreshing drinks to serve to your family June through August.
- Chill in a hammock- take some time to relax with a smoothie or a good book in your hand on a hammock. Seriously, if you don’t have one, you’re missing out!
- Swim at the pool- this is a no-brainer! If you don’t have a pool, chances are you have friends or family who do… Swimming is the BEST form of exercise.
- Kayaking, sail boating, boating, canoeing- these are all fun options to spend a day at a body of water:)
- Learn how to surf- this one has been on my bucket list for years! For now, I have been just enjoying watching other people surf from the pier.
- Build a sand castle- not just a lame little one. Go all out and get your whole family excited about building a huge one. Don’t forget to snap a family photo with it after your done. That is, if the waves don’t break it before you do 😉
- Master stone skipping- practice makes perfect! Make a competition of who can skip the most amount of times.
- Visit a national park near you- spot the closest national park and make it a point to take a road trip and explore it. Yosemite is our closest national park and every time I go there I am wowed by God’s creation! Every. Single. Time.
- Go on a picnic- Pack up your picnic basket with sandwiches, fruits, and snacks and throw a blanket down at a park and enjoy lunchtime outside.
- Pick local berries- though berries don’t grow very well in Central California, any time we visit m sister in Washington during the summer, we go berry picking. That is just the epitome of summer!
- Bake some berry rolls- instead of cinnamon rolls, throw in some berries to make a summery dessert for your family to rave about.
- Make some homemade ice cream- even if you do not have an ice cream machine, there are other methods of making ice cream. Do some research and try it out. It’ll be like a fun science experiment with a tasty result!
- Support a farmers market- all of the freshly picked vegetables and fruits are what get me!
- Plant some flowers- check which flowers grow well in the summer in your region and watch them grow. Talk about therapy!
- Gardening- there are so many tomatoes ripening on the vine in my garden these days. It’s so rewarding. Tending to a garden is the perfect summer activity! Be sure to have timed water drip system that way you don’t need to be stuck at home all summer watering though!
- Host a grilling party- invite all of your friends and grill some meat and vegetables for a wholesome meal outside and a good time.
- Prepare some smash burgers- these are so fun to make and turn out tasting way better than the typical patties from the store and cheaper too).
- Light some fireworks/sparklers- this is fun to do not only on fourth of July!
- Run through the sprinklers- this has been my boys’ favorite pastime nowadays. Great way to get wet and stay cool!
- Water balloon fight- gather all the children in the neighborhood or invite your children’s friends and organize a water balloon fight. Classic summer game!
- Bike riding- another easy way to get your exercise in without even feeling it. Summertime is the best time to try out some bike trails in your town!
- Fly a kite- this is something that I have never done, but would like to! The beach sounds like the perfect place to try that since it’s always windy.
- Chalk sidewalk- whether it’s to draw hop scotch or learn the ABCs with your toddler, chalk is a fun form of art not just for kids!
- Go to a water park- obviously summer is the best time to visit your local water park. You may be surprised at how much fun you have. There are lots of great deals you can find if you search around.
- Create a shadow play- this is such a fun way to reenact Bible stories at home with a white bedsheet and a source of light.
Maybe not the most extensive summer bucket list out there, but I hope you found something from this list that you would like to do with your family this summer. After all, summer is all about growing in capabilities and having loads of fun while you’re at it!
With my family, we actually visited Yosemite National Park today and took a hike to see this beautiful waterfall! What a wonderful way to kick off this summer season. What’s on your summer bucket list? Leave a comment down below and let us know what you’re most excited for this summer!
If you’re into bucket lists, be sure to check out our spring bucket list for homemakers as well! Looking for some new summer recipes? Be sure to give these a try:
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